Candy Cane Brownie Cups

These Brownie cups are made for the holiday season. They are easy to make and can serve as appetisers and desserts. These are filled with beautiful candy cane pieces that blend with the soft, warm texture of the brownie. The meringue trees on top are the best way to dig into this wholesome dessert!

Serves: 9

Ingredients

Brownie

170g Dark chocolate

110g unsalted butter

1½ cup Granulated sugar

1 tsp Peppermint extract

3 Eggs

½ tsp Salt

½ cup Flour

¼ cup Candy cane

¼ cup Heavy cream

Meringue trees

Meringue

3 Egg whites*

¾ cup Granulated sugar

1 tbsp Cornflour

3 tsp Vanilla extract

Red colour

Green colour

Malted Ganache

150g Malted white chocolate

¼ cup Heavy cream

9 cup cones

Rainbow sprinkle

Method

Step 1 - Brownie

In a pan, add water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat. Place a heatproof bowl with chocolate and butter. Make sure the water isn't touching the bowl.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 175°c. Line an 8x8 square tin with parchment paper.

Step 3

Let the butter and chocolate melt together. Once melted, add sugar and whisk till combined. Then mix in one egg at a time and peppermint extract. Whisk well.

Step 4

Then with a rubber spatula, mix the flour. Make sure there isn't any streaking. Add candy canes and mix well.

Step 5

Pour the brownies batter into the tin and place in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or insert a toothpick in the middle and if there are some crumbs, take the tin out.

Step 6

Let the brownies cool down for 15 minutes, then place them on the cooling rack.

Step 7- Meringue

Separate your egg whites from the yolk and place them in a large deep bowl.

Step 8

Beat your egg whites till soft peaks. Then start adding your sugar 1 tbsp at a time.

Step 9

Once all the sugar is mixed, beat the mixture till stiff peaks. Then add vanilla extract and beat well.

Step 10

Then add cornflour and beat till just combined.

Don't overmix. Once you attain stiff peaks, invert the bowl, and the meringue shouldn't fall.

Step 11

Preheat the oven to 110°c. Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Take two piping bags and two skewers, and add red to one skewer and green to the other. Then make streaks inside individual piping bags.

Step 12

Now pipe your trees, make the base with green coloured meringue and make swirls with the red one and a star sprinkler on top.

Step 13

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, then turn off the oven and let the swirls rest in the oven for 2 hours. Then take them out and keep them aside.

Step 14 - Malt Ganache

In a pan, add heavy cream and bring to almost a boil. Then add to the chocolate. Mix well and keep aside.

Step 15 - Assembly

Add heavy cream to the brownie and start mashing the brownie till they are smooth. Add the mashed brownies to the cup cones until they're fully filled.

Step 16

Now dip the cone in malt ganache, add to a bowl of sprinkle, and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. Take them out top with a meringue tree and serve.

Tips

1. When doing the toothpick test on brownies, make sure to bake till you get some crumbs, as that indicates a fudgy brownie.

2. While beating the meringue, make sure not to overbeat it as it will lose moisture and become stiff after baking.

3. While piping, again, there are rules; you can pipe as you like.