red wine brownie hearts + a GALentine’s day video

February 13, 2014

red wine brownie hearts

Valentine’s Day seems to be a polarizing holiday; a love or loathe type of situation that makes people cringe in disgust or happily don headbands with bobbing red glitter heart antennae attached. This year it is just a straight-up polar-vortexing holiday which is neither here nor there and that was just me trying to get in all my vortex jokes while I am able.

I suppose I fall somewhere in the middle and my usual route is the “how many conversation hearts I can consume today” approach. But regardless of your stance on Valentine’s Day, it is easy to get behind Galentine’s Day. Galentine’s Day is all about celebrating lady friends, your group of gal pals, or your BBF that you’ve known for 100-years. Literally. (Just had a thought – and maybe this needs some workshopping – but is the dude equivalent “Pal”-entine’s Day?)

galentines day on BMUB6

I celebrated Galentine’s Day a bit early this year (I mean honestly, every day can be Galentine’s Day!) so that I could share this little video with y’all. It is a celebration of lady friend love, booze, crafts, glitter and red wine brownies.

Are you ready for a boozy red wine brownie yet?

galentines day on BMUB2

This video was made by the incredible Mackenzie Smith of mackannecheese.com and who you may remember from the Holiday Baking Elf Special: How to Spritz-up Your Holiday Baking with a Cookie Press. She not only knows her way around the kitchen as well as behind the camera, but is a lady friend extraordinaire and someone I’d drink wine out of a measuring cup with anytime.

Pick up a heart-shaped cookie cutter, some heart-shaped sprinkles, a bottle of red wine, and your most favorite friends. Happy Galentine’s Day (and Valentine’s Day) y’all. xo!

Red Wine Brownie Hearts
Makes 2-3 dozen hearts

Adapted from this recipe; spruced up for Galentine’s Day

For the brownies:
8 ounces (250 grams) semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup (2 sticks or 225 grams) butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup (120 ml) red wine
4 eggs
1 cup (200 grams) brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (125 grams) flour
1/2 cup (50 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon salt

For the glaze:
2 cups (200 grams) powdered sugar
1/3 cup (35 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (120 ml) red wine
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Make the brownies: Preheat the oven to 350. Butter a 9×13 pan and line with two sheets of parchment paper, then butter the parchment. Set aside.

Melt the chocolate and the butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted and smooth.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, sugars and vanilla. Whisk in the chocolate mixture and then the wine. Add the flour, cocoa powder and salt and stir until the batter is smooth and has thickened slightly.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until a tester comes out mostly clean with just a few crumbs attached. You may need to bake the brownies for a few minutes more, but set your timer for 20 minutes and then hang out in your kitchen for the last few minutes of baking time just to make sure they don’t over bake. An underbaked brownie is better than an overbaked one. Remove from the pan and let cool completely. Use a small heart-shaped cookie cutter to stamp out heart-shaped brownies. Save the scraps!

Make the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa and salt. Add wine, cream and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Dip the tops of each brownie in the glaze and decorate with heart shaped sprinkles.

Make brownie balls: Use your fingers to break up the remaining scraps into fine crumbs. Throughly mix in a tablespoon or so of glaze to help the crumbs stick together. Roll into small balls, and then roll into colored sanding sugar. Garnish with one tiny heart sprinkle, if so desired.

 

galentines day on BMUB3

P.S. A HUGE thank you to Mackenzie Smith for putting this video together but a huge shout also goes out to Josie who took amazing notes and for her internet screen debut, to Jason (of Cowboy) who wrote and performed the music, to Jonny for his work on sound and for everything generally in life, to Bonnie for hosting, and to my Brooklyn lady friend posse whom I love and who needed very little convincing to hang out with a camera, drink wine and craft with the world’s largest container of glitter. Hugs to all!

galentines day on BMUB

{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }

Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar February 13, 2014 at 6:02 pm

These look fabulous! I love the red wine in there!

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Theresa Geary February 13, 2014 at 8:13 pm

Looks like the perfect treat – who doesn’t love heart shaped brownies???

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Cate @ Chez CateyLou February 13, 2014 at 9:29 pm

Galentine’s Day is such a cute idea!!! And red wine in brownies, shaped like a heart?! I’m in love!

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Mari @ Oh, Sweet & Savory February 14, 2014 at 1:04 pm

*Love* the notion of Galentine’s Day! Wine & chocolate: what could be better? I hope you have a sweet day!

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Emily February 14, 2014 at 2:32 pm

Mack strikes again! Love this. And those brownies look SO good! Happy Galentines Day!

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Kier February 16, 2014 at 10:17 am

Oh my, these look absolutely delicious! And perfect timing, I am hosting a ladies wine night tonight and will make sure to have these to cap off the evening.

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sofia February 18, 2014 at 10:53 pm

what a lovely video! and i must say, i am now the friend of my group who brings the red wine brownies to gatherings and they are the most loved dessert 😀

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CheenaChatti May 5, 2014 at 4:23 pm

Thats an amazing and vibrant click. I love your presentation and writing style. First time in your kitchen and I really enjoyed this webspace.

See you sometime at CheenaChatti.

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Syde June 20, 2021 at 11:52 pm

Thank you so much for sharing this wine recipe, it so useful for me for make this cake next week.

Thank you! XO

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