Chocolate Covered Cherry Brownies

If you like chocolate covered cherries, you are going to love these bars! They start with a layer of homemade brownies, topped with a maraschino cherry butter cream frosting, and that is covered with a rich chocolate.

This dessert was for an installment of our son’s Christmas present (a dessert every month delivered to his door).  If you would like to know the reason why I chose this as his Christmas present this year, read (here).  I always put chocolate covered cherries in his stocking at Christmas as I know how much he likes them.  So when I saw this recipe, I knew that would be the next one I wanted to make.  It was very nice of him to move back to town so that I don’t have to mail his desserts anymore.  I’m sure that is why he moved back.  Or maybe it was to be closer to his mother.  Yes, that seems reasonable to me.  Well, whatever his reason, I am very happy he is living closer now, and we get to see him more often instead of just at holidays.

These brownies are very easy to make.  With each layer, basically you are just throwing everything into a bowl and mixing the ingredients together.  The most time-consuming part is waiting for everything to cool so you can add the next layer.  With the addition of the cherries and the red juice in the frosting layer, these brownies would be perfect for Memorial Day coming up or any kind of patriotic holiday.  Actually they would be good for Valentine’s Day or a Christmas party for that matter.

These are just good brownies for holidays or parties in general.  In fact, I made a double batch, and am going to take these to Fiesta Friday over at Angie’s (The Novice Gardener Blog).  I always love taking dessert to a get together, and I think these will be perfect.  Make them soon and take them to a party or to someone you love.  They are pretty much guaranteed to make them love you back.  Another reason I like to bake for my son!:)

• Servings: 12-15
• Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
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For the Brownie Base:

• 1/2 c (1 stick) unsalted butter, diced
• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 1/2 c sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 3/4 c all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Spray 9×13-inch pan with nonstick spray.
3. Stir butter and chocolate in large heavy saucepan over low heat until chocolate is melted. Watch carefully so it doesn’t burn.  Remove from heat and whisk in sugar, then eggs, one at a time.
4. Whisk in vanilla and salt, and then sift flour over.  Stir to blend well.
5. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
6. Bake brownies until tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter attached, about 18 minutes.
7. Cool completely in pan on rack.

For the Cherry Buttercream:

• 1 10-oz. jar maraschino cherries, drained, juice reserved
• 1/2 c unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 c powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp. reserved maraschino cherry juice
• 1 tsp. pure almond extract

1. While the brownie layer is cooling, coarsely chop the cherries.  Place a paper towel on a dinner plate and spread the chopped cherries out on top of it.  Gently press another layer of paper towel on top of the cherries, soaking up excess juice.  Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
3. Add powdered sugar, cream, cherry juice, and almond extract.  Beat on medium-high until fluffy, another 1 to 2 minutes.
4. With a spatula, fold in the chopped cherries.
5. Spread over the cooled brownies in an even layer, and then place pan in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

For the Chocolate Glaze:

• 4 (1 oz.) squares semi-sweet chocolate
• 4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1. On the stove top over medium-low heat, or in the microwave, gently melt together the chocolate and butter.  Take care to not let it scorch, stirring constantly if using the stove.  If using the microwave heat first for 30 seconds, then at 10 second increments after that, stirring after each time in the microwave.
2. Drizzle over the chilled cherry buttercream layer, and then quickly and gently spread the glaze to an even layer.  The glaze will be thin.
3. Cover and cool until chocolate hardens.

Recipe from Cook AZ I Do, original recipe found on A Farmgirl’s Dabbles