Just made a batch of these to take to a meeting. They are perfect to just pick up with your fingers and pop them in your mouth. They resemble the brownie bites you buy at the store but these, of course, have the buttery flavor and a soft gooey middle. You can actually change the flavor from vanilla extract to almond, or cherry or what ever tickles your fancy
3/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup cocoa
1/3 cup cold butter
2-3 tables water (it took all 3 today)
In a small bowl, stir together the flour, 1/3 cup sugar, cocoa and salt. Cut in the 1/3 cup cold butter with pastry blended or 2 forks until mixture resembles crumbs. Sprinkle water, a tables at a time and stir dough into a ball. Divide the ball into 24 balls. Place one in each of the lightly greased mini-muffin tins (unless you are using the Teflon coated, then you will not need to grease). Pressing with your finger (this is easier if you dip your finger each time in flour so dough doesn’t stick to your finger), make a well in the balls, pushing some of the dough up the sides of the tin also. Set aside when you have done all 24.
Filling: 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tables butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teas vanilla (or cherry or almond)
1/2 teas cinnamon
Melt chocolate chips and butter together in microwave bowl, on high for 30 second intervals. Stir until chips are completely melted. Stir in sugar, egg and vanilla.
Divide the filling between the 24 cups.
Place tins in a 325 preheated oven for 20-25 minutes. (Mine today took 18 but I used just the thin metal pans, the dark Teflon ones will probably take longer)
Cool for 10 minutes and then loosen around edges with a knife or fork. Set on wire racks to cool. These can also be made ahead and frozen.
Chocolate Castles 