Brownie Tarts: A good thing

I made these for Valentine's day for my family. It was a recipe I found in "The Domestic Diva's Party Handbook". A gift from my mother, the original domestic Diva! Stop rolling your eyes mom!

I actually bought a pan at Target to make Valentine's treats. It was a molded mini cake pan that had 6 cavities about the size of a jumbo muffin. They had heart designs on the bottom of the cups that were supposed to come out molded on top of your little cakes. I then started to worry about if the design would actually come out? Would I find myself at midnight making extra batches because part of the design stuck to the pan. wah! Then Domestic Diva that I am.... I got out my little pink cookbook and ran across this wonderful recipe and took that pan right back to Target and exchanged it for a pretty lemon yellow bathroom rug! Random I know, but warm toes in my bathroom is such a happier thought than cake sticking in my pans at midnight.

***Boca kid trivia* New Carly expression: "what the random!")***

One less pan cluttering up my cupboards and I already have all the equipment I need to make these little "tarts" and they are so EASY and they look fabulous and they taste fabulous so fancy heart design mini cakes..... Bah humbug to you!

Oh and the filling tastes like the chocolate mousse I used to love at the Sizzler salad bar. I don't know if they still have it as I haven't been for a while.

******Random Jamie Trivia: I worked at "The sizzler" for 2 summers in between college. I once poured hot coffee on a patron and yes, I broke a few plates but I got good tips from the single marines! If they came in a pack, you were assured a fabulous tip and a few phone numbers. (I even dated one...) If they were on a date.... fuhgeddaboutit, you got Nuthin'!*****

So if you have a special occasion and want an easy, beautiful dessert or just a massive chocolate craving that can not be denied.... here you go. My family loved them. I want to experiment with white cake and vanilla pudding to see how they turn out.

Brownie Tarts

1 package chocolate fudge cake mix (I used a devil's food)

1/2 c buter, melted (I used margarine)

1 egg

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray mini muffin pans w/cooking spray. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Scoop batter into muffin cups until 2/3's full. ( The dough will be very dry and stiff. I actually rolled the dough into balls that seemed the right size to fill the pan 2/3's full and that worked well)

Bake 10-12 min or until the edges are set (10 min. worked for me) Remove pans from oven and press tops of brownies with a tart shaper or the plastic lid of a soda pop bottle to make indentations. Cool in pan 15 in. Gently remove from pan. Cups will be firm. Pipe or spoon filling into formed cups. Store tightly covered in fridge. Yield 36 tarts

Chocolate Mousse Filling:

1 small package instant chocolate pudding

1 Cup half and half

1 container (8 oz) cool whip, thawed

Mix pudding with half and half. Fold in whipped topping.

Best served when chilled. May decorate with a slice of fresh strawberry, a raspberry or chocolate sprinkles on top.

Jamie's tip: I made my tart shells a couple days ahead and froze them. I pulled them out on Saturday and piped in the filling and I topped them with hearts I had made from melting chocolate chips and putting them in a ziploc bag w/the edge snipped off and piping them onto a piece of waxed paper on a cookie sheet.