Mummy Brownies with White Chocolate Wrap Kids Can Decorate
Fudgy chocolate brownies topped with messy piped white chocolate stripes and two candy eyes, a fun Halloween treat that kids can help decorate.
Equipment
- 8-inch square pan
- Aluminum foil
- Heatproof bowl
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Sifter or sieve
- Parchment paper
- Zip-top sandwich bag
- Piping bag
- Round piping tip (size 3 or 5)
- Toothpick
Ingredients
For the brownies
- 115 g unsalted butter 1/2 cup / 1 stick
- 200 g dark or semisweet chocolate chopped; semisweet chips work too, but a chopped bar melts more smoothly
- 150 g granulated sugar 3/4 cup
- 100 g light brown sugar 1/2 cup, packed
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 80 g all-purpose flour 2/3 cup
- 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder 1/4 cup; natural or Dutch-process
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
For the mummy wrap
- 140 g white chocolate finely chopped; white candy melts can be used instead
- 1 tsp vegetable oil optional, for thinning
- 16 candy eyes
Instructions
- Prep the pan. Heat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line an 8-inch square pan with foil, leaving extra hanging over two sides for handles. Grease the foil or coat it with nonstick spray.
- Melt the chocolate and butter. Put the butter and chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, or use a saucepan on low heat. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat.
- Let it cool. Leave the mixture for about 15 minutes until it feels warm, not hot, so the eggs don't scramble and the batter stays smooth.
- Add the sugars and eggs. Whisk in both sugars, then add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Add the vanilla. The batter should turn glossy and thicken slightly.
- Fold in the dry ingredients. Sift the flour, cocoa and salt over the bowl and fold with a spatula until no dry streaks remain. Stop there, because overmixing makes the brownies cakey.
- Bake. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top looks set and slightly crackly and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Start checking at 25 minutes because ovens vary.
- Cool completely. Let the brownies cool at room temperature for at least 1.5 to 2 hours. If they are even slightly warm, the white chocolate stays soft and the candy eyes slide off.
- Cut before you decorate. Use the foil handles to lift the slab out. Cut it in half one way, then into quarters the other way to make 8 rectangles about 4 x 2 inches. Wipe the knife between cuts for cleaner edges. Spread the pieces out on parchment.
- Melt the white chocolate. Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds, stir, then continue in 20-second bursts, stirring each time, until only a few small lumps remain. Stir until those melt. If it is too thick to pipe, stir in the oil. White chocolate scorches quickly, so stop heating if it looks dull or clumpy and keep stirring.
- Wrap the mummies. Scrape the chocolate into a zip-top sandwich bag and snip a very small corner, or use a piping bag fitted with a size 3 or 5 round tip. Pipe back and forth across each brownie in uneven lines, crossing over now and then. Leave a small gap near the top for the face.
- Add the eyes. Press two candy eyes into the gap while the chocolate is still wet. Let everything set at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes if you are in a hurry.
