Tasty Tuesday: Surprise Treats

What's better than biting into a brownie or cupcake? Biting into a brownie or cupcake & there being a tasty surprise inside! :)

Here are two recipes for surprise treats that the kiddos (& adults) will love!

This first recipe is for Surprise Brownie Bites with Caramel Cream Cheese Icing. Yes, that's brownie, caramel, cream cheese & candy all in one delicious bite... you're welcome.

On the left is Rolo; on the right is Ferrero Rocher

The Ingredients:

• brownie mix, with eggs, oil & water needed to prepare
• 4 tbsp butter, softened at room temperature
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened at room temperature
• 2 tbsp caramel sauce (store-bought, or boil a small can of condensed milk for 10 mins, stirring constantly until it turns to caramel)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 24 candies of your choice... pictured above are Rolo (on the left) & Ferrero Rocher (on the right)

The Directions:

Unwrap all candies & put them in the fridge. Preheat oven & prepare brownie mix as directed on box. Grease  24-cup mini muffin tin. Fill each cup 3/4 full with batter. Bake according to directions.

When brownies are done, remove them from oven. Immediately press a candy into each warm brownie. Wait a few minutes for brownies to cool slightly, then remove from pan to allow brownies to cool completely on wire rack. 

To make icing, mix cream cheese & butter until smooth. Stir in caramel. Add powdered sugar gradually  & whip until creamy.

Once brownies are completely cool, put a small dollop of the leftover caramel on each brownie bite (this is optional... it just adds a little more gooey goodness). Using a plastic bag & piping tip, pipe the icing onto each brownie bite. Refrigerate for a while until icing is set before serving.

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Or check out this recipe shared by Emily... she makes these Chocolate Surprise Cupcakes for her family every year during the Christmas season!

(image source)

The Ingredients (for the batter):

• 2 sticks butter
• 4 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

The Ingredients (for the filling):

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup sugar
• dash of salt
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

The Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill cupcake tin with liners.

To prepare batter, melt together butter, chocolate & vanilla. Beat eggs & sugar together until combined. Beat flour into egg mixture. Fold in chocolate mixture. Spoon into cupcake tins until approximately 3/4 full.

To prepare filling, combine cream cheese, sugar, egg & salt. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop a rounded teaspoonful into cupcake batter.

Bake at 350 for 30 mins. 

Makes 20-22 cupcakes.