Trifles.....

Rolo Brownie Trifles

via gastro girl

And so, just pretend that you each have one of these in front of you right now.

To make these bad boys, I mixed up some brownies, then quartered two whole rolls of Rolos candies…

…and sprinkled them all over the brownie batter. Obviously.

You’ll also chop 3 more rolls of Rolos to use in the trifles.

The brownies bake for about 35 minutes, so I made some salted caramel sauce (if you prefer unsalted, just omit the salt from the recipe below) while they were baking. By making the sauce while they baked, I was able to let the brownies and the caramel cool at the same time, so that they were ready to use together. All I had to do once they were ready was chop the brownies into bite sized pieces, and make some sweet chocolate whipped cream.

Now for assembly…first, layer whatever container you’re using with some of the whipped cream.

Next, throw in enough brownie pieces to cover the cream, then top those with some of the chopped Rolos.

Finally, drizzle in some caramel sauce, and repeat the whole process over and over again, until you’ve filled the container. You can make these mini, like I’ve done, and get four trifles, or you can layer everything in a full sized trifle bowl for one large trifle. I prefer individual desserts, but it’s just as delicious either way.

To top these off, I covered each with a dollop of the whipped cream, a few extra Rolo bits, and plenty of caramel sauce. Then, I added a whole Rolo on top, for good measure. :)

These probably look and sound complicated, but the brownies are pretty much the easiest recipe ever, the caramel sauce only takes about 15 minutes to make, and the whipped cream is easy peasy. If you still think it’s too much work standing between you and gooey, chocolaty goodness, though, just use store bought or boxed treats. Enjoy!

Rolo Brownie Trifles

with Caramel Sauce & Chocolate Whipped Cream

Makes 1 large trifle, or 4 minis

Ingredients

FOR THE BROWNIES

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 rolls of Rolos Candies (about 18 candies), quartered, plus 2 1/2 more rolls, chopped (leaving one whole Rolo per trifle for garnish.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour and 8 x 8 inch glass baking dish; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Once melted, remove from heat and whisk in the sugar until combined.

Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.

Whisk in the dry ingredients until combined and pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Evenly distribute the Rolos over the top of the batter.

Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs clinging to it. Allow brownies to cool completely before serving or cutting into bite sized pieces.

FOR THE CARAMEL

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon corn syrup (or agave syrup)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, crushed (optional, but I do recommend at least 1/2 teaspoon for more depth)

Place the sugar, water, and corn syrup in a small saucepan, stirring to combine. Without stirring, bring to a boil over high heat, swirling the ingredients in the pan occasionally. Continue boiling until the mixture reaches an amber color. Remove from heat and very carefully (the mixture will quickly expand and sputter) add the cream in a slow steady stream, being sure to stir constantly. Once combined, add the salt and butter and continue stirring until both are completely melted and combined. Cool to room temperature before using.

FOR THE WHIPPED CREAM

2 cups heavy cream
2 to 4 tablespoons (25 to 50 grams) sugar (I prefer 3 tablespoons)
1 heaping tablespoon cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large bowl, or the bowl of a standing mixer, whip the heavy cream and cocoa powder on medium high speed until it starts to thicken. Reduce speed to low and sprinkle the sugar into the cream. Turn mixer to high and continue whipping until firm peaks form. Stir in vanilla. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble trifles: Layer the bottom of your trifle dish with whipped cream, cover with a layer of bite sized brownie pieces and some chopped Rolos, drizzle with caramel, and repeat until the bowl is filled and you’ve used all of your ingredients. Garnish with chopped Rolos, more caramel, and whole Rolos on top.

                       trying to get myself together for a regular blog post, with lots of new news.....