Every year in February, I ponder what to give my husband for Valentine’s Day, like everyone else. As the day creeps up on us, don’t we find ourselves in a guilty panic that we haven’t planned anything yet? Maybe we haven’t even bought a beautiful greeting card? Or, maybe that’s as far as we’ve gotten in our planning. Why not make something for your sweetheart? Conversation Heart Chocolate Brownies are the perfect romantic gift to give your sweetheart. They are homemade with love!
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.
Need gift ideas? See a list of gift ideas near the bottom of this post.
Besides a heart-shaped box of chocolates and red roses, what is more related to Valentine’s Day than conversation hearts candy? If your significant other is like me, they love sweets. Cute looking homemade heart-shaped brownies will perk up anyone’s mood and make them feel a warm sentiment on Valentine’s Day! Our little boys loved them.
Conversation Chocolate Heart Brownies
Maybe he’ll love waking up to Conversation Heart Pancakes. If you don’t have a gift he’ll like, then making him breakfast or heart-shaped brownies just might save you.
Tiny Conversation Hearts Candy. These tasty and decorative brownies would be cute to take to work on Valentine’s Day for your co-workers to enjoy.
They are easy to make but, they do take some time to prepare especially, if you are making the brownies from scratch which, I recommend for ultimate great taste!
How to Make the Conversation Heart Chocolate Brownies
The full recipe is at the bottom of this post. Before you start, be sure to read the tips first!
Chocolate Brownies:
- First, preheat oven to 350F. I used the brownie recipe from my Peppermint Brownies except I omitted the chocolate chips (hard to cut into) and the peppermint extract from the icing.
- Next, in a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and vanilla extract. Add sugar and melted butter (instructions for how to melt butter in the microwave are listed in the recipe card notes section) and mix until blended.
- Then, add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until blended.
- Next, pour into a greased 13″x 9″x 3″ baking dish and bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
How to Make Buttercream Frosting:
- First, in a medium mixing bowl, add softened butter and mix until creamy (about one minute.)
- Next, add powdered sugar, and half and half creamer. Mix until smooth. If the frosting consistency is still hard, you may add a teaspoon more of half and half creamer.
- Then, divide the icing batch into thirds. First, add one drop of yellow food coloring to one-third of the icing to make yellow icing. Then, add one drop of red food coloring to one-third of icing to make pink icing.
- Finally, add one drop each of red and blue food coloring to make lavender icing.
Heart-shaped Brownie Assembly:
- After the brownies have cooled, using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, make imprints on brownies and cut them out with a sharp knife.
- Then, spread frosting over the top in a thin layer onto each brownie.
- Next, with a wet knife, gently smooth out the icing to make it flatter.
- Last, using red sparkle gel icing, very thinly write short phrases on top of the buttercream frosting.
- Next, split the icing into a batch of thirds to make three different colors: pastel yellow, lavender and pink. Then, put in one drop of yellow food coloring to make the yellow, one drop of red dye to make the pink and one each of red and blue to make the lavender.
- Use a separate bowl for the yellow so it doesn’t get mixed with the other colors. You can make the pastel blue if you choose just by adding a drop of blue food coloring to the white icing.
- Last, using red sparkle icing gel, write very thinly on the brownies in capital letters, per real conversation heart candy: LUV, BE MINE, CALL ME, TEXT ME, YOU ROCK, etc. You can personalize your own too.
Pictured below are the decorating items I used.
This would be a cute way to propose marriage or prom with a big “MARRY ME” or “Prom?” heart-shaped brownie in a pastry box with a big red bow!
Tips
- Make the pink icing first and then take it out of the bowl. Then add one-third of the white icing to the same bowl with one drop each red and blue food coloring to make the lavender icing. This eliminates washing a third bowl.
- To smooth out the top of the icing, after it has dried a bit, dip a knife into a small bowl of water and gently smooth out the icing so it will be flatter.
Conversation Heart Brownies
This Almond Sour Cream Pound Cake with Heart-Shaped Strawberries which is also heart-shaped, is perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Gift Ideas for Valentine’s Day
Here is a list of gift ideas, albeit some are traditional, to help you to decide:
- wrist watch, jewelry, perfume or cologne (most people like at least one of these)
- massage gift card or couples massage (who doesn’t like a massage?)
- a hand painted personalized painting of a heart with your names in it (I love this idea)
- promise cards- back rub, favorite homemade dinner, etc.
- nice dinner reservations (I personally like this one)
- fresh flowers of course (yep, I like this one too)
- heart-shaped box of chocolates (another winner for me)
- red lingerie, hot drawn bath and champagne (is my husband reading this?)
However you choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your spouse, lover or children, I hope you have a sweet Valentine’s Day!
Conversation Heart Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients
- Chocolate Brownies:
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 sticks of butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Buttercream Frosting:
- 1/2 stick of butter (softened)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbs half and half creamer (or more)
- red gel icing
- yellow (blue and red food coloring)
Instructions
Chocolate Brownies
- First, preheat oven to 350F.
- Next, In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and vanilla extract. Add sugar and melted butter and mix until blended.
- Then, add flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until blended.
- Then, pour into a greased 13"x 9"x 3" baking dish and bake at 350F for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Buttercream Frosting
- In a medium mixing bowl, add softened butter and mix until creamy (about one minute.) Add powdered sugar, and half and half creamer. Mix until smooth. If the frosting consistency is still hard, you may add a teaspoon more of half and half creamer.
- Next, divide the icing batch into thirds. Add one drop of yellow food coloring to one third of the icing to make yellow icing. Add one drop of red food coloring to one third of icing to make pink icing. Add one drop each of red and blue food coloring to make lavender icing.
Heart-Shaped Brownie Assembly:
- After the brownies have cooled,
- Using a heart-shaped cookie cutter, make imprints on brownies and cut them out with a sharp knife.
- Next, spread frosting over the top in a thin layer onto each brownie.
- Then, with a wet knife, gently smooth out the icing to make it flatter.
- Next, using red gel icing, very thinly write short phrases on top of the buttercream frosting
Notes
How to Melt Butter in the Microwave:
- Unwrap butter and place it in a microwave safe bowl, such as glass and NOT metal.
- Start by using full power for 30 seconds and keep adding 15 seconds until it's a little bubbly and almost totally melted.
- Stir the remaining thick butter and it'll melt.
Brownie Storage:
Because these brownies are spread with butter cream frosting, they should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.Did You Make This Recipe?
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Psst. Just a heads up, I have released the March 2017 Share and Inspire Others! -Chocolate – Anything Chocolate Recipe Exchange: Link: https://cookandenjoyrecipes.wordpress.com/2017/03/12/march-2017-share-and-inspire-others-chocolate-anything-chocolate/
You have as of this moment, up until March 20th, to share / repost the original post on your blog.
Thank you from the depth of my heart for your participation and wonderful recipes. Hope to see you again in April
Thanks. We enjoyed eating them.
They look so yummy!!