Hope you all had a great Valentine’s Day!

If I can ever give you one word of advice, it is to stay home on Valentine’s Day and enjoy a quiet night in. Coming from someone who has worked in the restaurant industry in the past, Valentine’s Day is the busiest day of the year (which I am sure you could have guessed!!). Restaurants just try and ‘turn and burn’ the tables, trying to get the waiting partitions in as quickly as possible. Even with that mentality you will usually wait longer than normal, even with a reservation. If you do go out to eat for Valentine’s Day, going in the days before or after you will get more attentive service, where you can really enjoy the night out.

Whether it is Valentine’s Day or not, if you are looking for a special, festive dessert I have the perfect recipe for you! I made these Chocolate Strawberry Brownie Kisses in anticipation of the big ‘love’ day after I made Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Toasted Coconut and Almonds, and I was still craving that chocolate and strawberry flavor combo.

This recipe is adapted from the cookbook, Lick the Bowl Good: Classic Home-Style Desserts with a Twist and is the second recipe we are baking as part of the “Baking Through Lick the Bowl Good” baking group I mentioned in my blog post yesterday.

The original recipe in the book used maraschino cherries, however we are not big maraschino cherry fans, except for in cocktails. But I loved the idea of this recipe, a brownie bite stuffed with a cherry topped with a cherry frosting. I took the recipe base from the book and used my craving for chocolate covered strawberries to make a few twists.

And let me just tell you we loved, loved, loved this recipe! The fresh strawberries tucked into a chewy brownie, hidden below a fluffy and tangy strawberry infused frosting with a drizzle of melted chocolate was simply divine! Don’t let the long list of ingredients or many steps deter you from making these brownie kisses. These little treats a really quite easy to whip up and are the perfect little bite of perfection!

One Year Ago: “Bites with Bloggers” – Sarah Eats Austin
Two Years Ago: Sausage and Pepper Hoagies
Three Years Ago: Creamy Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken
Four Years : German Chocolate Brownies

Chocolate Strawberry Brownie Bites

Name: Chocolate Strawberry Brownie Bites
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: Brownie:; 1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour; 1/4 teaspoon baking powder; dash of salt; 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted; 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil; 1 large egg; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; --; Strawberry Filling:; 12 small strawberries, washed with stem removed; ¼ cup mini chocolate chips; --; Strawberry Frosting:; 2 tablespoons strawberry jam; 4 strawberries, washed, stem removed and sliced; 2 ounces cream cheese, softened; ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; --; Chocolate Drizzle:; 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips; ¼ teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable oil

Yield: 12 brownie bites

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Bite sized brownies stuffed with fresh strawberries and topped with a strawberry frosting.

Ingredients

Brownie:
1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
dash of salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
--
Strawberry Filling:
12 small strawberries, washed with stem removed
¼ cup mini chocolate chips
--
Strawberry Frosting:
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
4 strawberries, washed, stem removed and sliced
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
--
Chocolate Drizzle:
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
¼ teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable oil

Instructions

To make the brownies:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray mini muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and cocoa powder.
Stir in melted butter, oil, egg and vanilla. Continue stirring until wet and dry ingredients are full incorporated and no lumps remain.
Scoop about 1 tablespoon of batter into each muffin cavity. Bake until the brownies are set, 12-13 minutes, and toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Using the handle of a wooden spoon, gently press down the center of each brownie cup, creating a cup to hold the strawberry filling.
Immediately, while brownies are still hot, spoon ½ teaspoon mini chocolate chips into the center of each brownie. Gently press one prepared strawberry, the narrow end down, into each brownie cup and the chocolate chips.
Allow brownies to cool in the pan for 5-8 minutes, then carefully remove brownie cups to a wire rack to cool completely, once brownie cups are cooled completely top with prepared strawberry frosting and chocolate drizzle. Store in the refrigerator.

To make the frosting:

In a small saucepan over medium high heat, combine strawberry jam and sliced fresh strawberries. Cook strawberries and jam for 2-3 minutes, using a potato masher of fork to mash strawberries as they cook.
Once strawberries are cooked and mashed, press strawberry mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a small bowl. Set aside to cool.
Meanwhile, in a medium sized bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing until fully incorporated. Beat in 3 tablespoons of the prepared strawberry mixture and vanilla, beating until fully combined.
Place the frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Pipe the strawberry frosting on top of the cooled brownie cups, covering the strawberry completely. Drizzle frosted brownie cups with melted chocolate.

To make the chocolate drizzle:

Place chocolate chips and oil in microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir. Return to microwave for an additional 15 seconds.
Remove from microwave and continuously stir chocolate until all chocolate chips are melted. Using a fork or spoon to drizzle warm melted chocolate over frosted brownie cups.