Hocus Pocus Spellbook Brownies
When I first saw these Hocus Pocus Spellbook Brownies, I had no clue what the name even meant! All I knew was that I had to make them! They are so odd looking, yet so deliciously appetizing. After a quick search, I discovered that this “book” is an evil magic book owned and used by the Sanderson Sisters to create potions and cast spells! The book plays a major antoagonistic role in the 1993 move Hocus Pocus. So now that you know, don’t you want to make them??? They are the perfect treat for Halloween, and anyone a bit younger than me should know what this is!
This scary little treat is brownie encased in rich chocolate and then decorated to look like a book with an eye on the front of it.
The brownie is dense and not terribly thick…all the better to look like a book.
The key to dipping the brownies in the thick chocolate is to freeze them first. The recipe says a minimum of 15 minutes but I actually froze them for days due to my hectic schedule. Dipping them when they were that firm made the process very easy. The brownies didn’t fall apart when dipped, and that’s a good thing!
Once the chocolate is melted, let it cool down just a bit and then use a fork (or a chocolate fork if you have one) to toss the brownie around the chocolate, covering the brownie completely. Let the excess drip off. You can also use a small offset spatula to remove some of the excess chocolate.
Let the dipped brownies sit in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm up prior to decorating them. While they are in the freezer, make the decorating icing. Combine the icing sugar, activated charcoal or black dye and water and blend until the color is consitent throughout. If you have a piping bag, use that with a small round tip or just put the icing into a small baggy and cut a very small bit off one of the corners. Don’t cut it too large or you won’t be able to control the flow of icing.
Dab a bit of icing under each eye and attach an eye to each brownie and then continue to decorate as desired!
Boo!
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Hocus Pocus Spellbook Brownies
Makes: 9 brownies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp instant coffee granules
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
- 16 ounces semi-sweet or milk chocolate, chopped
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tsp activated charcoal or black food dye
- large candy eyes, for decorating
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8 inch baking dish with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, sugar, vanilla, and eggs until combined. Add the cocoa powder, flour, and coffee and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips, if using. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the brownies are just set. Let cool and then cut into 9 bars. Freeze for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a microwave safe bowl, combine the chocolate and coconut oil. Microwave on high for 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted. Let cool 10 minutes. Dip each frozen brownie into the melted chocolate, using a fork to toss the brownie in the chocolate to coat. Remove and allow any excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Repeat with the remaining brownies. Freeze for 10 minutes.
In a small bowl, mix together the powdered sugar, black dye (or charcoal), and 1 tablespoon water until combined, adding water if needed to thin. Add the frosting to a ziplock bag and snip a small portion of the corner off the bag. Remove the brownies from the freezer. Add a dot of frosting to each brownie and attach a candy eye. Decorate the spell books as desired. Let the frosting dry and then serve, or keep in and airtight container in a cool place for up to 4 days.
Recipe from Half Baked Harvest and inspired by Delish
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