Description
Delight in rich, fudgy Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies blending a moist brownie base with luscious chocolate ganache and fresh strawberries. This elegant dessert combines the deep flavor of chocolate with the fruity freshness of strawberries perfect for any special occasion or treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Brownie:
- 18.3 ounce box brownie mix
- 3.9 ounce box chocolate pudding mix
- ⅔ cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
For the Topping:
- 1 cup fresh strawberries (about ½ of a 1 pound package), hulled and cut in half
- 12 ounce (3 4-ounce) bars semi-sweet baking chocolate
- 1½ cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9×9 inch baking pan with parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup.
- Mix brownie batter: In a large bowl, combine the brownie mix, chocolate pudding mix, whole milk, vegetable oil, and eggs. Mix thoroughly by hand or with a mixer until fully combined and smooth.
- Pour and bake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the surface evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean.
- Cool brownies: Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for about 45 minutes. Do not remove the brownies from the pan yet.
- Add strawberry topping: Once cooled, arrange the halved strawberries evenly on top of the brownies with the flat side down.
- Prepare ganache bowl: Place the chopped semi-sweet chocolate bars in a medium heat-safe bowl and set aside.
- Heat cream and butter: In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the heavy cream and salted butter together. Stir continuously until the butter melts and the mixture begins to gently bubble around the edges, about 3 minutes.
- Combine cream and chocolate: Remove the cream mixture from heat and immediately pour it over the chocolate in the bowl, ensuring the chocolate is fully covered. Let sit undisturbed for 5 minutes to soften the chocolate.
- Stir ganache: After 5 minutes, stir the mixture gently until it becomes smooth, shiny, and fully combined into a silky ganache.
- Pour ganache over strawberries: Evenly pour the ganache over the strawberry-topped brownies, spreading to cover all. Gently tap the pan on the counter to remove air bubbles.
- Set ganache: Allow the ganache to set on the brownies at room temperature for about 90 minutes or accelerate setting by refrigerating for 30 minutes until firm.
- Cut and serve: Once set, cut the brownies into 16 smaller squares using a sharp serrated or plastic knife for clean edges. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Store brownies in the refrigerator after the first couple of hours to keep the fresh strawberries fresh. They will keep covered for 2-3 days.
- Freeze brownies individually wrapped for up to 3 months for longer storage.
- Ensure brownies are completely cool before adding ganache to allow ganache to set properly.
- Use a sharp, slightly serrated knife or plastic knife to cut brownies cleanly without dragging the ganache.
- Cut brownies into smaller pieces because the rich chocolate and strawberries make a little go a long way.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 brownie (approx. 1/16 of recipe)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
