Brownie Cake Pops - Valentine Hearts

Cake pops are everywhere these days but let's face it - they are sooo cute! I especially like brownie cake pops because the denser cake makes for a better taste and feel in your mouth. And my biggest tip is to go light on the icing - too much just turns it all to mush - you want it to taste more like a brownie!

Ingredients
1-1/2 c butter, unsalted
2-1/4 c sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 c flour
1 c cocoa
1/2 tsp salt


1-1/2 c prepared icing
1 package candy melts or similar
30, 5 or 6 inch lollipop sticks


What to do

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan.
• Over low heat, melt butter in a saucepan.
• Add sugar and stir until well combined and some sugar dissolves. It will still be thick and 'sugary' looking.
• Cool the mixture to room temperature.
• Place in large mixing bowl.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat until well combined- about 4 minutes.
• In another bowl, sift together.
• Add dry ingredients to butter mixture and stir until just combined.
• Pour batter into pan and smooth with spatula.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes.
• Don't over bake!
• Cool completely before moving on.

• Once cool, crumble brownie into large chunks and place in food processor. You may want to do this in batches.
• Pulse brownies until it has consistency of grainy sand.
• Place in large bowl.
• Add 3/4 c of icing and mix until well combined. You may have to add a bit more. You need the mixture to hold together when rolled into a ball. But try not to add too much or pops become too sweet.
• Refrigerate mixture preferably overnight but at least 2 hours.
• To make a heart shape I used one half of a boiled egg shaper for bento boxes. But you could also use a small cookie cutter or shape them by hand. They shouldn't be more than a couple of inches in size.
• Place hearts on a cookie sheet and refrigerate again for a few hours or overnight.

• Melt your candy melts according to directions.
• Dip one end of lollipop stick into melted candy.
• Place dipped stick into bottom of heart...about 2 cm deep.
• Dip heart while holding onto stick into melted candy to cover heart completely.
• Place cake pop stick end into styrofoam or place in a heavy glass so they can dry.
• Once candy is dried, use a food writer pen or icing in a decorating bag with a thin tip to write your messages.
• Dry as in previous method or place on cookie sheets until ready to eat.

Makes approximately 30 cakes pops.