Description
Delight in these rich and decadent Pistachio Brownie Bites featuring a luscious pistachio kataifi filling and smooth chocolate ganache topping. Perfectly bite-sized, these treats combine fudgy brownies with crunchy kataifi pastry and creamy pistachio accents to satisfy any chocolate and nut lover’s cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Brownie Bites:
- 8 tablespoon (113 g) unsalted butter cold from the fridge
- 3 tablespoon neutral oil (vegetable, canola, avocado, or light olive oil)
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (66 g) brown sugar packed
- ½ cup (50 g) dutch process cocoa powder (or unsweetened natural cocoa powder)
- ½ cup (100 g) dark chocolate chopped (semi-sweet chocolate chips work too)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ⅔ cup (80 g) all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Pistachio Kataifi Filling:
- 100 g shredded kataifi dough cut into pieces
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 120 g pistachio cream
- 1 tablespoon tahini
- pinch of salt
Chocolate Ganache:
- 100 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 100 g heavy whipping cream
Topping:
- pistachio cream
- crushed pistachios
Instructions
- Prep Oven and Pan: Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease a 24-cup mini muffin pan with melted butter or baking spray to prevent sticking.
- Melt Butter and Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the cold butter. Remove from heat and stir in neutral oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, dutch process cocoa powder, and chopped dark chocolate.
- Heat and Stir Chocolate Mixture: Return saucepan to medium heat. Stir continuously until the mixture is smooth, clump-free, and the chocolate has fully melted without burning, about a couple of minutes.
- Cool Mixture: Remove from heat and let the chocolate mixture cool for 5-7 minutes.
- Add Eggs: Add the room temperature eggs and whisk vigorously for 1-2 minutes until the batter becomes smooth and glossy, even if it initially looks separated.
- Add Flour and Salt: Fold in the all-purpose flour and salt using a spatula just until fully combined without overmixing.
- Fill Muffin Wells: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, fill each muffin well about ⅔ to ¾ full with batter, filling all 24 wells.
- Bake Brownie Bites: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, checking at 12 minutes if your oven runs hot. The brownie tops should rise and appear glossy and crinkly but not dry or overbaked.
- Create Wells in Brownies: Let the brownie bites cool for 15 minutes. Press down the centers of each brownie slightly with the back of a measuring spoon to form wells. Then cool them completely.
- Remove Brownies from Pan: Twist each brownie gently in the pan then lift out carefully with a butter knife to avoid sticking and breakage.
- Prepare Kataifi Filling: Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Melt butter then add shredded kataifi dough, stirring continuously for 10-15 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Remove from heat.
- Mix Kataifi Filling: In a bowl, combine the crispy kataifi dough with pistachio cream, tahini, and a pinch of salt. Stir well and set aside.
- Make Chocolate Ganache: Place chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Heat heavy cream until it simmers (do not boil) and pour over the chocolate. Let sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
- Heat Pistachio Cream: Microwave a few tablespoons of pistachio cream briefly to loosen it for easy drizzling.
- Assemble Brownie Bites: Spoon pistachio kataifi filling into each brownie well, then top with a spoonful of chocolate ganache. Let ganache thicken if too runny before proceeding.
- Finish with Toppings: Drizzle warmed pistachio cream over the ganache and sprinkle with crushed pistachios for garnish. Serve immediately or store cooled.
Notes
- Vanilla Extract: Optional 1 teaspoon if desired, but chocolate flavor dominates so it’s not necessary.
- Espresso Powder: Add ¼ teaspoon to enhance chocolate depth or 1 teaspoon for noticeable espresso flavor.
- Neutral Oil: Use any neutral-flavored oil like vegetable, canola, avocado, or light olive oil.
- Do not overbake brownie bites to keep them fudgy; start checking at 12 minutes.
- Twisting brownies before removing from pan helps prevent sticking and breakage.
- The kataifi dough requires constant stirring to avoid burning and to achieve even crispiness.
- Let ganache thicken before topping brownies to avoid it running down the sides.
