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Bake Up Something Special
Nothing warms a room quite like a warm oven. Make something special for birthdays, anniversaries, or an after-dinner snack with baking recipes sent right to your inbox.
Heat oven to 325°F (350°F for glass pan). Line a 9-inch square pan with foil, allowing some to extend over the edges of the pan. Grease bottom and sides of foil with shortening or cooking spray. Make and bake the brownies as directed on the box. Cool completely on a cooling rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
Place the pan in the freezer for 15 minutes. Using the foil to lift, remove the brownies from the pan, and peel away the foil. Place on a work surface. Cut into 15 triangles as follows: Using a sharp knife, cut 3 horizontal rows. Cut each row into 5 triangles, so each triangle has about a 2 1/2-inch wide base. (See link above for diagram.) Set aside end pieces for snacking.
Break off curved end of each candy cane; set aside curved pieces for another use. Insert the straight piece into the short end of each brownie triangle to make the tree trunks. Use a thin-bladed knife to make an opening if needed. Place them on a large lined cookie sheet.
In a small bowl, place frosting; stir in food color to desired color. Spoon the frosting into a small resealable food-storage plastic bag; partially seal the bag. Cut off a tiny bottom corner of the bag. Squeeze the bag to pipe frosting over the brownies. Sprinkle with decors. Store in a single layer in a covered container at room temperature.
For an easy, mess-free shortcut, leave mini candy canes in their wrappers, and use a sharp knife to cut off the straight ends for tree trunks. The wrappers help prevent splintering—just don’t forget to remove them before using!
To line the pan, flip it upside down and mold foil over the bottom and sides. Flip it back over, then place the foil inside for a perfect fit.
Short on time? Bake the brownie the day before. Once completely cooled, store covered at room temperature. When ready to assemble and decorate, freeze in pan 15 minutes, lift the brownie out of the pan, and continue with the recipe.
