Photo: Natalie Levin
Even though I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day (I don’t believe people need a special day to show how much they love each other – I prefer to do it on a daily basis), it’s nice to have an excuse to bake something romantic for the man I love.
These mini brownies are super fudgy and rich, and are topped with a generous mound of mascarpone cream and fresh strawberries. It’s easy to make and is a great dessert for a Valentine’s Day romantic dinner for two.
Photo: Natalie Levin
Mini Brownies with Strawberry and Mascarpone
For the mini brownies:
- 200 grams dark chocolate
- 150 grams (1 stick + 1 tbsp.) butter
- Pinch of salt
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 70 grams (1/2 cup) cornstarch
- 20 grams (2 tbsp.) cocoa powder
- 50 grams (1/4 cup) chocolate chips
For mascarpone cream:
- 125 grams (1 pack) mascarpone cheese (at room temperature)
- 125 ml. (1/2 cup) whipping cream
- 20 grams (2 tbsp.) sugar powder
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Decoration:
- 12-15 strawberries (cut into quarters)
- Crushed cocoa beans
- Preheat oven to 170c degrees and generously butter a mini muffin pan.
- Chop the chocolate and place in a bowl.
- Add butter and solvent together in the microwave or over double boiler until everything is melted and mixture is smooth.
- Add salt and sugar and beat until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time, stirring between additions until incorporated.
- Add cornstarch, cocoa powder and chocolate chips and whisk until combined.
- Pour the batter into the pan and fill about 3/4 of its height.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until brownies swell slightly, crack a little on top, but still soft in the center.
- Cool completely at room temperature.
- Mascarpone cream: in a bowl of a mixer place mascarpone cheese, whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla and beat on high speed until creamy and very stable.
- Transfer the cream into a pastry bag fitted with 2 cm round piping tip and drizzle mounds og cream over each mini brownie.
- Decorate with strawberries and crushed cocoa beans and serve.
- Brownies at their best on the day of preparation, but you can keep it in a closed container in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
- Instead of strawberries you can use raspberries or cherries.
- Instead of cocoa beans you can decorate with chopped dark chocolate or mini chocolate chips.
- Ground cocoa beans can be bought in baking specialty stores for products and ingredients.
Photo: Natalie Levin