Brownie Hearts with Raspberry Buttercream and Chocolate Ganache

I made these for our super bowl party the other day and we had so many appetizers and sandwiches that no one had room left for these cute little hearts so everyone got a little package to take home with them.  I bought the heart shaped mold and sprinkles at a local store www.sweetnfancy.com.  The brownie recipe is from www.hersheys.com.   

Ingredients:
Brownies
1 cup butter melted
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup hershey's unsweetened cocoa
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Butter cream icing
1/4 cup of softened butter
4 oz. of frozen raspberries
2-1/2 cups confectioners sugar

Ganache
1/2 cup of heavy cream
3/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chips
Valentine's sprinkles, optional

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 x 13 pan or in this case a wiltons 6 heart shaped pan with cooking spray.  In a microwave safe bowl melt butter in microwave.  Pour into mixing bowl and mix with sugar.  Add  eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.  Add vanilla and cocoa beating again until blended.

Add flour, baking powder and salt.  Pour into prepared pan and for a 9 x 13 pan bake for 30-35 minutes.  For the heart shaped pan I baked mine for 15-18 minutes.  Tap the silicon pan gently a few times to get the brownie mix into all the corners.

Turn pan over onto cooling rack to empty pan.  If using a 9 x 13 pan cool in the pan.  When heart shapes are cool cut in half.  If using a 9 x 13 pan use a cookie cutter to make heart shapes and then cut in half.

Prepare butter cream icing but adding softened butter, raspberries and confectioners sugar to mixer.  Spread butter cream in the middle of each sandwich.

Microwave heavy cream in microwave until just before boiling about 45 seconds.  Add chocolate chips and stir until smooth and shiny.  Spoon over top of heart shaped sandwich and sprinkle with valentine's sprinkles if desired.

Enjoy!  Susan

This post was linked to mizhelenscountrycottage, www.mrsfoxssweets.blogspot.com,www.made-famous-by.com, www.thecountrycook.net, www.crazyforcrust.com, www.kitchenfunwithmy3sons.blogspot.com, www.daysofchalkandchocolate.blogspot.com, www.alli-n-son.com, www.sweet-as-sugar-cookies,www.sixsistersstuff.com, www.crumbsandchaos, www.makingtheworldcuter, www.makeaheadmealsforbusymoms.com, http://www.bunsinmyoven.com/