These Fudgy Heart-Shaped Brownies are a decadent and visually appealing treat, perfect for Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, or any occasion that calls for a touch of love.
Featuring a rich, fudgy brownie base and a luscious chocolate ganache drizzle or coating, these brownies are sure to impress. The recipe includes a special technique for a shiny top crust and detailed instructions for cutting perfect heart shapes.
❤️ Why You’ll Love These Brownies
• Irresistibly Fudgy: These brownies boast an ultra-fudgy texture that melts in your mouth, a hallmark of a truly great brownie.
• Beautifully Presented: Cut into charming heart shapes and finished with a glossy chocolate ganache, they are as lovely to look at as they are to eat.
• Shiny Top Crust: A unique technique ensures a beautiful, crackly, and shiny top crust, a sign of a perfectly baked brownie.
• Rich Chocolate Flavor: Enhanced with Dutch-process cocoa, chocolate chips, and espresso powder, delivering a deep and complex chocolate experience.
• Versatile Ganache: Choose between a delicate ganache drizzle or a luxurious full coating to customize your brownies.
🛠 Tools You’ll Need
• 9″ x 13″ Baking Pan (for baking the brownie slab)
• Parchment Paper (for lining the pan and easy removal)
• Medium Microwave-Safe Bowls (for melting butter and ganache)
• Whisk (for mixing ingredients)
• Spatula or Turner (for loosening and spreading)
• 2″ Heart Cutter (for shaping the brownies)
• Wire Rack (for cooling and ganache application)
• Measuring cups and spoons
🍫 Key Ingredients
For the Fudgy Brownies
• Unsalted Butter – Cold, adds richness and enhances the fudgy texture
• Granulated Sugar – Sweetens and helps create the shiny top crust
• Dutch-Process Cocoa – Provides a deep, dark chocolate flavor
• Table Salt – Balances sweetness and boosts chocolate flavor
• Baking Powder – Adds slight lift
• King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract – Enhances aroma and flavor
• Large Eggs – Bind ingredients and add richness
• King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour – Provides structure
• Chocolate Chips – Create melty pockets of chocolate
• Espresso Powder – Intensifies chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee
For the Ganache Drizzle or Coating
• Chocolate Chips – Base of the rich ganache
• Heavy Cream – Creates a smooth, creamy texture
• Light Corn Syrup – Adds shine and prevents crystallization
💖 How to Make Fudgy Heart-Shaped Brownies
1. Prepare Pan & Preheat Oven: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9″ x 13″ pan. Line with parchment, leaving overhang, and grease parchment for easy removal.
2. Prepare Brownie Base: Melt cold unsalted butter in a microwave-safe bowl or saucepan. Stir in granulated sugar, then return to heat briefly until hot (110–120°F) and shiny, stirring constantly. This step is essential for the shiny top crust.
3. Add Dry Ingredients (Except Flour): Stir in Dutch-process cocoa, salt, and baking powder until smooth.
4. Add Wet & Remaining Dry: Whisk in eggs until glossy. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and espresso powder just until combined. Do not overmix.
5. Bake Brownies: Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake 28–30 minutes, until edges are set and a tester shows moist crumbs.
6. Cool Brownies: Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Loosen edges, invert onto parchment, peel off backing, and let cool completely.
7. Cut Heart Shapes: Use a 2″ heart cutter to cut approximately three dozen hearts. Place on a wire rack set over parchment.
8. Prepare Ganache: Heat chocolate chips, heavy cream, and corn syrup until cream is hot. Stir until smooth. Choose drizzle or coating amount.
9. Drizzle or Coat: Drizzle ganache over hearts or coat fully. Allow ganache to set before serving.
💡 Tips for Success
• Shiny Crust Secret: Reheating butter and sugar until hot dissolves more sugar
• Don’t Overbake: Remove while center is slightly moist
• Cool Completely: Essential for clean heart shapes
• Proper Pan Prep: Greasing + parchment prevents sticking
• Quality Ingredients Matter: Dutch cocoa and pure vanilla elevate flavor
• Ganache Control: Add warm cream to thin or cool slightly to thicken
🆘 Brownie Troubleshooting Guide
Problem: Brownies are cakey
• Cause: Overmixing, too much flour, or overbaking
• Solution: Mix gently, measure flour correctly, don’t overbake
Problem: Dry or crumbly brownies
• Cause: Overbaking or excess flour
• Solution: Shorten bake time; spoon & level flour
Problem: Ganache too thin or thick
• Cause: Ratio or temperature imbalance
• Solution: Cool to thicken or add small amount of warm cream
Problem: Hearts won’t cut cleanly
• Cause: Brownies still warm or cutter dirty
• Solution: Cool fully and clean cutter between cuts
👩🍳 Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead: Bake brownies a day early; reheat ganache gently
• Freezer Friendly: Freeze undecorated hearts up to 3 months
• Flavor Variations: Try almond, peppermint extract, or chili powder
• Gifting: Perfect homemade Valentine’s gift
• Presentation: Dust with powdered sugar or edible glitter
☕ Perfect Pairings
• Espresso or strong coffee
• Red wine (Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot)
• Raspberry sorbet
• Vanilla bean ice cream
• Cold milk
📦 How to Store
• Room Temperature: Undecorated brownies, airtight, 3–4 days
• Refrigerator: Ganache-coated brownies, airtight, up to 1 week
• Freezer: Undecorated hearts, airtight, up to 3 months
🍰 More Recipes You’ll Love
- 🎃 Pumpkin Pudding Cookies Soft, Spiced & Ready in 30 Minutes!
- Valentine’s Day Brownies ❤️🍫 Ultra Fudgy Chocolate Brownies with M&M’s
- 🍪 Ultra-Soft Cinnamon Cream Cheese Cookies
- 🎀 Soft Sour Cream Cookies with Pink Frosting
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Fudgy Heart-Shaped Brownies with Chocolate Ganache – Perfect Valentine’s Day Dessert
Description
Decadent, fudgy heart-shaped brownies with a shiny top crust, finished with rich chocolate ganache. Perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
Brownies
Ganache Drizzle (lesser amount)
Ganache Coating (greater amount)
Instructions
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Preheat the Oven and Prepare the Pan
Set the oven to 350°F (177°C). Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to make removal easier. Grease the parchment paper as well.
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Melt Butter and Heat with Sugar
Place the cold unsalted butter in a microwave-safe bowl or saucepan and melt completely. Stir in the granulated sugar, then return the mixture to the heat briefly, stirring continuously, until it becomes hot, glossy, and reaches about 110–120°F. This step helps create a shiny, crackly top.
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Incorporate Cocoa and Leavening
Stir the Dutch-process cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder into the hot butter and sugar mixture until smooth and fully combined.
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Add Eggs and Remaining Ingredients
Whisk in the eggs until the batter looks thick and glossy. Add the flour, chocolate chips, and espresso powder, stirring just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing.
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Bake the Brownies
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 28–30 minutes, until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.
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Cool Completely
Place the pan on a wire rack and let the brownies cool for about 20 minutes. Loosen the edges, carefully invert onto parchment paper, peel away the backing, and allow the slab to cool completely.
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Cut Heart Shapes
Using a 2-inch heart-shaped cutter, cut the brownies into hearts. Place them on a wire rack set over parchment paper.
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Prepare the Ganache
Combine the chocolate chips, heavy cream, and light corn syrup in a bowl. Heat until the cream is hot, then stir until the mixture becomes smooth and glossy.
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Decorate the Brownies
Drizzle the ganache over the brownie hearts or coat them completely, depending on your preference. Allow the ganache to set before serving.