Perfectly Portioned and Packable Brownie Bites

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had planned to make an elaborate dessert tonight, but the clock and I were not in sync and reality dictated I move a bit further down the food chain and come up with something simple, or simply forget about dessert. My first thought was an ice cream sundae, but as I played with the idea it became more elaborate and I mentally added a brownie base and some hot fudge sauce to to my original idea. We had picnicked earlier in the week and I still had some brownie bites, made for that occasion, in my freezer. The bites are nothing more than brownies that are baked in muffin tins and the recipe I use was developed by America's Test Kitchen. It makes 12 uniform brownies that tote well in a mess-free fashion. The cake-like brownies may look dry, but they are actually moist and keep well for 2 to 3 days. They make a perfect base for a sundae or can be eaten out of hand, and, because they are portion controlled and ready to serve, they are perfect for meetings or large group get-togethers. They can be made without special equipment, so they are great candidates for baking in the poorly equipped kitchens usually found in summer cottage rentals. I really like the idea of brownies baked in this fashion and I think those of you who try this technique will like it too. Here is how the brownie cups are made.

Perfectly Portioned and Packable Brownie Bites...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of America's Test Kitchen

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, toasted and chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2) Microwave butter and chocolate together in bowl, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes; let mixture cool slightly.
3) In large bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt together. Whisk in melted chocolate mixture until combined. Gently stir in flour with rubber spatula until just incorporated.
4) Portion batter evenly into greased 12-cup muffin tin and sprinkle with nuts. Bake brownies 18-20 minutes at 350F, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let brownies cool slightly in pan before removing. Yield: 12 brownies.

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