Strawberry Brownies

5 from 5 votes

If you love brownies that are a bit different and unexpected, these strawberry brownies deliver. They’re chewy in the middle, lightly crisp on the edges, and packed with real strawberry flavor- thanks to the strawberry buttercream and chocolate glaze

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Total Time1 30

Course: Brownies

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brownies, Strawberry Brownies, strawberry buttercream

Servings: brownies

Calories: 390kcal

Author: Helen S. Fletcher

Equipment

9x9x2" square pan

Ingredients

Brownies

⅔ cup natural cocoa (55 grams)
½ cup all-purpose flour (70 grams)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
3 large eggs
⅔ cup dark brown sugar, packed (130 grams)
1 ⅓ cups powdered sugar (170 grams)
⅔ cup canola or vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Strawberry Buttercream

1.2 ounce pkg. freeze dried strawberries
1 ¾ cup powdered sugar (235 grams)
½ cup unsalted butter, softened (114 grams or 1 stick)
½ teaspoon almond extract
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Red food coloring, optional

Cream Glaze

⅔ cup heavy cream
5 ounces semisweet chocolate (140 grams)

Instructions

Brownies

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Prepare the 9x9x2 inch square baking pan with a parchment paper sling. Spray the paper and the sides of the pan with a non-stick baking release.
Sift the cocoa, flour, salt and baking soda together. This is easily done using a strainer. The cocoa often has lumps that are hard to mix into the final batter.
Place the eggs, powdered and brown sugars, and the vanilla in a mixing bowl. Beat for about 3 minutes until fluffy and lighter in color.
Add the oil, mixing until completely combined.
Last, add the flour mixture and beat on low for about 1 minute scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed until completely blended..
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for about 28 to 32 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with a few moist crumbs stuck to it. Do not over bake. If the side have risen above the middle of the brownie, use a spatula to press them down evenly when they come from the oven. Cool completely.

Strawberry Buttercream

Place about half the freeze dried strawberries and powdered sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Make sure the feed tube has the plunger in place or it is covered. Process until the strawberries and powdered sugar are one with no pieces of strawberries remaining. Empty into a mixing bowl. Repeat with the remaining half of the strawberries and powdered sugar.
Place everything in the bowl of a mixer, using 3 tablespoons of milk to start with. Mix on low to bring together, then raise to medium high and beat to lighten it and increase the volume. Add additional milk to make a good spreading consistency. Add the red food coloring if using. Set aside.

Cream Glaze

Heat the cream until steaming but not boiling. Boiling the cream can dull the glaze.
Add the chocolate and submerge it below the hot cream. Let it sit for 4 to 5 minutes. Using a spoon or a whisk gently stir the mixture until smooth. If using a whisk, just stir do not whisk aggressively or air bubbles can form and they are difficult to remove. Cool to room temperature. It should still be a heavy liquid and pourable.

Assembly of the Strawberry Brownies

Turn the brownie out onto a baking pad or other flat object. Remove the parchment paper. Leave it upside down.
Depending upon how much the buttercream was beaten all of it may be used or just some of it. Use as much as desired. I use a generous amount since I want these to tase on strawberries. Spread the buttercream out in an even layer.
Pour the glaze in the center of the buttercream and with an offset spatula, push it out and over the edges of the cake as evenly as possible. Place it in the fridge to set the glaze.
When the glaze has set, cut about ¼" off the edges of the brownie so all of the brownies have clean edges with the buttercream showing. Cut the brownies 4 across and 4 down or as desired.
At this point, they may be kept at room temperature under a cover for 2 days, in the fridge for 4 or 5 days or frozen hard, wrapped in plastic wrap to help protect the glaze and then in foil. Freeze for about 2 month. To thaw, remove all the covering and thaw at room temperature.
Yields: 16 brownies.

Notes

There is always an abundance of photos to guide you in the post above. If you have questions, look at the photos or read the header of the article. Many of them will be answered there.

As always, I recommend using a scale for accuracy and consistency. Flour, in particular, is difficult to measure by volume. For my recipes, I use 140 grams per cup of unsifted all-purpose, bread or whole wheat flour and 125 grams of cake flour. Others may use different weights so use whatever they suggest.

Unless otherwise noted, salt refers to table salt.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

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Natural Cocoa is lighter in color, acidic and more intense in flavor as it has not been altered as has Dutch Cocoa. Generally, natural cocoa takes baking soda to counter the acidity. Hershey's, Valrhona, and Ghirardelli all sell natural cocoa.

Either canola or vegetable oil can be used.

Whole milk or 2% are interchangeable.

Dark brown sugar is recommended for increased flavor but light brown can be substituted.

McCormick vanilla is fine here.

It is important to use freeze dried strawberries for the buttercream.

Red food coloring is optional

Heavy whipping cream is essential to the outcome of the Cream Glaze.

Don't over beat the brownie batter after the flour is added.

Bake them until a few crumbs remain on the tester.

For the best flavor, use semisweet chocolate and not chocolate chips.

Heavy cream must be used for the glaze. It should be cool but pourable.

If you use a whisk to stir the ganache make sure to just stir it and not whisk it or air bubbles can form and they are difficult to get out.

If there is strawberry buttercream left over use it to sandwich sugar cookies or top cupcakes.

Don't waste pure vanilla here. It won't be noticed in the dense chocolate brownie.

Trader Joe's has the 1.2 ounce packages of freeze dried strawberries with the best price I can find.

Nutrition