Thursday 24 May 2007

Cute as a Button - Fudge Buttons


Fudge Buttons

This is my entry for the this months Browniebabe event. Last month I did post an entry, but it was just to be included in the round up as I made my brownies before the event was announced. This month I’m after the apron, ha ha!

I decided on another Dorie (Greenspan, I probably don’t need to use a surname here, but I will just in case) brownie, this time from Sweet Times, Simple Desserts for Every Occasion, an out of print book that has many lovely recipes in it – there will be more about this one in the future. This recipe appears in her Baking book as Brownie Buttons. Where it’s only slightly altered, the orange zest and sugar it’s blended with is changed minimally.

Anyhow Fudge Buttons are small, mini cupcake size brownies, that do indeed look like buttons once they have been baked. They are a basic brownie, but made quite magical with brown sugar and orange zest and if that wasn’t enough the lily is gilded with a crown of white chocolate. I used a speck of tangerine food colouring paste, because I like things to have pretty colours. I stood in my kitchen with a bottle of sprinkles (multi coloured hearts) in hand, but decided after a hum and hay that they might have altered the taste of the little buttons. How did they taste? Well first off I would have to admit that chocolate and orange is one of my most favourite combinations. They were very good and so popable, we all liked them, and as a testament to how good they are little one actually ate the brownie part, as well as the chocolate topping. I think they would be a nice addition to any party, and I’ll be making these at Christmas time for sure, when a delicious little something is just what is needed. In the meantime though I’ll have to make more, because they are all gone!

Thanks to Myriam of Once Upon a Tart for hosting this event.

Fudge Buttons

2 teaspoons orange zest, finely chopped (I used a microplane)
¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons plain (all purpose) flour
pinch salt
½ stick (2 oz) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 ½ oz high quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup soft light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
Glaze
2 oz white chocolate, in small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350oF / 175 oC. Grease 2 x 12 hole mini muffin pans. Mix together the orange zest and granulated sugar, set aside. Whisk together the flour and salt, set aside. In a heavy saucepan melt the butter, chocolate and brown sugar – stirring all the time until smooth. Leave for a minute off the heat then stir in, one at a time, the vanilla, egg and zest mixture. Lastly add the flour and salt and mix until it is all incorporated. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups and bake for 9-10 minutes.

Cool 3 mins before removing the buttons. When cold melt the white chocolate for the glaze and dip each button into the chocolate to coat the top. Leave to set in the fridge for 15 minutes. (I just left them at room temperature, but it’s not that hot here!). Makes 24 little buttons.

13 comments:

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

You are quite the little baker are you not?! Just as I was declaring I must go on a diet you roll out Dorie like this. KJ you should be ashamed. You do realise summer is almost upon us?! Great post. There wouldn't be any left in our house either. Wish you lived up the road! :)

vonsachsen said...

WOW, Kelly-Jane! They look so cute, sweet, professional, tempting and I could go on and on!
Hee hee, Little Foodie, thanks for reminding me about the bikini season because I´m off to Greece in three weeks and shouldn´t be even dreaming about these little buttons :D

MyKitchenInHalfCups said...

I'd love to be bad and have this and a coffee for my dinner.

Freya said...

KJ, these really are cute as little buttons! Fabulous entry - you really deserve the apron for these!

Anonymous said...

Oh - those are adorable! Delicious little bites size chocolate things would be very dangerous around me.

Lis said...

Wonderful Kelly-Jane! I don't know how I missed them in Baking. They look soooo good! I went tiny this time too.. it seems easier to not guilt as much if I'm eating several tiny things instead of one big thing, yes? hahaha!

Definitely Browniebabe worthy!

xoxox

Brilynn said...

I just made these last week with the orange zest, then I drizzled them with an orange icing and brought them into work.
I had one guy ask me how I got the orange flavour in there and when I told him it was orange zest he replied "Zest, like the soap???"
Some people just don't get it.

Patricia Scarpin said...

I'm back from lunch and I wish I had some of these to make my afternoon better, Kelly-Jane!

Kathryn said...

KJ, they are absolutely stunning. Wow. Soooo cute - I bet they go down so easily. Mmm. You would indeed be a wonderful (dangerous) neighbour.

Kathryn x

Anna's kitchen table said...

Beautiful KJ, so yummy looking!

Cookie baker Lynn said...

These are darling and look like they wouldn't last long at all in my house. Thanks for sharing the recipe. It looks like there's serious competition for that apron!

Kelly-Jane said...

Amanda, LOL! I'm allergic to something in the suns rays (so I'm never out in it very long), so I don't worry about the bikini diet haha!

Eva, Thank you! Greece sounds lovely, have a great time.

Tanna and Patricia - If there were any left I'd send them down the cable!

Freya, I couldn't resist the cute as a button line :)

Kristen, They were alomst too popable!

Lis, you are right, when I was making them I thought there isn't that much batter here in the pan - and it makes it justifiable to have another and another ...

Brilynn, Zest like soap, oh man!

Kathryn, these are just what you need ;)

Anna, thank you :)

Lynn, I know, when I make these for a specific event I'll have to make them on the day (and hide them!)It's a really fun event.

Gattina Cheung said...

oh my goodness! Aren't these lil' guys cute?!!! Love the name and the idea of the brownies, really wonderful!