Brownie Petit Fours

These brownie bites are an easy alternative to making classic petit fours. The brownie stays moist from the liquid sweetener, and it has the cake-like texture you want in petit fours. The chocolate glaze creates a hard candy shell over the brownie, and you can decorate it as you like. The taste is unexpected for a brownie and a treat for chocolate lovers.
Prep batter: 20 minutes Bake: 13 minutes Bake at: 325°F Yield: 24 Glaze brownies: 20 minutes Pan: 24-well brownie bite (1 1/2-inch square) or mini muffin pan Difficulty: easy

Ingredients

Brownie Batter

  • 2 ounces unsweetened Baker’s chocolate squares
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup (60 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup agave nectar or maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, well-beaten
  • Non-Stick cooking spray

Chocolate Sprinkles

  • 1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces) dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips, frozen (see "Tips")

Chocolate Glaze

  • 2 1/4 cups (13 1/2 ounces) dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
  • Wax or parchment paper

Directions

Making the Brownies

  • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
  • In a medium, microwave-safe bowl, melt the unsweetened chocolate with the butter at 50% power for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes, stopping and stirring frequently. Stir until smooth and let the mixture cool for a few minutes.
  • In a small bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.
  • One at a time, add the sugar, agave nectar or maple syrup, vanilla, and well-beaten eggs to the chocolate mixture, whisking to combine. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate, stirring to just combine.
  • Lightly coat 24 wells of a brownie bite (1 1/2-inch square) or mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Spoon batter into the wells until half full and bake in a preheated 325° oven for 13 minutes. The brownie bites are done when the edges are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake!
  • Let the brownie bites cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each one and turn them out on a wire rack to cool completely. Freeze the brownies for 30 minutes to 1 hour before glazing.
  • As soon as the brownies come out of the oven, place 1/4 cup chips in the freezer.

Making the Chocolate Sprinkles

  • After the brownies have cooled, finely chop the frozen chocolate chips in the small work bowl of a food processor. Set aside until needed.

Making the Chocolate Glaze

  • In a narrow, microwave-safe bowl, melt 2 1/4 cups chocolate chips with the vegetable shortening at 50% power for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes until just soft, stopping and stirring frequently. Stir until smooth. You want depth of chocolate, so don’t use a wide bowl.

"Dip, Flip, and Drip" the Brownies

  • Place wax or parchment paper under your glaze and cooling rack to avoid a mess. Work quickly before the chocolate hardens.
  • Press a brownie into the bowl of glaze to cover the sides, but not the bottom. Press the back side of a fork on the edge of the brownie and flip it onto the fork, lifting as you flip. Use a second fork to help stabilize the brownie. Let excess glaze drip off and then transfer the brownie to the cooling rack. Sprinkle the chocolate bits over the top before the glaze sets up. Repeat.
  • If you prefer, spear the bottom of a brownie with a fork. Dip the brownie in the glaze and use a second fork to help transfer it to the cooling rack.
  • Allow the glaze to fully harden before storing the brownies. Use a spatula to remove the brownies from the cooling rack.
  • Brownie Petit Fours can be stored in an airtight container with layers separated by wax paper for up to 3 days and they can be frozen for up to 2 weeks.

Tips

  • If you prefer, top the brownie bites with finely chopped nuts or colored sprinkles in place of the chocolate sprinkles.
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