Ultra dense and fudgybrownies topped with fresh strawberries and smothered in rich dark chocolatey ganache!
With unicorn month officially over (tear) and February now in full swing,it’s time we set our sights on Valentine’s Day.
Yes, that lovey dovey day of the year when people love their spousesor “baes”more than any other day of the year for some reason. Though despite my disenchanted attitude as a single lady,I can’t help but look forward tostrolling down the aisles linedwith red and pink candies and goodies. Seriously, why is it that red and pink M&Ms seem so much tastierthan regular M&Ms??
It’s like Halloween, but with a bunch of red and pink candy. So how can one be depressed when it’s another fantasticexcuse to stock up on all kinds of sweets and treats?! Speaking of, this is just one of the treats I plan on spending my Valentines Day with…
As you can tell, I like my fruit covered–NO! DROWNING in chocolate.
Just as I’ve done with several treats in the past, I’ve taken a classic holiday favorite and transformed it into somethingricherand more mouthwateringly decadent.
Who needs a man when you’ve got these brownies (and an unhealthy obsession with John Stamos)?
These Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Brownies are a single lady’s (or dude’s) dream. The brownie base itself is perfection. I love my brownies dark, which is why I always use Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa
. It gives these brownies that deep color and richness. Plus, it’s a heck of a lot cheaper than the fancy schmancy dutch-processed kind, yet with the same delicious results.
This brownie also has that nice fudgy factor–dense, thick, chewy, and NOT cakey. Because if I wanted cakey, I’d bake a cake.
Obvi.
Just for funsies, and because I love thethe added texture of chocolate chunks in my brownies, I threw in some milk chocolate chips. Semi-sweet or white chocolate would also work, but since the brownie is already so dark and rich itself, I thought the milk chocolate would be a nice contrast.
Once thebrownies cooled completely, I topped them with some quartered/halved strawberries. It’s important to wait until the brownies are at least room temperature or cooler so that the strawberries don’t soften or become super juicy.
Instead of simple melted chocolate, I covered(more like flooded) the strawberries with a chocolate ganache. I thought it would be less messy.Because let’s be honest. Chocolate-covered strawberries may be one of the more romantic desserts to serve your honey. However, watching someone bite intoone andstruggling with the hard chocolate breaking into several pieces and falling everywhere isn’t a sexy look. Ganache, on the other hand, eliminates that problem since it’s much softer and won’t break into a million baJillian pieces.
You’re welcome.
As I mentioned earlier, these brownies are absolute perfection. As opposed to the classic, yet ordinary chocolate-covered strawberry, these babies are MORE chocolate than fruit. Exactly how it should be.Just a little tartness from the fresh strawberries is all you need to feel a little healthier as you scarf down one…or two…maybe three…or seven of these bad boys in one sitting.
Ultra dense and fudgybrownies topped with fresh strawberries and smothered in rich dark chocolatey ganache!
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Prep Time 1 hour hr
Cook Time 28 minutes mins
Refrigeration Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 2 hours hrs 28 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 16 Squares
Ingredients
Brownies:
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup quartered strawberries
Ganache:
- 9 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and stir in the cocoa powder until smooth and glossy. Whisk in both sugars. Add the eggs and vanilla, stirring until fully incorporated. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir in the dry ingredients, followed by the chocolate chips.
Pour batter into the prepared baking dish and bake for 25-28 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
To make the ganache, place chocolate chips in a medium bowl. Pourheavy cream into a microwave-safe dish/glass measuring cup and heat in the microwave until it begins to boil. Pour hot cream over chocolate chips, cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit 3-5 minutes. Remove plastic wrap and whisk until smooth. Allow to cool 10 minutes.
To assemble, pour half of the ganache on top of the brownies and smooth out with a knife or offset spatula. Evenly scatter strawberries on top, then drizzle the rest of the ganache over the strawberries. Refrigerate until ganache is mostly set, about 45-60minutes.
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