Baking Rolo Brownie Bites with Caramel Icing

Rolo Brownie Bites with Caramel Icing

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (18.5 oz. box) brownie mix (plus necessary eggs, oil & water per package instructions - or your favorite homemade recipe)
• 24 Rolo candies
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2-3 tablespoons caramel “sauce”
• 1 cup confectioners sugar

DIRECTIONS

• 1
  Remove all wrappers from the candies.
• 2
  Pre-heat oven to 325F.
• 3
  Prepare brownies according to package directions. Grease a mini-muffin tin with cooking spray and fill each cup approximately 3/4 full with batter. Bake for 12-15 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and immediately press a candy into the center of each brownie bite. (The top of the candy will protrude a bit from the brownie...it’s OK...you’ll cover it with icing.) Cool for a couple of minutes in the tin then carefully remove the brownie bites from the pan to a cooking rack. Allow to cool completely.
• 4
  To make the frosting, use the paddle attachment on a stand mixer and beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the caramel sauce* and blend. Add the confectioners sugar and whip until creamy and smooth. Using a pastry or plastic bag with a piping tip, pipe the frosting onto the top of each brownie bite. Chill in the refrigerator to set the frosting a bit before serving.
• 5
  *To make homemade caramel sauce, simple empty the contents of a small can of sweetened condensed milk into a saucepan. Stir constantly for 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat. (Do not let it scorch.) The milk will begin to deepen in color and thicken. Remove from heat when the caramel will thickly adhere to the back of your mixing spoon. The longer you cook it, the harder it will become when it cools until it is difficult to work with. To thin it, add a small splash of milk and mix well.