Cherry Brownie Cups

Cherry Brownie Cups are another dessert I made for my sister-in-law's 50th birthday party, along with the Blood Orange Mini Cupcakes I already posted (and a few recipes still to come). I had taken these to her house before so I knew they would go over well with this crowd.

If you are entertaining a crowd anytime soon, make these. It's hard to resist a chewy brownie, filled with chocolate fudge cream and topped with a cherry!  Plus these are easy to make and super cute.

Even if you aren't entertaining soon, you could easily make a batch just because you need them in your life, and of course you could surprise with your neighbors or coworkers with 1/2 the batch!

For the Brownies:

• 3/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

Preheat oven to 350F. Line mini cupcake pan with cupcake liners.

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter and chocolate. Remove from heat and stir in granulated sugar until dissolved. Transfer mixture to a large bowl.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla and mix well.

Gradually add flour and stir until well combined.

Drop 1 Tbsp of batter into cupcake liner. Bake for 20-22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, make an indentation in the top of each brownie. Remove brownies from pan and cool completely on wire racks.

For the Fudge Cream:

• 3 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped, melted and cooled
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar

• 1 jar (10 oz. maraschino cherries with stems, drained

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat cream cheese and vanilla until smooth. Add corn syrup and melted chocolate (it's important that the chocolate is cooled), and mix until well combined. Add sugar and beat until smooth.

Transfer cream into a pastry bag with round tip, or alternately use a zip lock back with corner snipped off. Fill the brownie center with 1 tsp of cream. Top with cherry. Store in the refrigerator.

Makes 5 dozen.

Source: Taste of Home Holiday, November 2010