Showing posts with label brownies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label brownies. Show all posts

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Grill Brownie Cupcakes

It may not offically be summer quite yet, but the heat has arrived and so have the picnics!
These brownies are easily made using your favorite brownie recipe or mix baked in cupcake liners. A little orange sanding sugar, a tube of ready made black icing, and a few Hot Tamales make decorating these easy!
Another version of these brownies with candy aisle hotdog gummy candy placed on top.
Perfect for any summer party or picnic!
   
Enjoy!
~ Christina & Katie

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Rose Brownies with Mint Frogs

Spring break is going on here and I have been having a blast with the kids! I don't want to spring break in the kitchen, but I just had the urge to make a little something sweet without a lot of time! I used a dark chocolate brownie mix and substituted coffee in the mix for the water and sprinkled the top of the brownie batter with a spring sprinkle mix before baking. After baking I let the brownies cool fully before cutting the circles with a cookie cutter.
The decorations were quite simple since I always save my "dud" royal icing flowers. Royal icing flowers will keep practically forever in an airtight container once they have fully dried and that is how I store the flowers that didn't turn out so perfect to use for stuff like this. I melted white candy melts and colored green with candy coloring and added creme de menthe candy flavoring to the candy. The candy was drizzled on using a piping bag with the tip snipped off. I immediately placed a rose on top of the of the brownies while the candy was still melty.
I had leftover melted green candy and decided to make up some frogs to go on the brownies, however the roses were already stuck down, and there wasn't enough room left on top of the brownie for the candy frog, so they are just hanging out on the side!
 ~Christina

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Valentine's Brownies

Don't you hate it when you have a good idea, something simple, and then everything goes wrong?!
This is only the 2nd time since finishing my decorating class last summer that I have even attempted royal icing roses. They did take a bit for me to grasp the technique in class and without practicing much since then, I just kinda lost it! I can still make all of the other flowers just fine, it's just this rose! My teacher said that it took her a year to finally be happy with her roses, so I still have 6 months to perfect them, right? Anyway, I had leftover icing from cookies and making roses and other flowers seemed like a good way to use it up. Out of the 5 roses I made, I am happy with only one. To help my self esteem, I finished off the icing making 3 dozen super easy Apple Blossom flowers. Extra royal icing flowers last pretty much forever and are always nice to have on hand to throw on cookies, cupcakes, anything really to add some cuteness!
Back to this project....The canvas for my roses would be brownies, something simlar to what I made when I made the Ghost & Monster Halloween Brownies in the fall, except with roses. I used the same box brownie mix that I always use, except I sprinkled heart sprinkles on the batter before baking. My daughter said "easy peasy" as I had mixed the batter, "we should make easy things more." I baked the brownies as always and for some reason they were too moist! I put them back in the oven. No help. I ended up refrigerating them to firm them up enough to cut the heart shapes out with cookie cutters. They were still not a crisp clean cut like I had hoped, the brownie was simple too soft.
Despite all of my mishaps with these brownies, I continued on and placed my not-so-perfect roses on top with just a dab of icing. They all disappeared super fast with no complaints! Don't worry, if you don't have your rose down yet either, Wilton makes perfect little roses that you can place on top of these brownies! Now I still have 3 dozen Apple Blossom flowers to use up!
The moral of the story: Not everything turns out perfect or even remotely as planned, but even not-so-perfect sweets taste yummy!





Friday, November 25, 2011

Flashback to Christmas 2010!

It's Flashback Friday!
  
This is a once in awhile segment that I created to show you some of my past adventures before I began blogging!
  
The day after Thanksgiving, traditionally known as "Black Friday." I have already gotten a good start on Christmas shopping and there really isn't a sale going on that is worth braving the crowds for me. Are you going out to brave the crowds? I actually went to the Michael's Thanksgiving Sale and got lots of fun goodies yesterday, as well as did a little internet shopping! Instead of going out shopping today for Black Friday, I plan to spend this day decorating for the Christmas holidays! Here is what I was baking up last year!
Gingerbread Cupcakes with little Gingerbread Men on top
Peppermint flavored cupcakes, topped with crushed candy cane, with cute Snowmen liners and picks
Low fat/Low cal cupcakes made with box mix + 1 cup unsweetened applesauce and 1 cup water, with very little icing.
As you know I am not much of a cookie person, so in the past that task has fallen on my husband and daughter. This is a sampling of what my daughter Kaitlyn made last year for Christmas, all decorated with buttercream.
Funfetti Brownies with a Snowflake pattern drawn on with Wilton Cookie Icing and M&M's
Peppermint and Vanilla Cupcakes that I made for my Husband's office- The Peppermint has peppermint buttercream topped with crushed candy cane, the vanilla has vanilla buttercream topped with Christmas jimmies
Christmas Funfetti Cake Batter Cookies that we threw together in minutes and topped with buttercream and sprinkles
Wilton Gingerbread Christmas Tree made by my daughter Kaitlyn. The little Wilton Gingebread Houses were a joint effort between my daughter and I. The kit was incomplete, so we had to use crackers for some of the roofs.
This wasn't my favorite, but this was the final Christmas dessert, a "Hello, Cupcake!" design. I totally messed up the drawing of the body! You can view what they should look like at Duncan Hines Holiday Cupcakes. The good thing about not-so-pretty cupcakes is they still taste good!
 
2011 will be my first Christmas as a "blogger" and I am really looking forward to sharing what I make this year with you! I have already gotten a start on my baking shopping, 5 new Christmas Cookie Cutters, lots of new cupcake liners and some picks. My youngest even had some influence and had to have some mini liners and snowmen candy that I will be making cupcakes with!
 
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving...next milestone...Christmas!
Happy Holidays!


Monday, October 31, 2011

Mrs. Fox's Sweets 2011 Halloween Recap

The day has finally arrived....
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays of the year and I have made lots of desserts this past month in honor of it! This day brings out the kid in each of us! I love the costumes, trick-or-treating, spookiness, and cool crisp air, just to name a few things! Oh, and how could I forget to mention all the fun foods and creative desserts that Halloween lends ideas to?
Here are the Top 9 Most Visited Desserts from Mrs. Fox's Sweets, plus the last Halloween Dessert of the season:
  
Last Halloween Dessert: Miss Pink People Eater Cupcakes
     
#9: Spooky Nerds Cupcakes
  
#8: Fall Brownies

    
  
  
 
 
  
Okay I couldn't stop there...may as well recap all of the sweets that I have made!
 
  
 
  
  
Be careful and watch out for ghouls, goblins, and princesses running around!
It's still not too late to bake up something, unless you are reading this at bed time!
Hope you had or are still having a wonderful Halloween!
  
Note: The rankings were as of the last Blogger Stats update before finalizing this post. All others are in no particular order.


Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Ghosts Brownie Pops

I made these cute Ghost Brownie Pops with the Wilton Brownie Pops 8-Cavity Silicone Mold. I have used this mold before and not really sure how much I liked it. It must all be in the brownie mix! This time, I used the Betty Crocker Low Fat Fudge Brownie Mix. I sprayed the mold and filled the cavities 2/3 full. The brownie pops baked in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes, I then inserted sticks and then finished baking them for another 20 minutes.
The above picture from the first time I used the mold
in making Princess Brownie Pops.
After the brownie pops were done baking, I let them fully cool in the molds on a cooling rack. The sticks stayed in the brownies without a problem and worked great for dipping! Again, it must be the type of brownie mix.
After the brownie pops were cooled and unmolded, I dipped them in Vanilla Candiquik. I prefer using Candiquik for making cake pops and brownie pops. I have consistently had the best results with Candiquik versus other brands that I have tried. It reheats easily in the microwave and stays dipping consistency longer.
After the first dip, I let the candy set up and then gave the ghosts a second dip in the pool so the brownie didn't show through. I have found a second dip is really only necessary when using darker colored cakes or brownies.
The faces are drawn on with Duff Candy Writer!
The first time I used the Duff Candy Writer on my Jack Skellington Cake Pops, I had to put the tube back in the hot water a few times to remelt it. This time, I must have initially melted it better in the hot water and melting once was enough for all 8 pops! The Duff Candy Writer works great and there is still plenty left in the tube!

It's nice when everything works out easily as planned!
I hope that through my adventures, trial and errors, that I have helped you to easily create brownie pops!

These Ghosts Brownie Pops are Haunting People at:

These Ghosts Brownie Pops were Featured at:

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Fall Brownies

You may be looking at a picture of a brownie very similar to this on your wall right now! This recipe is for October in the 2011 Betty Crocker Calendar!
I did change up the recipe slightly. I used a Betty Crocker's Low Fat Brownie Mix instead of regular brownie mix. I also changed up the candy on top and changed the frosting slightly, to make with ingredients I already had. You can view the original recipe at Betty Crocker: Trick-or-Treat Brownie Cupcakes. I called mine "Fall Brownies" since the orange color could really be used anytime in the fall really, but the colors could be changed for any season or holiday!
Brownies:
Using your favorite brownie mix or recipe, prepare as directed and fill sprayed muffin tins 2/3 full. (This made 18 brownies for me.) Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 18-20 minutes.
Candies:
I used Dark Chocolate Hershey's Kisses drizzled with melted orange candy melts.
I melted about 10 candy melts in the microwave for just about 30 seconds and added 1/4 tsp shortening to make it easier to drizzle from zipper bag with tiny hole cut in the corner of the bag. Drizzle unwrapped Hershey's Kisses on waxed paper. Let set.
Frosting:
1 cup Wilton Orange Candy Melts
1-3/4 cup powdered sugar
6 tablespoons softened margarine
3 tablespoons milk
 In mixer, mix powdered sugar, margarine, and milk. In microwave safe bowl, melt candy melts for about a minute stirring halfway, if not melted continue heat in 15 second intervals until melted. Be sure not to over melt them or they will seize up. Add melted candy to the sugar mixture and mix on low until fully mixed.
Spoon frosting over brownie and top with a Hershey's Kiss. Depending on how fast you are at spooning on the frosting, the frosting will thicken up and may need microwaved for about 20 seconds and re-stirred to continue to spoon evenly over brownies
These are very easy to make! I love the frosting with the candy melts in it, it was a nice twist on traditional frosting both in flavor and texture. In orange these brownies go well for Halloween or Thanksgiving. These could also be easily customized for Christmas with red or green candy melts, St. Patrick's Day in all green, Spring colors, Patriotic colors or any color that you like!

These Brownies are Shared at:

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Ghost & Monster Halloween Brownies

What do you do when you are feeling under the weather and still want to make a fun and cute dessert? Make these cute little Ghost and Monster...and Jack-o-Lantern Brownies!
A cold is like a fire, it starts with one twig or family member and quickly spreads. Although, I am on the mend, I really didn't want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen, but still wanted to make something fun for the kids...and you my readers!
So, are you ready for how quick these are?
What you will need:
1 box of brownie mix and the ingredients needed to make them (I used Pillsbury Funfetti Brownie Mix)
1 can of vanilla or white frosting (you will need less than a 1/3 of the container for 8 of these)
Regular size marshmallows
various food colors
various candies
For candies I used what I had in the cabinet: Mini M&M'S, Candy Coated Sunflower Seeds, chocolate jimmies, and Wilton Rainbow Chip Crunch Sprinkles.
Just use whatever you have in your cabinet, just have fun with it!

I mixed the brownie mix according to the directions, but I substituted the oil out and put in unsweetened applesauce. This makes the brownies look a little different on top and a little denser, but healthier and lower in calories. Since this is easily mixed by hand, the bowl can easily go in the dishwasher. No dishes to hand wash. I baked the brownies in a 9x13 pan with a foil sling sprayed with baking spray. No pan to wash.
I know, the picture isn't great, but you get the idea. Within about 15 minutes you can easily lift the brownies out of the pan in the foil sling and let continue to cool on baking rack. I actually was able to begin the next step while the brownie was still a little warm. Now since my pan curves up in the corners, the bottom of the brownie is thinner on each of the short sides, so I cut that part off for snacking later. With a round cookie cutter, I was able to cut out 8 brownies. If you your pan is even all the way to the sides you will be able to cut out 10 to 12. You could also just cut them and leave them squares if you want!
After the brownies are baked, cooled, and cut, the decorating part takes no more than 15 minutes!
Put the little round brownies on a piece of wax paper to work with making clean up a snap!
Sit a marshmallow on top of the brownie, no need to stick it down with anything, it will stick from the melted frosting in the next step.
You will need 2-3 teaspoons of frosting per color if you are making 3 colors. Melt the canned frosting in the microwave in a glass bowl for about 20 seconds. I used Betty Crocker Whipped Frosting that I had leftover, and it did separate in the microwave, but easily mixed back together when adding the coloring.
Spoon the melted frosting to cover the marshmallow and drip down the sides a little, that will adhere the marshmallow to the brownie. After 3 or 4 brownies are covered, go back to the first and the icing will still be tacky enough to stick on your candy pieces. If you wait too long the icing will dry and the candy won't stick. If the candy wants to slide down the icing, wait a couple more minutes. You will know it is perfect when the candy sticks on and doesn't slide anywhere. This is quite easy when the frosting is at the right tackiness!
I had so much fun making these little guys!
Have fun! Go crazy! Be creative!

If you are inspired by these Halloween brownies and decide to create your own, I would love for you to share photos of your creations on the Mrs. Fox's Sweets Facebook Page!
I can't wait to see what you come up with!



These Monsters are Shared at:

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Purple Princess Brownie Pops

Yes...more Princess Brownie Pops!
Same brownie mix, same baking method, different decorating method
Purple Princess Brownie Pops
Last time I made Pink Princess Brownie Pops and I ran into a little difficulty in dipping the pops.
These were the first Princess Brownie Pops I made
This time instead of cooking the brownie pop halfway and then adding the stick as Wilton recommends with this Silicone Brownie Mold. I cooked the brownie fully for about 35 minutes at 325 degrees. I also filled the cavities a little bit fuller making 12 total to avoid the couple small ones I got last time. This time they took quite a long time to cool, so I put them in the freezer after about 10 minutes to speed up the process. I only have one silicone brownie mold, so I had to do this in 2 batches. Don't worry about the empty cavities the mold when the second batch it cooking, nothing bad happened.
I am trying a method to cover the brownie pop that I found in the Wilton Publication- Pops! Sweets on a Stick, they also have this method on their website, instead of trying to dip the brownie pop like a cake pop. Brownie pops are much heavier than a cake pop and want to fall off this stick easier in my experience.

Method 1- The base is first covered with the candy melts and a spatula and then chilled until firm. I decided to "pre-drill" a hole on the bottom by poking a stick in and then removing. I did so the candy wouldn't crack later when the stick is inserted.
Pre-drilled holes, stick my finger into one before the candy was dry
Next, the brownies are placed on a cooling rack placed on top of a parchment covered baking sheet and the melting candy can either be piped, poured on top of the brownie, or you can roll the brownie in the melts. Using the Wilton brand melts melted in the Wilton Chocolate Pro, they were too thick to pipe or pour. I tried adding to shortening but it was still not very pourable. I ended up rolling the sides of the brownie in the melts with a bamboo skewer stuck in the pre-drilled hole and with one finger on the base (where the candy was already dry) and one finger on the top. I used a spatula to cover the top finger spot after I sat the brownie back on the rack.
I couldn't get the candy as smooth as I wanted and I am not sure why I can cover cake pops fine, but can't cover a brownie pop?!
After the brownie is covered with candy melts, immediately insert the Princess Pops Fun Pix. Let sit until cooled or refrigerate a few minutes as I did. Once the candy is set, dip your pop stick into candy melts about 1/3 inch and insert into the pop for upright pops. Let these lay on the parchment paper a few minutes until the candy that is holding the stick in sets.
Pops laying on parchment for stick to dry
Putting the stick in last worked out very well.
The Princesses stood up fine. Something finally went as planned!
 Method 2- Cover the pop the same as in Method 1, no pre-drilling hole in base. After covering the brownie with candy melts and inserting the Princess Pops Fun Pix, insert the stick eipped in candy melts right behind the Princess Pops Fun Pix, and place Princesses on a Pops Doilies.
Final Decorations- Pipe on designs in whatever pattern you wish either with Royal Icing or Candy Melts in a piping bag with size 2 tip or just snip just a tiny bit the end off the bag.
After having a problem once again getting these Princess Brownie Pops covered in candy melts, I decided they were fine without the extra decorating that I did on the Pink Princess Brownie Pops.
Better view of doilies
If Princesses aren't your thing or you have a Prince and not a Princess, Wilton also makes Jungle Pals Pops Fun Pix! However, I am not feeling that adventurous!
 

These Brownie Pops are shared at:
Something Swanky: Sweet Treats Thursday
Miz Helen's Country Cottage: Full Plate Thursday
Mangoes and Chutney: Fat Camp Friday
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