Tuxedo Brownie Cups

My dad LOVES these. He makes them for EVERY holiday-- Christmas, New Year's, 4th of July. All the time.

He goes on and on about how it's a secret family recipe, and that we can never tell anyone because then they would know that it's just whipped cream and sugar. (And by that he means, we got it from a Pampered Chef recipe)

Clearly there's more involved because I bombed these like nobody's business. I didn't have any of the equipment but they just seemed so easy...

Equipment You Actually Should Purchase Before You Try This

Mini Muffin Pan
Pestle
*Do not try making them cookie-shaped and then forming them into brownie cups later with the bottom of a shot glass. It will not work.

Ingredients

1 package brownie mix
2 squares (1 oz) white baking chocolate
2 tbsp milk
8 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup whipped cream (or make your own)
1 pint sliced strawberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray down muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray-- otherwise they will be trapped AND YOU WILL NEVER GET THEM OUT.
2. Make brownies according to the instructions on the box. You'll want them fudgey, so use an extra egg. Fill mini muffin pan 2/3 full and bake 14 minutes or until edges are set.
3. Once you take the brownies out of the oven, immediately press the tops with your pestle to make the indentations. Let them cool in the pan 15 minutes, then take them out to let them cool completely.
4. Combine white chocolate and milk in a bowl, microwave for two 30 second increments, stirring until smoothly blended.
5. In your mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and sugar. Gradually stir in the white chocolate mixture until smooth. Fold in the whipped cream.
6. Pipe the cream cheese mixture into brownie cups, top with strawberries.
7. Refrigerate 1-3 hours before serving.
   

Now, I tried to make them as cookies, then mold molten-hot brownies into cup shapes with a shot glass. Here's how it went.


Here are... THE ONES THAT SURVIVED.


I also didn't have strawberries, so I used raspberries.


Important display note-- use two raspberries per brownie. Just... take my word on it.

These were perfect for our New Year's Eve party-- no plates, no mess. And so festive!

I also made some cookies. 'Cause well... cookies.