afoona
Ganache-Coated Brownie Hearts
Desserts

Ganache-Coated Brownie Hearts

Bake a dense brownie in a flat pan, cut out hearts, dip them in ganache and decorate with candies and caramelized hazelnuts. The leftover scraps are the baker's reward.

⏱ 1 hr 10 min🍽 16 servings 🌍 Israeli👩‍🍳 Afoona🧩 2 parts

👨‍🍳 Method

To assemble

  1. 1
    Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F) and line a 25 ×35 pan with parchment paper.
    ⚙ Preheating the OvenOven
    💡Put things in the oven only once it's reached temperature, after the heating light has gone off: an oven that hasn't reached temperature changes baking times, and the bake burns outside or stays underbaked.
  2. 2
    Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler.
    Double boiler (bain-marie)
  3. 3
    Add the sugar and mix.
  4. 4
    Add the eggs and beat until smooth.
    Hand mixerorWhisk
  5. 5
    Sift the flour and cocoa over it, add the salt and Fold gently, just until no dry flour remains.
    ⚙ FoldingSilicone spatula
    💡Fold the flour in gently and don't beat after it goes in: too much mixing develops gluten, and the brownies come out cakey instead of dense.
    💡Fold with a spatula, in broad strokes from the bottom up, and stop when there's no dry flour: vigorous mixing of a batter with flour develops gluten.
  6. 6
    Pour into the pan.
    Baking pan
  7. 7
    Bake 20 minutes, until the edges are set and the center is still slightly soft.
    ⚙ BakingOvenBaking pan
    💡Take them out of the oven while the center is still soft: brownies keep setting as they cool.
    💡Check by the cue (until…), not just the clock: every oven bakes a little differently.
  8. 8
    Let cool completely and chill an hour, until the brownies are firm enough to cut cleanly.
    Refrigerator
  9. 9
    Cut out hearts with a 6 cm cutter, wiping the cutter between cuts.
    Cookie cutter
  10. 10
    Put the chopped chocolate in a bowl.
    Bowl
  11. 11
    Heat the cream until just about to boil and pour over the chocolate. Wait a minute without touching.
    StoveSmall saucepan
  12. 12
    Stir gently from the center outward, until you get a smooth, glossy cream.
    💡Stir gently from the center outward: vigorous stirring beats in air, and the ganache loses its shine.
  13. 13
    Dip the tops of the hearts in the ganache and set on a rack.
    Cooling rack
  14. 14
    While the ganache is still soft, decorate: sprinkle the candies, hazelnuts and sugar pearls over it.
  15. 15
    Put in the fridge for half an hour, until the coating sets.
    Refrigerator
356calories
4 gprotein
35 gcarbs
22 gfat
● protein 4%● carbs 39%● fat 56%

Per serving (83 g), of 16 servings

To assemble ·

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⚖ About the ingredients

🔧 Tools needed (11) · 🍳 3 cooking vessels

  • Oven · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Toaster oven (Fits one small pan; good for small batches) · Air fryer (Small batches only, no runny batters) · Pot (Only for covered stews on the stovetop, no browning on top)
  • Refrigerator · Also works: Freezer (Chills faster; don't let it freeze) · Ice bath (Ice bath)
  • Stove · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Portable hot plate (one weaker burner) · Camping gas stove (One burner, outdoors) · Electric pressure cooker (multicooker) (One pot, no real shallow frying)
  • Double boiler (bain-marie) · Also works: Microwave (In short bursts; can burn) · Small saucepan (Very low heat; can burn)
  • Small saucepan · Also works: Pot (None) · Frying pan (A deep pan for sauces)
  • Baking pan · Also works: Glass / ovenproof baking dish (None) · Disposable pan (None)
  • Cookie cutter · Also works: Glass (for drinking/serving) (Upturned glass, rounds only) · Knife (Simple shapes)
  • Cooling rack · Also works: Oven rack (Oven rack) · 💡 Workaround, changes the dish: Plate (Bottom sweats and softens)
  • Bowl · Also works: Pot (None)
  • Silicone spatula · Also works: Wooden spoon (Scrapes less well) · Spoon / teaspoon (regular) (None)
  • Hand mixer or Whisk · one of them

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