Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream Brownie Bites

So, I love, love, love chocolate covered strawberries (I mean they’re fruit, so they’re healthy, right?!), and with the passing of Valentine’s Day, it got me to thinking about how I could create a dessert with the flavor of my favorite treat. I found this chewy brownie recipe over at Good Life Eats, and have been holding onto it for quite a while, just waiting for inspiration to strike. Well, it did, so here is my recipe for Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream Brownie Bites.

So good! When you combine the crunchy chocolate shell, with the creamy, cold interior of the strawberry jam and ice cream, it tastes just like a chocolate covered strawberry. Seriously. I dare you to try it for yourself.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Ice Cream Brownie Bites

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Ingredients:

For the Brownies:
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa, plus more for pan
2 eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup flour
pinch of kosher salt

For the Ice Cream Bites:
1 quart strawberry ice cream, slightly softened
1/3 cup seedless strawberry jam
2 pounds chocolate chips
2 teaspoons oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a quarter sheet pan (a small jelly roll pan), or a 13x9inch pan. Place a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom, spread with butter, and dust with cocoa powder. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter, sugar, and 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder. When the mixture is creamy, and all lumps are gone, add in eggs, one at a time, incorporating well after each addition. Add in vanilla.

With the mixer on low, add in flour and salt. Mix until just combined. Spread into prepared pan and bake until shiny on the top, 10-15 minutes*. Remove from oven, and allow to cool completely.

*(Mine took 20 minutes to bake)

Remove brownie from the pan, and cut in half. Spread strawberry preserves on one half and freeze for 30 minutes to set. It is easier to spread the ice cream over the preserves when it has set up a bit.

Remove from freezer and place ice cream on one half, over the preserves, and top with the other half. Freeze for 2-4 hours, until firm.

Cut the large ice cream sandwich into smaller bites (I was able to get about 12 servings), and freeze for another hour.

Melt the chocolate chips with the oil in the microwave in 30 second intervals (mine took about 2 minutes total), until chocolate is smooth. Dip each ice cream bite into the chocolate, and let set on a sheet of parchment paper. Wrap each bite in parchment paper and freeze until ready to serve.

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