Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Complexity: easily
Quantity: 16 pcs.

Bake chocolate brownies in round cake pans, then cut them into triangles and easily transform them into charming Christmas trees without any waste. The tree trunks are made from candy cane pieces, and the trees themselves are filled with a rich chocolate flavor from cocoa powder and dark chocolate chips, and then frosted with green buttercream. Decorate the trees with candies or sprinkle them with decorative sugar. A perfect idea for a New Year's or Christmas tea party.

Ingredients:

Brownie

• 1 cup (220 g) butter, melted and cooled, plus extra for greasing the pans
• 1.5 cups of sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 0.5 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 0.5 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
• 16 pieces of candy canes, 4 cm long.
• White and gold decorative sugar and small nonpareil-coated chocolate candies, such as Sno-Caps, for garnish

American buttercream

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 55 g (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• A pinch of fine salt
• 0.5 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4-0.5 tbsp whole milk
• 24 drops of green food coloring
• 1 drop of red food coloring
• Special equipment: pastry bag or zip-lock plastic bag

Substituting ingredients
Measuring containers used

1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Recipes with similar ingredients

butter, sugar, vanilla extract, eggs, premium flour, cocoa, dark chocolate, lollipop sticks, powdered sugar, milk

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Preparation:

Step 1
• Make the brownies: Preheat oven to 175°C. Grease the bottom and sides of two 20cm round cake pans with butter. Cut two 20cm circles out of parchment paper and line the bottoms of the pans with them.
Step 2
• In a medium bowl, combine the butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until fully combined. Stir in 1 cup of regular-sized chocolate chips and pour the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the surface. Bake until a crust begins to form around the edges, the edges pull away from the pans, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes.
Step 3
• Cool the brownies completely in the pans on wire racks for about 1 hour. Cut each circle into 8 equal triangles. Use an offset spatula or cake spatula to release the triangles from the pan.
Step 4
• Make American buttercream: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the powdered sugar, butter, and salt (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer). Beat on low speed until combined. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium, and mix until smooth. Thin the cream with milk, if desired. Add 24 drops of green food coloring and 1 drop of red food coloring and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Set aside.
Step 5
• For assembly: Using the tip of a small knife or wooden skewer, poke a small hole along the bottom edge of each brownie. Insert a candy cane "stem" into each hole.
Step 6
• Fill a pastry bag with buttercream and snip off a 0.5 cm corner. Using a zig-zag motion, pipe the buttercream from the base to the top of each tree. If desired, decorate the trees with decorative sugar and chocolate covered with small candies.

Votes: 4