Brownies For A Crowd

This is one of my go to recipes that I've been making for a few years.  It is a large recipe for frosted brownies that you bake in a jelly roll pan.  Everyone raves about them!  

Brownies for a Crowd

Recipe from Real Mom Kitchen

• 8 eggs
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 cups of butter , melted (yes that is right 2 cups – remember these are for a crowd)
• 1 1/2 cups Hershey’s cocoa (that is what her recipe says and that is what I used)
• 4 cups sugar
• 4 tsp. vanilla
• 3 cups flour

1. Beat eggs with a mixer in a large bowl.  Then add sugar, salt, vanilla and beat for 1 minute.
2. Add melted butter and blend.  In another bowl, mix flour and cocoa with a whisk until well blended,
3. Add flour mixture to egg mixture and mix until well combined.
4. Spread onto a greased jelly roll pan (12 x 17) and bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  Cool for 15 minutes and spread with frosting.

Frosting

• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• milk

Blend powdered sugar, butter, and cocoa along with enough milk to make the frosting a spreadable consistency.  Spread over the brownies after they had cooled for 15 minutes.  Keep spreading as the frosting melts making it nice and even on the brownies.  Allow brownies to continue to cool.  Makes 30 good sized brownies.

Cannoli Cups

I found this recipe on Pinterest.  It's been repinned from my page over 350 times, so I figured now was a good time to try the recipe myself!  The cannoli filling is good, but I found it a tad grainy from the ricotta.  I might try a different filling with marscapone the next time I make them.  The wonton wrappers baked up nice and crispy and tasted great with the powdered sugar dusted on before filling.  

Cannoli Cups

Recipe from Gimme Some Oven

Yield: 30-35 cups

Ingredients

• 1 package (16 oz.) wonton wrappers
• 1 container (15 oz.) ricotta cheese
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/3 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 2 cups mini semisweet chocolate chips
• powdered sugar (for dusting)

Method

In a bowl, slowly whisk 1 cup of the milk into the cornstarch until smooth. Let sit about 20 minutes.

Transfer mixture into a sauce pan, and then add in the remaining milk and sugar. Heat on medium-low, stirring constantly until it is very thick and smooth (about 7-10 minutes). Remove from heat. Stir in the almond and vanilla extracts. Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the filling to avoid “skin”, and let cool until the mixture reaches room temperature.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then press 30-35 wonton wrappers (you can do this in multiple batches) into a mini baking cup pan to form the “cups”. (Be sure that the corners do not fold in after the pan sits for a minute!) Bake the cups for 10-15 minutes, or until the wrappers are golden brown. Remove and let cool.

After the milk mixture has reached room temperature, whisk in the ricotta and cinnamon until smooth. (You can also do this with an electric mixer on low.) Use a pastry bag to pipe the mixture into the baked wonton cups, or use a spoon to scoop it in. Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips, then dust with powdered sugar. Refrigerate, or serve immediately.