Mondays We Cook: Brownie Hearts with Raspberry Buttercream

Happy Monday, sweeties! Today's recipe is going to get you on the mood for Valentine's Day. These heart shaped sandwiches are really fun and easy to make.

I was looking for Valentine's recipes through my Pinterest the other day when I stumbled upon this cute dessert. I decided I had to make it and oh boy was it a good idea! It's not only a joy to behold but also so flavorful you won't be able to eat only one.

Without further ado, here's the recipe.

Ingredients

Brownies: 

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1-1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. instant espresso powder
• 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cup flour
• powdered sugar, to sprinkle on the finished brownie hearts

Raspberry buttercream:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 12 oz. raspberries
• 1/2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3-1/2 cup powdered sugar
• pinch of kosher salt
• 1 to 2 T. milk, if needed to thin out the frosting

Makes about 6 large  or 20 small brownie heart sandwiches

 

 

Preparation

 

Brownies

Preheat oven to 325°F. Stir the butter and chocolate in a large heavy saucepan over very low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar, and then the eggs, 1 at a time. Whisk in espresso powder, vanilla, and salt. Then sift the flour over the chocolate mixture and stir to blend well. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake brownies until slightly puffed and dry-looking about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on rack.

 

Raspberry buttercream

Cook the raspberries in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently until the raspberries are broken down into a sauce. Pour the sauce through a strainer to remove the seeds, and then pour the raspberry sauce back in the pot. Simmer until the sauce reduces to a 1/4 cup. Set aside to cool. With a mixer, cream the butter with a paddle attachment on medium high speed about 2 minutes, until lightened in color and a bit fluffy. Add 2 cups of powdered sugar, the 1/4 cup of cooled raspberry sauce, lemon juice, and salt. Mix until smooth. Add another 1-1/2 cups of powdered sugar and mix until smooth. If you want the frosting less stiff, add some milk. Fit a pastry bag with a medium-large round tip and fill with fresh raspberry buttercream.

 

Press heart-shaped cookie cutters firmly into the cooled brownie. With the pastry bag filled with fresh raspberry buttercream, pipe a line of frosting around the inside edge of one of the brownie hearts. Then fill in the inside of the line with frosting, too. Top with another brownie heart, very gently pressing down to make a sandwich. To finish off, sprinkle the brownie hearts with powdered sugar.

 

Adapted from A Farmgirl's Dabbles

 

Cristina xo