Author: Mari Vasseur

Mini Chocolate Hand Pies for Pi Day

Mini Chocolate Hand Pies by Brownie Mischief

Pi Day is a day to celebrate mathematics, or more specifically, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to it’s diameter. While I do appreciate math for it’s precision, I also feel a bit peeved at math for making my brain hurt! Ok, I’m sorry math. I forgive you. I do need you! How would I bake without you? So today I will celebrate math (and also my love for puns) with these tender, fudgy mini hand pies!

Mini Chocolate Hand Pies by Brownie Mischief

Since pi is all about circles, I used a 2 3/4-inch circle cutter to make round pies, but you can cut them into any shape you like. You could cut larger circles, fold them in half and call them empanadas. Rectangles are very popular with Pop Tart fans and you don’t need a special cutter, but a ruler would be helpful. I think squares would be cute, too! Whatever your shape of choice, my buddy math can hook you up!

I used a stencil to add some powdered sugar polka dots to my mini pies. I may have gone a little overboard with my circles, but who’s going to stop me? I think they look pretty cute, but If you don’t have a stencil, a sprinkle or two of powdered sugar will do just fine! Alternately, you could drizzle them with some melted white chocolate. I had a bit of white chocolate on hand, so I can confidently say, that version is yummy too!

Print Recipe
 Mini Chocolate Hand Pies
Mini chocolate pies with fudgy filling and a tender chocolate crust.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Passive Time 1 1/2 hours
Servings
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Finishing Touches
Course Dessert
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Passive Time 1 1/2 hours
Servings
Ingredients
Crust
Filling
Finishing Touches
Instructions
Crust
  1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt and baking powder.
  2. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture until it resembles pea-sized crumbs.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of the cold water to the mixture. Stir gently just until the dough comes together.
  4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over onto itself a couple of times. Form the dough into a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
Filling
  1. In a small microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in the microwave. Heat for 10 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
  2. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
Assembly
  1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and remaining 1 tablespoon water.
  3. On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness.
  4. Cut out 20 rounds with a 2 3/4-inch circle cutter (or cut into desired shapes of your choice).
  5. Place 10 dough rounds about 1 inch apart onto prepared baking sheet. Top each with 1 tablespoon of filling.
    Mini Chocolate Hand Pies
  6. With a small pastry brush or your finger, brush egg mixture around the perimeter of each of the filled dough circles.
  7. Top each with the 10 remaining dough circles. Crimp the edges together with a fork. Brush the pies with the remaining egg mixture.
    Mini Chocolate Hand Pies
  8. Bake until the crust is crisp and browned, about 15-20 minutes.
  9. Transfer to a cooling rack. Sprinkle the cooled pies with powdered sugar or drizzle with melted white chocolate.
    Mini Chocolate Hand Pies
Recipe Notes

*The chocolate chips you use depends on personal preference. Bittersweet chocolate chips give a more intense chocolate flavor, while semi-sweet chocolate chips yield a slightly sweeter finished product.

To find my favorite circle cutters click here.                                                                                  To find the polka-dot stencil click here.

Marshmallow Love

 

Marshmallow Cake by Brownie Mischief

Dear marshmallows, why are you so sweet and fluffy? I shall call you squishy and you shall be mine! Yes, it’s true, I’m a bit crazy about marshmallows. This post is nothing short of a marshmallow fest! First, my daughter and I made some Sparkly Marshmallow Hearts that are super fun and easy to make. I literally want to put them on everything! How cute do they look on this mini cake? They also make adorable cupcake toppers! To view the Sparkly Marshmallow Hearts tutorial click here.

We also had some fun with Puffy Poles. In case you’re not marshmallow savvy, Puffy Poles are marshmallows that look like chubby barber poles. They’re very popular on dessert tables and candy buffets. We used pink ones, which have a subtle strawberry flavor. We applied them to the pictured 4-inch diameter by 2 1/4 inch tall strawberry cake, which was crumb coated with a thin layer of vanilla buttercream. We used buttercream to adhere them to the sides of the cake. To find Puffy Poles click here.

Marshmallow Cake by Brownie Mischief

Next, I made some Billowy Sky Blue Marshmallow Frosting to share with you. One of the things you’re going to love about this frosting, besides being yummy, is it’s natural beauty. You can simply spoon it on, no piping or fancy tricks necessary. Everything it touches becomes an ethereal cloud of deliciousness! The recipe is below.

Print Recipe
 Billowy Sky Blue Marshmallow Frosting
Fluffy, glossy, sweet marshmallow frosting.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings
cups
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a large heatproof bowl, whisk together sugar, egg whites, water and cream of tartar until frothy.
  2. Place bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, making sure the water isn't touching the bottom of the bowl. Whisk mixture until temperature reaches 160° and sugar is completely dissolved.
  3. Remove bowl from heat. Add extracts. Beat mixture with the whisk attachment of an electric mixer on high speed until stiff and glossy.
  4. Add a small amount of food color with a toothpick and mix on low speed. Continue adding food color, a little at a time, until desired shade is reached. Use a clean toothpick for each addition.
Recipe Notes

*It's important to dissolve all of the sugar when making this frosting. Ultra fine sugar dissolves easier, but if you are unable to find it, you can use regular granulated sugar.

Chocolate Lovers’ Valentine Cake for Two

Chocolate Lovers' Valentine Drip Cake for Two

My relationship with Valentine’s Day has transformed over the years. When I was a child, I joyfully skipped home from school with my bounty of tiny Valentine cards, candy hearts and a cupcake someone’s mother baked. As I grew older, I was hot and cold towards Valentine’s Day, depending on the state of my love life at the time. After having kids, Valentine’s Day became about red construction paper, doily hearts and glue sticks. I happily cleaned up sprinkles and kissed chubby, frosting-stained cheeks. Now I think of Valentine’s Day as simply a day to celebrate love. I embrace Valentine’s Day and all the hearts, roses and chocolates that go with it! Show your loved ones that you love them on Valentine’s Day, but more importantly, show them throughout the year, by loving, respecting and accepting them for who they are every day.

If your heart beats for a chocolate lover, then this Valentine cake for two will have them swooning. It’s small in size, but grand in chocolate indulgence. It has three layers of moist chocolate cake, rich, white chocolate buttercream and a silky chocolate glaze. As if that isn’t enough, I loaded the top with chocolate candy! Some of the candy is store bought and some I made with candy melts and chocolate molds. Click here to find the cherub mold. Click here to find the heart mold.

Chocolate Lovers' Valentine Drip Cake for Two

I hope you share this Valentine cake with someone you love! However you celebrate the day and whoever you love, have a happy one!

Print Recipe
 Chocolate Lovers' Valentine Cake for Two
A mini chocolate cake with white chocolate buttercream, topped with chocolate glaze and chocolate Valentine candy. Perfect for sharing!
Course Dessert
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 1 1/2 hours
Servings
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake for Two
White Chocolate Buttercream
Chocolate Drip Glaze
Cake Decorating Supplies
Course Dessert
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 30 minutes
Passive Time 1 1/2 hours
Servings
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake for Two
White Chocolate Buttercream
Chocolate Drip Glaze
Cake Decorating Supplies
Instructions
Chocolate Cake for Two
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease & flour three 4-inch cake pans. *See note below.
  2. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl. Add sugar and stir to combine.
  3. Combine egg, buttermilk, vegetable oil and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Whisk lightly to combine.
  4. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients and mix on low speed with a handheld electric mixer, until combined. Stop mixer. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula. Turn mixer up to medium speed and beat for 1 minute.
  5. Add hot coffee and stir until incorporated.
  6. Pour batter into prepared cake pans, dividing batter evenly between the pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  7. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool.
White Chocolate Buttercream
  1. Melt white chocolate in a double boiler over gently simmering water. (Alternately, you can melt the white chocolate in the microwave. In a small microwaveable bowl, heat the white chocolate for 30 seconds, then stir. Heat again for 10 second intervals, stirring until melted, being very careful not to overheat it.)
  2. Set white chocolate aside to cool until lukewarm and still soft.
  3. In a medium bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and creamy.
  4. Add vanilla extract, salt and melted white chocolate. Beat at low speed until combined. Stop mixer. Scrape sides of bowl with spatula.
  5. Add powdered sugar. Beat at low speed, until powdered sugar is combined. Beat at medium speed until buttercream is smooth, stopping to scrape the bowl occasionally. Keep covered at room temperature until ready to use.
Cake Assembly
  1. When cakes have cooled completely, trim the cake layers to 1-inch tall.
  2. Attach one of the layers to a cake board with some of the white chocolate buttercream. Apply 1/4-inch thick layer of buttercream to the top of the cake layer, followed by the second cake layer, another 1/4-inch thick layer of buttercream, then the final cake layer.
  3. Apply a crumb coat (thin layer) of buttercream to the cake. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
  4. Frost the cake with the remaining buttercream. Apply chocolate sprinkles to the bottom edge of the cake.
  5. Melt chocolate drip glaze ingredients together in a double boiler over gently simmering water. Let cool slightly.
  6. Spoon chocolate glaze into a piping bag. Snip off the end of the bag with kitchen scissors. Drizzle chocolate glaze along the edges of the perimeter of the cake, then fill in the middle. Smooth top with a small offset spatula.
  7. Top cake with assorted chocolate candy. If desired, you can stack some of the candy and adhere them with melted chocolate to give some variation in height.
Recipe Notes

*Click here to find 4-inch cake pans.

Sparkling Sweetheart Palmier Cookies

Sparkling Sweetheart Palmier Cookies

Crisp, delicate French palmier cookies, also known as elephant ears, are the perfect ladylike pastries to enjoy with hot cocoa, tea or coffee. There’s certainly no shortage of palmier recipes out there, but if you’re in the mood for simplicity, this is the recipe for you! This version is very easy to make and only requires two ingredients. Puff pastry dough and sparkling sugar, that’s it! Pretty stress-free, right? Since Valentine’s Day is coming soon, I formed the palmiers into hearts, rather than the traditional palm shape. I used some pale pink sparkling sugar that I had on hand, but feel free to use any color you like.

Sparkling Sweetheart Palmier Cookies

These palmier cookies are as delicious as they are lovely. Wouldn’t they be the perfect addition to a bridal or baby shower sweets table? I also envision them as a simple, but elegant Valentine’s Day breakfast or a sweet, homemade Valentine’s Day gift wrapped in tissue paper and ribbon. Most people love receiving sweet treats, I know I do! (Hint…hint…Hubby if you’re reading this!) I hope this simple recipe provides you with a bit of inspiration. I’ll be sharing more heart-shaped inspiration in the days ahead, so stop by again soon!

Sparkling Sweetheart Palmier Cookies

Print Recipe
 Sparkling Sweetheart Palmier Cookies
Sweet, crisp, flaky puff pastry cookies.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 30 minutes
Servings
palmiers
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Passive Time 30 minutes
Servings
palmiers
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of sparkling sugar on your work surface. Place 1 puff pastry sheet on the sugared surface. Sprinkle evenly with 2 tablespoons of sparkling sugar. Roll gently with a rolling pin, pressing sugar into the dough.
    Sparkling Sweetheart Palmier Tutorial
  2. Roll the short ends of the puff pastry sheet in towards the center, jelly roll style, leaving a 1-inch gap in the center. Repeat steps with the remaining puff pastry sheet.
  3. Transfer puff pastry rolls to a tray. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  4. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  5. Slice each roll into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices 2 inches apart onto the prepared baking sheets, cut side down, forming into heart shapes. Sprinkle any remaining sparkling sugar over the hearts.
    Sparkling Sweetheart Palmiers Tutorial
  6. Bake until 15-17 minutes, until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool before serving.
Recipe Notes

Palmiers are best served the day they are made. Store in an airtight container for up to a few days.

Rainbow Marble Mini Cake with a Unicorn Cookie Topper

Posted on by Mari Vasseur

Rainbow Marble Mini Cake with Unicorn Cookie Topper by Brownie Mischief

Here we are! We’ve landed safely in 2017. That year that we left behind was a bumpy ride. Glad that’s over! I’m so hopeful about the New Year that I’m sprinkling good wishes around like confetti! Let’s forget all of our problems today and skip around amongst the unicorns and rainbows!

I’ve been experimenting with marbleized fondant lately, so, based on my current mood, I inevitably ended up with rainbow marble fondant. It looked so pretty on my little four inch cake, but it was screaming for a unicorn. By the way, did you know a group of unicorns is called a blessing? I made a batch, I mean a blessing, of Unicorn Cookie Cake Toppers using a small unicorn cookie cutter. They’re decorated with fondant, which is yummier than royal icing and doesn’t require any special skills. There’s no piping involved. (Phew!) These unicorn cookies are so cute and angelic, I imagine they would prance around in the clouds. If only I had some cotton candy for my unicorn to prance around on! Then, magically, I stumbled upon some cotton candy at my local discount store. Thanks Universe!

This colorful little cake will certainly brighten anyone’s day! It would be perfect for a birthday or to give to a special person “just because”. Thanks for spending a few minutes here in my happy place. Wishing you a blessing of unicorns in 2017!

 

*A note about working with cotton candy:  Apply cotton candy to your cake right before serving. When cotton candy is exposed to air, it will start to shrivel after an hour or so. If you don’t have cotton candy, a fluffy dollop of whipped buttercream would also be pretty!

To view Unicorn Cookie Cake Toppers instructions click here.

To view Rainbow Marble Fondant instructions click here.

 

Cocoa Meringue Brownies

One of my favorite things to top desserts with are meringue cookies. They’re as light as air and they look so pretty and whimsical! The color and flavor combinations are endless, so you can really have some fun getting creative. I decided to whip some up, especially for placing on top of my favorite brownies. They take even the most humble brownies to a new level. You can use your favorite brownie recipe or even a boxed brownie mix. I won’t judge! I like to make the meringues a day or two ahead since they take quite a while to bake in the oven. While they bake, a subtle chocolate scent will waft through your kitchen, reminding you of the smell of hot cocoa. They even taste like hot cocoa! You can make your brownies a few hours ahead or the night before. I cut mine into rounds with a 2 1/2-inch cutter. I cut 12 rounds of this size from a 13 x 9-inch batch of brownies. Right before serving, spoon some thick, glossy chocolate ganache on the brownies, then top them with your pretty meringues! To make these little bits of chocolate heaven, you’ll need:

  • 1 batch Cocoa Meringues (recipe below)
  • 1 batch of your favorite brownies
  • 1 batch chocolate ganache (see notes)
Print Recipe
 Cocoa Meringues
Pretty, light and crispy treats that taste like hot cocoa!
Course Dessert
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Passive Time 2 hours
Servings
batch
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Passive Time 2 hours
Servings
batch
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 200ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Sift together powdered sugar and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  3. Place egg whites in a large bowl. Whip egg whites with the whip attachment of an electric mixer, at medium speed, until foamy.
  4. Add cream of tartar and salt to the egg whites. Whip at medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
  5. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue whipping, at medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form.
  6. Stop mixer. Sprinkle powdered sugar and cocoa mixture over egg whites and whip at low speed until until incorporated, about 10 seconds.
  7. *This step is optional. Place a large, disposable pastry bag, fitted with a round piping tip, into a tall drinking glass. (I used a Wilton tip #12.) Fold the top third of the bag over the glass, forming a cuff. Using a small, clean paintbrush, paint thin, vertical stripes of food coloring on the inside of the bag, from the piping tip to the edge of the fold.
  8. Spoon egg white mixture into the pastry bag. Pipe small kisses, 1 inch apart, onto the prepared baking sheets. (I made mine about 3/4-inch to 1-inch in diameter. If you'd like larger kisses, use a larger size piping tip.)
  9. Bake for 1 1/2 hours. Turn off oven and leave meringues in oven to cool and continue drying out for an additional 2 hours. Store tightly covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes

To make the chocolate ganache, I used a ratio of two parts semi-sweet chocolate to one part heavy cream. (Weighing the ingredients will give you the most accurate ratio.) Place 8 ounces of chopped semi-sweet chocolate into a medium bowl. Heat 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring the cream just to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, making sure to cover it completely. Let sit for 2 minutes, then stir gently until smooth.

Easy Caramel Sauce

Print Recipe
 Easy Caramel Sauce
Course Dessert
Keyword caramel sauce, condiments
Servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword caramel sauce, condiments
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Combine the caramel candies and the heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir gently until melted and smooth. Stir in the salt.

Homemade Caramel Sauce

Print Recipe
 Homemade Caramel Sauce
Course Dessert
Keyword caramel sauce, condiments
Servings
Ingredients
Course Dessert
Keyword caramel sauce, condiments
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. In a medium-size stainless steel saucepan, stir the sugar and cream of tartar together with 2 tablespoons (30ml) of water. Turn the heat on to medium and cook, without stirring, until the mixture melts. Swirl the pan gently to move the sugar around to prevent burning as it cooks. When the sugar is melted and has turned deep golden, turn off the heat and whisk in the butter. The butter will bubble. Keep whisking until melted, smooth and well combined. Gradually whisk in the heavy cream until smooth. Pass the caramel through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. Stir in the vanilla and salt. The sauce will thicken as it cools.
Recipe Notes

Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a couple of weeks.