Elliot Styche is a singer and baker.
He appeared in this year’s Great Australian Bake Off. He is also a vocal coach and singing teacher.
On Monday, he made chocolate Christmas tree brownies with cream cheese frosting.
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Recipe below:
Christmas Tree Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Bring the holiday excitement to your table with these rich, fudgey brownies, perfectly topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. Decorate each “tree” to add a bit of festive fun!
Ingredients
Brownie Batter
• 300g brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 200g unsalted butter
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 125g plain flour
Cream Cheese Frosting
• 250g cream cheese, softened
• 90g unsalted butter, softened
• 110g icing sugar, sifted
• 1 tsp vanilla paste
• Green food colouring
Method
Step 1: Prepare the Brownies
- Preheat Oven ◦ Preheat your oven to 160°C fan (180°C conventional). Grease and line a square baking tin (roughly 20cm x 20cm) with parchment paper.
- Make the Batter ◦ In a stand mixer, beat the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract on high speed for about 5 minutes, or until the mixture is very light and fluffy. This creates a beautifully airy texture in the brownies.
- Melt Butter and Chocolate ◦ In a heatproof bowl over simmering water, melt the butter and dark chocolate together, stirring until smooth. Allow it to cool slightly, then gently fold it into the egg mixture.
- Incorporate the Flour ◦ Sift in the flour and fold gently until just combined, ensuring you don’t over-mix.
- Bake ◦ Pour the batter into your prepared tin, spreading it evenly. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the brownies to cool completely in the tin before slicing.
Step 2: Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat all the ingredients together • In a mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese, butter, sugar and Vanilla together until smooth and creamy, about 4–5 minutes on medium speed.
- Add Green Food Colouring • Add a few drops of green food colouring to the frosting, mixing until you reach your desired shade.
Step 3: Decorate the Christmas Trees
- Cut and Shape ◦ Once the brownies are completely cool, cut them into triangular “tree” shapes.
- Pipe the Frosting ◦ Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a small star or round tip. Pipe the frosting in zigzag patterns or swirls on each brownie tree. Top with sprinkles or edible decorations for ornaments.
- Enjoy! ◦ Serve these delightful Christmas Tree Brownies as a fun, festive dessert!
Elliot’s Tips
For Firmer Frosting: Chill the frosting for 10–15 minutes before piping for cleaner lines.
Don’t have a pipping bag or nozzle, don’t sweat it you can use a sandwich bag or old cereal packet with a cut in the corner and use as a pipping bag.