Chew on This | Santa Hats (Egg Free)

It's Christmas Break! La, la, la! Christmas Break! La, la, la! 

La, la, la. La, la, la. La. La. Lahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!

You've got to admit, my voice is spectacular. And my lyrics....ahhhmazing. Now that I've lured you in with my musical talents, let me continue to entice with my culinary wizardry. 

These are Santa Hats. Pretty dang cute, right? 

The Inspiration = my most lovely, witty and smart niece. The Need = The Sprite's (my daughter) Christmas party at school yesterday. The Curve Ball = a darling boy in The Sprite's class that has an egg allergy. The Dilemma = none.

Evidence of success was that the sweet boy with the egg allergy gobbled several of these treats right up. Further evidence concluded that children without any egg allergy also gobbled these up. 

Win!

Cares

Here's the recipe:

Santa Hats (Egg Free)

(brownie recipe via Art of Dessert)

 (makes 36)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350℉. Spray your mini muffin tin lightly with cooking spray.

To start, set a sauce pan over medium-low heat. Add in your 1/3 cup of flour and 1 cup of water. Stir mixture constantly until thick (it will look and feel like a thick paste). Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl and set aside to cool.

Next, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt your butter. When your butter has melted, add in the oil and cocoa powder. Mix until smooth. Take pan off the heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Now it's time to go back to that mixing bowl with your flour mixture in it. Stir in both of your sugars, vanilla and honey until combined. Next, stir in your slightly cooled cocoa mixture; blend well. Finally, add in your flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until into the just blended. Spoon heaping tablespoonfuls into your mini muffin tin.

Bake for approximately 12-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with some moist crumbs attached (it's okay if the toothpick looks moist but not wet, batter should be clinging to it). Cool completely then remove the brownie 'muffins' from the tin.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 C (one stick) butter, softened

2 t vanilla 

1 1/2 - 2 C powdered sugar

In a mixing bowl, combine your cream cheese, butter and vanilla (use a color-free vanilla if you want a pure white frosting). Beat with a hand mixer until mixture is thoroughly combined and smooth. Add your powdered sugar into the mix 1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition, up to 2 cups (depending on how sweet you like your frosting).

Make your Santa Hats

36 strawberries, stems/leaves cut off to create a flat bottom

To make your Santa Hats, frost the top of each brownie with a heap of Cream Cheese Frosting. Place your strawberry, flat side down, on top of the frosting. Dab a small dollop of frosting on top of the strawberry to create the 'poof' at the end of the hat. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 30 minutes.