Chocolate Fudge Mini Trifles

You will need the following components for this dessert:

Brownie Squares (recipe follows)

Ganache (recipe follows)

Crunchy Crumbs (available at The Peppermill) OR Chopped Nuts

Whipped Topping, whipped to firm peaks

Chocolate Filigree Garnish, made with garnish mold (available at The Peppermill)

18 to 24 Mini Dessert Cups or 12 Full Sized Dessert Cups

For the Brownie:

8 oz Semisweet Chocolate, chopped

1 ½ sticks Margarine

1 ½ cups Sugar

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

4 Eggs

1 cup Flour

½ tsp Salt

For the Ganache:

12 oz Whipped topping

12 oz Semisweet Chocolate, chopped

For the Garnish:

Bittersweet Chocolate Coating, melted

For the Cakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan.

In a double boiler or microwave, melt chocolate and margarine. Remove from heat and let cool for ten minutes. Whisk in sugar, vanilla and eggs, one at a time until batter is smooth. Stir in flour and salt until smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 25 to 30 Minutes until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool. Cut into 2" cubes.

For the Ganache:

Heat the topping in a small saucepan until small bubbles form around edges. Place chopped chocolate in a medium bowl. Pour hot cream over chopped chocolate. Let sit one minute. Stir to melt chocolate. Keep stirring gently until chocolate is melted and smooth. Let cool for 15 Minutes. Prepare the ganache close to assembly so the ganache will be fluid and easy to pour.

For the Garnish:

Cover your work surface with a sheet of parchment paper. Fill mold generously with chocolate. Using a metal spatula, scrape the chocolate off the mold letting the excess drip onto the parchment. Make sure to scrape the surface of the mold well to ensure the openings of the chocolate pattern will be clear. Place mold in refrigerator to harden. After the chocolate is set, gently flex the mold and remove the chocolate. The garnishes can be prepared in advance. If stored properly they can last weeks. Store at cool room temperature, layering between sheets of parchment if necessary.

To Assemble:

Fill a large (18") disposable pastry bag with WARM ganache. Cut 1 inch off the tip for an easy and neat method of filling cups. Fill the dessert cup half full with ganache.. Put a cube of brownie in the center and submerge into ganache. This will cause the ganache to rise up to almost the top of the cup. Sprinkle some crunchy crumbs or chopped nuts on top.

Fit a large pastry bag with a large star tip such as #825, 845 or 865. Starting at the outer edge, pipe a swirl on top. Stand a filigree design in the center. These desserts freeze very well.

If you need to transport these desserts, put the cups into a cardboard soda box that has dividers between bottles. This will prevent the cups from tipping over.

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Chocolate Fudge Mini Trifles