White Chocolate Heart Brownies

When Mai and Paul got engaged, I made a little treat to share with them.  Heart brownies!

Last time I made both white and chocolate heart brownies.

{Too many hearts!}

Mai loved them so much she asked if I could make them again for her wedding reception.  Hearts? Brownies? Done and done.

Melting the white chocolate

{Mixing the batter!}

{Love!}

White Chocolate Heart Brownies, recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Makes about 16 - 20 heart brownies, depending on the size of your heart shaped cutter

Ingredients

• 3 ounces quality white chocolate (don't use the chips - use the bar, I used Ghiradhelli)
• 1 stick of unsalted better, plus extra for buttering the pan
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. of granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. table salt
• 2/3 cups all purpose flour

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with foil, with the ends of the foil sticking over the edges of the pan. Repeat in the opposite direction with another piece of foil. Butter the foil.

In a large bowl set over a simmering pot of water, melt the chocolate with the stick of butter until it is 90 percent melted. Remove from the heat, and whisk it until it is smooth. Whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt together and stir until just combined.  

Spread into the prepared pan.  Bake about 30-35 minutes.  Cool the pans on a rack in the freezer - it will be easier to cut them into hearts. Once solid, remove from the pan (using the foil "sling").  Press the cookie cutter firmly into the slightly frozen brownie, and voila! You can save the scraps in the freezer to munch on later, or eat them all now too.