Tales from the Kitchen: Melted Chocolate Heart Brownies

One of the scenes in the YA novel I’m currently working on features a batch of warm, melt-in-your-mouth brownies fresh from the oven. Writing that scene made me crave them, so naturally, I had to make a batch in real life. Valentine’s Day seemed like the perfect excuse.

After all, what novel involving growing teens with energy to burn doesn’t demand brownies? Especially when those teens are learning that sometimes kindness shows up in small, unexpected ways.

But first, here is a tiny bonus snippet from the draft:

Andrew plopped onto the chair next to Richard and helped himself to a brownie.
“That’s Uncle John,” he whispered after his mother moved away. “He’s not very well. He used to be a cop, but then he got shot chasing some crooks. He’s a hero. Decorated and all.”

Richard lowered his mug. “Seriously?”

Andrew drew a cross over his sweatshirt. “Swear,” he said, through a mouthful of brownie.

Richard didn’t like cops, mainly because they always managed to spoil things for him. The fact that this one was in a wheelchair didn’t make him feel any safer.

Melted Chocolate Heart Brownies

🕓 Prep Time: 10 min ⏳ Cook Time: 40 min 🍪 Servings: 8

Ingredients for brownies:

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar (200g)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (40g)
• ½ cup all-purpose flour (65g)
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Ingredients for the chocolate ganache:

½ cup heavy cream (120ml)

120 g dark chocolate, chopped

For decoration: Heart-shaped sprinkles (pink, red, white)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
3. In a bowl, whisk melted butter and sugar until smooth.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
5. Stir in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder just until combined.
6. Pour batter into the pan and bake for 20–25 minutes. Let cool completely.
7. Use a heart-shaped cutter to cut out brownies.

Ganache:

1. Heat cream until just steaming (do not boil).
2. Pour over chopped chocolate, wait 1 minute, then stir until glossy.
3. Dip brownies in the ganache.
4. Decorate immediately with heart sprinkles.
5. Let set before serving.

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