Description
Delight in these charming Heart-Shaped Brownie Sandwiches filled with a luscious, homemade strawberry mousse. This dessert features tender, fudgy brownies cut into adorable heart shapes and sandwiched with a light, airy strawberry cream made from cream cheese, pureed strawberries, and whipped heavy cream. Perfect for romantic occasions or a sweet treat any time of year.
Ingredients
Scale
Brownie Layer
- 3 oz (115 gr) unsalted butter
- 2 oz (60 gr) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup (200 gr) sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup (65 gr) all-purpose flour
Strawberry Cream
- 1 oz (30 gr) cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup (30 gr) powdered sugar
- 4 tablespoons pureed strawberries
- 1 oz (30 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of the brownies.
- Melt Butter and Chocolate: In a large saucepan over low heat, gently melt the unsalted butter and semi-sweet chocolate together, stirring until smooth and well combined.
- Add Sugar: Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the sugar thoroughly to blend it into the chocolate mixture.
- Incorporate Eggs and Flavorings: Add the eggs one at a time along with the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Whisk the mixture until everything is well incorporated and smooth.
- Add Flour: Sift the all-purpose flour over the chocolate mixture and gently fold it in until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Spread Batter and Bake: Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and spread it out evenly into a thin layer. Bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool Brownies: Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting.
- Prepare Strawberry Cream – Mix Cream Cheese and Sugar: In a medium bowl, combine softened cream cheese with powdered sugar. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Add Strawberry Puree: Stir in the pureed strawberries until the mixture is well blended and uniform in color.
- Whip Heavy Cream: In a separate clean bowl, whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, which means it holds shape but still has a soft, smooth texture.
- Fold Whipped Cream into Strawberry Mixture: Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese and strawberry mixture until fully incorporated without deflating the cream.
- Cut Brownies into Shapes: Using a cookie cutter, cut the cooled brownies into hearts or your preferred shapes. This recipe yields about 14 hearts (1 3/4 to 2 inches each).
- Fill the Brownie Hearts: Fill a pastry bag with the strawberry cream mixture. Pipe the cream generously onto half of the brownie hearts.
- Assemble Sandwiches: Top the filled brownie hearts with the remaining brownie shapes to form sandwiches, pressing gently to adhere.
- Chill Before Serving: Store the assembled brownie sandwiches in the refrigerator until they are chilled and firm, approximately 30 minutes.
- Serve: Before serving, sprinkle the brownie sandwiches with powdered sugar for a finishing touch and enjoy the delightful combination of fudgy brownie and fresh strawberry mousse.
Notes
- You can substitute fresh strawberries with frozen, thawed, and pureed strawberries if fresh are not available.
- Be careful not to overbake the brownies to maintain a fudgy texture ideal for sandwiching.
- Leftover brownie scraps make a delicious snack or can be crumbled over ice cream.
- Store the assembled sandwiches in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days for best freshness.
- For a dairy-free option, substitute cream cheese and heavy cream with coconut-based alternatives.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich (approximately 2 brownie hearts with mousse)
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
