As kids, we were surrounded by moms' cookbooks and food magazines, and although most of the recipes were never tried in her kitchen, I absorbed the pictures of beautiful dishes made from exotic ingredients. Each colorful magazine or simple church cookbook filled with a myriad of ways to combine every-day ingredients, opened my eyes to the infinite, creative possibilities of food.
Chocolate in the form of moms' famous, rich and gooey brownies, or "wacky cake", where cocoa cake ingredients were stirred together right in the baking pan, were part of most every gathering in my family. So on this Mother's Day, to honor the memory and inspiration of my mom, I created a dessert that I think she would be proud of, "Brownies In A Strawberry Cloud."
She's still with me in my kitchen, coaching me on my potato salad, reminding me to turn off the water and not waste anything that can be used. Mom, if through some magic of the Universe you can hear me, I just want you to know I'm not fighting with my sisters, I am eating something other than carrot sticks and dill pickles, and I always turn the lights the off when I leave a room. And as hard as I tried to convince myself when I was nineteen years old it wasn't true, it turns out you were right about a lot of things... I don't need to buy most things I think I want, and really nothing good happens after midnight.
Moms' brownies were tooth-aching sweet with thick fudge frosting and I wanted to lighten up the recipe a bit but still make it special. I cut the fat in half and reduced the sugar by more than half so the sweetness from this dessert comes from the orange and cream cheese filling and the natural sweetness of the strawberries. And use real whipped cream..the stuff in the can or tub is easy, but if it's from a tub or can with added propellants, this is not food.
Brownies In A Strawberry Cloud
Any of your favorite brownie recipes can be used here, or you can make this slightly healther version with fat and sugar reduced, and the addition of half whole wheat flour.
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp instant coffee
Melt the butter, coffee, and cocoa together in a large sauce pan over low heat, remove from heat and cool.
When cool, add:
1/2 cup sugar, white or brown
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
Mix together following dry ingredients and add to above.
3/4 cup white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour (can use white flour if you want)
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp. baking soda
Mix all ingredients together until well blended. Divide into 12 cups of muffin pans that have been buttered or oiled. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Remove from pan after cooling about a minute and let cool.
Filling:
(Makes enough for 6-8 of the desserts, double if you are making more desserts at one time)
1- 8 oz. package reduced fat cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp or a little more, finely grated orange zest (don't leave this out, it's important)
Sliced, fresh strawberries
Whip cream cheese, powdered sugar and orange zest with electric mixer until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to assemble desserts. Better if it sits an hour or so for the orange flavor.
Whipped cream:
First, and very important, chill dessert plates, glass bowl and beaters in refrigerator for at least an hour or freezer for 20-30 minutes to chill well. For 6-8 desserts add 2 cups cold whipping cream to cold bowl and beat until thick. Add 2 T. powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract and continue to beat until thick.
To assemble desserts, place a dollop of whipped cream on cold plate to make the cloud. Slice brownie through the middle to make a top and bottom half. Spread bottom half with cream cheese mixture, then add layer of sliced strawberries and top with other half of brownie. Top with whipped cream and garnish with strawberry. Serve immediately and enjoy!
