Sunken Treasures...

I think many of you out there know the famous Peanut Butter Kiss Cookie, a peanut butter cookie with a Hershey's kiss added right out the oven.   These cookies are a favorite to many combining the love of peanut butter and chocolate, however have you ever thought what you can bake with the other flavours of Hershey's kisses.  They have come out with a cookies and cream kiss.  Cookies and cream makes me think of my childhood and ice cream.   When I was young this was my all time favorite ice cream; rich, creamy and filled with Oreo cookie crunchy goodness.   It reminds me of camping weekends and ice cream stops at the boat marina or day trips to port dover, playing mini golf and hanging out at the beach.  I don't have as much Cookie's and cream ice cream as I once did but I eat similar chocolates it brings me right back.
I originally had planned on making chocolate cookies with the kiss on top but I decide to make mini brownie cupcakes with the kiss falllen inside the brownie. Okay, so maybe the plan wasn't always to have them sunken inside but they still tasted just as good. I also had extra batter so I made brownie bars with a cream cheese topping with crushed Toblerone on top.

Cookies and Cream Brownie Bites

(Adapted from Fine Cooking)

INGREDIENTS:

• 4oz (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cubed
• 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 4 large eggs, room temp
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 5 3/4 oz (1 1/4 cups) AP flour
• Cookies and Cream Kisses

Cream Cheese topping for Bar version

• 6 oz cream cheese, soft at room temp
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• chopped Toblerone

INSTRUCTIONS:

1) Preheat the oven at 350F and line mini cupcake pans.   Unwrap the Hershey's kisses so they are ready to go.

2) Make the Batter : Combine the butter and chocolate in a bowl and melt over a double boiler, stirring frequently until the butter and chocolate are melted and smooth.  Set aside.  With a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or hand mixer beat the eggs and salt in a bowl on medium speed until foamy, about 2 minutes. Continue to beat while gradually adding the sugar and beat until thick and pale, another 3 minutes.  

3) Scrape the chocolate mixture into the eggs, add vanilla and fold the two mixtures together.   Add the flour and continue to fold until just incorporated.
4) Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full.   Bake about 13 minutes then take out quickly add the kisses on top of each brownie.   Place them back in the oven for 5 min. The kisses will melt a little and sink into the cupcakes.

Let the brownies cool in the pan before carefully lifting them out.   Store at room temp or freeze  in an airtight container.

For the cream cheese topped version: 

I was able to do 1 - 24 muffin tin and put the rest of the batter 

1) Instead of putting the brownies into mini cupcake tins, spray a 9 inch pan.  I was able to do 1 - 24 muffin tin and put the rest of the batter into the 9 inch pan.

2) In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar with a wooden spoon ( I used my braun whisk) until smooth and creamy.  Add the egg yolk and mix until blended.   Pour on top of the brownie batter and smooth out on top. 

3) Add the chopped Toberlone all over the top and bake for 18 minutes.

Both options were a success.   The brownie bites are just the right amount of chocolate, with the little kiss in the middle.   The bar style had a nice creaminess to it.  They were soft,  rich and the toblerone chunks added a nice texture and slight crunch.   I don't think this is the best brownie recipe I have tried or out there but it's good to have.

MEG's RATING: D-EEE-LICIOUS!