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CHOCOLATE MOUSSE SQUARES

This recipe comes from cookbook author and San Francisco Chronicle food columnist Flo Braker. Braker is the author of The Simple Art of Perfect Baking and Sweet Miniatures.

Difficulty:
Yield: 3 dozen, 1 1⁄2 inch squares.
Working Time: 1.5 hours
This recipe contains: Eggs, Gluten, Dairy

Ingredients

Chocolate Shortbread
1 cup [152g] unsifted all-purpose flour

1/3 cup [66g] granulated sugar

1⁄4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons [90g] unsalted butter, at room temperature; cut into 6 pieces

1/3 cup [58g]  61% Lever du Soleil, melted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Mousse Filling
2/3 cup [224g] unsifted all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup [90g] Collection Etienne 61% Cacao Semisweet Chocolate Wafers, chopped

5 tablespoons [71g] unsalted butter

1 tablespoon water

1 cup [210g] packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze
2 tablespoons [28g] unsalted butter

4 ounces [113g] Collection Etienne 61%, chopped

1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions

Adjust rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Press a sheet of aluminum foil to cover outside the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square pan. Invert pan and gently press aluminum form into pan to fit contours; set aside.

Chocolate Shortbread Crust:
In a food processor bowl, briefly process the flour, sugar and salt to blend ingredients. Add the butter and pulse until butter seems to disappear into the flour mixture. Remove the lid and pour the melted chocolate over the mixture. Replace lid, process mixture while pouring the vanilla down the feed tube. Press into foil-lined pan, and bake for 15 minutes (crust will be set but not finished baking). Remove pan from oven, and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees F.

Moist Brownie Filling:
Sift flour and salt onto a piece of waxed paper; set aside. In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Off heat, stir in water. Pour mixture into large bowl and let cool about 5 minutes. Stir in sugar, then eggs and vanilla just until thoroughly blended. Add flour mixture, stirring in until well blended.

Pour filling into chocolate pastry-lined pan, spreading evenly. Bake 22 to 24 minutes or just until mixture appears set on top and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center and 2-inches from the edges of pan comes out with chocolate on it (don''t overbake). Place pan on a wire rack to cool before glazing. (Filling firms as it cools.)

Chocolate Glaze:
Place ingredients in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low heat; stir until ingredients are melted and glaze is smooth. Spread over cooled brownie filling. Set aside a few hours at cool room temperature until glaze is set. To retain the glaze''s vibrant appearance, do not refrigerate. To serve, lift foil by edges and remove from pan to a cutting board. Cut into squares with a long, sharp knife (clean the blade after each cut).