Allergy-Friendly Chocolate Brownie Hearts with Raspberry Filling
Nothing says “Valentine’s Day” more than heart-shaped chocolate. Our chocolate brownie hearts are as delicious as they are adorable, and bound to delight.
The gluten-free brownie hearts sandwich a raspberry buttercream. Then, they are topped off with a divinely dairy-free chocolate ganache. It will truly be love at first sight.
Makes: about 8 assembled hearts, using a 2 1/2 inch heart-shaped cutter.
Free of: gluten and all top allergens
Ingredients for Brownie Hearts
- 1/2 cup (120 mL) + 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) sorghum flour
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) tapioca flour
- 3/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup (160 mL) granulated sugar
- 6 tsp melted coconut oil or olive oil
- 6 tsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup (60 mL) unsweetened dairy-free milk alternative
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Raspberry Buttercream
- 1 1/2 cups (350 mL) fresh or frozen raspberries
- 3/4 cup (175 mL) dairy-free, soy-free margarine (such as Earth Balance)
- 3 1/2 cups (825 mL) icing sugar, sifted
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- Pinch salt
Chocolate Ganache
- 4 oz allergy-friendly chocolate chips (such as Enjoy Life)
- 1/4 cup (175 mL) unsweetened dairy-free milk alternative
Recipe Tips
Hearts can be stored in refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container. Flour: If you have teff flour on hand, try substituting it for 1/2 cup of sorghum flour. The teff gives perfect consistency, while enhancing the chocolate flavor.
Instructions for Brownie Hearts
- For the brownies, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a couple inches of parchment hanging over opposite sides of pan.
- Place cocoa powder, sorghum flour, tapioca flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk well to combine.
- Put sugar, oil, applesauce, milk alternative, and vanilla extract in bowl of a stand mixer. Beat about 2 minutes, until well-combined and emulsified. Add flour mixture, and beat until well incorporated.
- Scrape batter into the lined pan, smoothing evenly. Bake 23 to 26 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let brownies cool completely in pan.
- Once cooled, remove brownies from pan using the parchment paper overhang. With a heart-shaped cookie cutter (I used 2 ½ inch-size) cut heart shapes. Carefully slice each heart width-wise with a sharp knife, setting aside each top half.
- For the buttercream, first prepare raspberry puree. Heat raspberries in saucepan on medium-high until fruit starts to break down, becomes juicy and juice starts to thicken, about 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve into a small bowl, pressing down on raspberries to extract juices. You should have about 1/4 cup of liquid. Let cool completely.
- Place margarine in bowl of stand mixer. Beat on high until light and fluffy. Add 2 cups icing sugar, 1/4 cup of cooled raspberry puree, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and salt. Beat until combined and smooth, scraping down the sides of mixer with a spatula as needed. Add remaining icing sugar. Beat for 1 to 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Mixture should be thick – if it is a little runny, add more icing sugar, 1/4 cup at a time.
- Spread or pipe buttercream on bottom half of each heart cut-out. Place corresponding upper half of cut-out heart on top, pressing down slightly. Refrigerate while making ganache.
- For the ganache, place chocolate chips in a small bowl. Put dairy-free milk alternative in a saucepan, and heat on medium-high until steaming. Pour steaming milk alternative over chocolate chips. Let stand 5 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Let cool until lukewarm, then pour the mixture over top of each assembled heart. Refrigerate to set the ganache. Then serve – and enjoy!
See more allergy-friendly Valentine’s recipes here.
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