Fudgy Mini Brownie Fruit Pies with Almond Cream Cheese

 

I once made a big brownie pie, the size of a pizza, spread with sweetened cream cheese and adorned with fresh fruit. Our oldest daughter couldn’t have been more than 3 years old, I’m surprised she even remembers it. But when I asked her what she wanted for her birthday cake this year, she said, “that brownie pie with the cream cheese, it was soooooo good Mom!”

After having so much fun with the brownie heart sandwiches for Valentine’s Day, I decided to make Fudgy Mini Brownie Fruit Pies with Almond Cream Cheese. And I just happened to do a test run on March 13th, the day before Pi Day…which turned out pretty well for Hatti’s classmates when she brought in these mini brownie fruit pies to celebrate Pi(e)!

These brownies are fudgy and delicious, everything a good brownie should be. We topped them with almond (one of Hatti’s favorite flavors) cream cheese and fresh fruit that Hatti hand selected from the grocery store. They make just the most perfect birthday treat!

How can it be that our little girl is already 10 years old?!

What a joy you are, Hatti girl.
We love you so much.

Happy, Happy Birthday!

Fudgy Mini Brownie Fruit Pies with Almond Cream Cheese

Yield: 15 brownie pies

prep time: 30 minutes mins

cook time: 20 minutes mins

total time: 50 minutes mins

These brownies are fudgy and delicious, everything a good brownie should be.

5 Stars (1 Review)

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Ingredients

• for the brownies:
• ½ c. unsalted butter diced
• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate chopped
• 1.5 c. sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp. instant espresso powder
• 1.5 tsp. vanilla
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ¾ c. flour
• for the almond cream cheese:
• 12 oz. cream cheese at room temperature
• 4 T. unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 1.5 c. sifted powdered sugar
• for the fruit:
• Use any whole or cut fruit that you like just be sure it’s fresh, tasty, and beautiful!

Instructions

for the brownies:

• Preheat oven to 325° F.
• Fold a long piece of heavy foil into a 13" wide strip and fit it inside a 9" x 13" metal baking pan, leaving foil overhang on the 2 long sides. Spray the foil with nonstick spray.
• Stir the butter and chocolate in a large heavy saucepan over very low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in the sugar, and then the eggs, 1 at a time. Whisk in espresso powder, vanilla, and salt. Then sift the flour over the chocolate mixture and stir to blend well. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake brownies until slightly puffed and dry-looking and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter attached, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely in pan on rack.
• Run a knife around the inside edge of the brownie pan. Use the overhanging foil as an aid and gently lift the brownies from the pan. The pan I used produces a brownie that is 1/2" thick. Be sure your cookie cutter is taller than 1/2". Press round biscuit cutter (mine was 2-1/4” in diameter) firmly into the cooled brownie. Use a thin metal spatula to lift the cookie cutter filled with brownie from the foil. Gently press the brownie out of the biscuit cutter. Repeat the cutting process until your brownie looks like a big piece of swiss cheese. (And I hope you’re eating up some of those brownie scraps!)

for the almond cream cheese:

• Beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add almond extract and beat to combine. Slowly add sifted powdered sugar, beating well to remove any lumps.
• Using a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip, pipe almond cream cheese onto each brownie round. I did a little bit of this and a little bit of that…just pipe it on in the design(s) of your choice.

for the fruit:

• Use both whole and cut fruits, depending on size. Decorate in the design(s) of your choice.

Notes

Brownies recipe was heavily adapted from one of my very favorite brownies, a recipe originally from Bon Appetit magazine, July 2009.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1 Calories: 373kcal Carbohydrates: 41g Protein: 4g Fat: 22g Saturated Fat: 13g Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g Cholesterol: 87mg Sodium: 129mg Fiber: 1g Sugar: 34g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.

Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below. And share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #afarmgirlsdabbles or tag @farmgirlsdabble!

© Brenda | A Farmgirl’s Dabbles

Cuisine: American

Course: Bars & Brownies