Brownie Bites with French Vanilla Dipping Sauce
Fondue is making a comeback…starting with dessert! These Brownie Bites with French Vanilla Dipping Sauce are a fun and tasty treat!
Here’s my bold prediction of the day: fondue is going to make a comeback! Fondue is a classic style of cooking, although it’s earned the reputation of being a bit ‘old-fashioned’ now. It came into popularity here in America in the 1960’s, and while it’s still around, fondue just doesn’t have the same popularity as it once did. But it’s fun! It actively involves you in the cooking process, and it encourages dinner conversation. Fondue needs to make a comeback!
Back when my wife and I first moved in together, we had a house that looked like it suffered from a personality disorder. My apartment was full of leather-bound books, and it smelled of rich mahogany. Her apartment was chic and modern. I had the worn black leather couch, and she had the new bright red couch. We combined these two styles together in our first house. Actually, we combined these two styles together in the same room. I kid you not. But it worked. We were both in grad school back then, and we just figured out how to make it work…mismatched furniture and all.
On one of our first nights in that house, I went digging around in the boxes and pulled out my fondue pot. (Yes, I do actually have a fondue pot.) I wanted to make us a nice dinner by the fireplace. Problem was we didn’t have a dining room table by the fireplace. (We actually had two dining room tables, but neither one was by the fireplace.) So I set up the card table right in the middle of the living room. And you know what? We had an awesome fondue dinner! We still laugh about that time we pulled out the card table for a 3-course meal around the fondue pot.
Here’s the thing about fondue. Each course is unique and tantalizingly delicious. Start with the bread and cheese. I mean, how can you go wrong with bread and veggies dipped in a hot cheese sauce? That’s how you start the night off right! Move on to second course and various meats cooked in a classic red wine sauce. But it all builds to dessert. It all builds to that pot of melted chocolate surrounded by an array of delicious fruits and other tasty bite-sized treats. It all builds to these Brownie Bites with French Vanilla Dipping Sauce!
The other night, my wife and I were reminiscing about those days in Atlanta, and we decided to whip up a chocolate dipping sauce for a fun dessert. We didn’t go all out with the 3-course fondue meal. Nope, we just skipped straight to the dessert. I baked up a batch of brownies, and we pulled out some pears, apples and bananas from our fruit bowl. For the dipping sauce, I went with white chocolate, and I added some International Delight Fat Free & Sugar Free French Vanilla creamer. The result was an amazing french vanilla dipping sauce that we could have eaten with a spoon!
As delicious as the brownie bites were dipped into that creamy french vanilla sauce, our favorite was actually the sliced bananas. I knew pears and chocolate would go well together, and of course the brownie bites worked great…but bananas and white chocolate? Yup, it works! Not only does it work, it’s delicious. We totally stumbled on a new favorite dessert. Fondue is making a comeback, guys…just watch!
What is your favorite fondue course? What’s your favorite dipper when it comes to dessert fondue?
Brownie Bites with French Vanilla Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
For the Brownies
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate coarsely chopped
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp brewed espresso or very strong coffee
- ½ tsp salt
For the French Vanilla Dipping Sauce
- 1⅓ cups white chocolate, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup International Delight Fat Free & Sugar Free French Vanilla creamer
- pinch of cinnamon optional garnish
Other Dipping Ideas
- sliced bananas
- sliced pears
- sliced apples
- marshmallows
- cubed pound cake
Instructions
For the Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line an 8”x8” baking pan with parchment paper so that the paper hangs over two of the edges by a couple of inches. Set pan aside.
- Prepare the Brownies by placing the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan. Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally until fully melted. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Using a medium bowl, whisk together the white sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until well combined. Add the melted chocolate and butter; stir until well combined.
- Add the flour, brewed espresso and salt; stir until just combined. (Tip: Take care not to overmix the batter.)
- Transfer the batter into the prepared brownie pan. Spread the batter evenly.
- Bake at 350°F for 33-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the brownies comes out mostly clean.
- Allow brownies to cool in pan. Lift the cooled brownies out of the pan and cut into 1” squares.
For the White Chocolate Ganache
- Place finely chopped chocolate and creamer in a small heatproof bowl. Set bowl over a saucepan filled with 1-2” of simmering hot water, making sure that bottom of bowl does not touch the water. Heat, stirring frequently, until chocolate has fully melted and sauce is smooth. (Note: The chocolate will clump up a bit as it melts, but just keep stirring over low heat. It will gradually turn into a smooth, creamy sauce!)
- Serve with brownie bites and other dippers.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of International Delight. The opinions and text are all mine.
Oh my! That sauce!!!
I love fondue and I really hope it is making a comeback. I have fond memories of my parents having dinner parties in the 80s/early 90s and there was always a fondue involved.
Me, too, Dannii! I need fondue to make a comeback. I already hear about these fondue parties of the past, but it doesn’t seem to be too popular right now. I say we start the movement. Right here, right now. Let’s bring back fondue…starting with this dipping sauce! 🙂
Fondue is on come back mode indeed!! I can just drink that sauce…french vanilla is such a great idea. Oh I am trying to picture the red chic couch and the manly black leather couch in the same room. Hmmmmmm!
Hahaha! Yeah, that room was a hot mess of clashing furniture styles. But that’s what grad school is all about…just figuring out how to make it work. Kinda like the cardboard table subbing as a dining room table so that we could eat by the fireplace! (Granted, Atlanta winters were just not that cold now that we have experienced winters here in upstate NY…but still!)
LOVE brownies brother, and the fact that you put espresso in them makes this for me. #WolfpackSnacks!
Yes! Brownies are one of my ultimate dessert weaknesses, too, Kevin. I’m pretty sure I could eat the entire pan if I was actually allowed to…haha!
Those brownies bites look SO yummy! And you even made a delicious dipping sauce for them, how awesome! Btw, that french vanilla cream is my fav!! 🙂
Haha…thanks, Christina! I mean, brownies are good enough by themselves for sure. But then add in some fresh fruit and a French Vanilla dipping sauce…and you’ve got an instant party! 🙂
Please tell me Fondue is making a come back…Apparently Blood Oranges are the new ‘thing’ but I’ll take this over it.
My friend from Upstate NY actually for a going away present booked a dinner with a group of us at a Fondue place called the Melting Pot (I think?) in Syracuse maybe? The night we went to go, they were closed for a quick renovation because my mate forgot to book. We had to go to Pizza Bros. I hate pizza bros because of it.
I’ve noticed that blood oranges are pretty trendy lately. I’ll have to get some and play with around a bit (if I can ever find blood oranges in upstate New York that is!).
Hahaha…that’s the best (and worst) fondue story ever, Arman. It was indeed the Melting Pot you were thinking of. It’s an ok place with a fun atmosphere, but the food is just average. It’s still a chain restaurant. I say make the fondue courses at home instead! Maybe we can invent a vegemite fondue. (I think I just grossed myself out a bit there…)
I had no idea fondue wasn’t popular anymore? I had it at max brenner New York last year , oh my god that was so delicious! This looks delicious, white chocolate is such a nice touch! 🙂
Don’t get my wrong, Manali! I think fondue is still pretty awesome. But back in the 1970’s, it was all the rage. My understanding is that folks would host fondue parties in their homes all the time. That’s what I want to bring back! It’s such a fun style of cooking…and it encourages awesome conversations. 🙂
I love fondue of any kind. This looks delicious. It’s so fun to dip your food! Brings out the kid in me!
I totally agree, Kathy! Fondue is kinda like a kid’s food. But you can totally make fondue sophisticated and fun at the same time, too. When we were in Belgium last year, we had a blue cheese fondue that was totally awesome. You have to use the right kind of blue cheese as it could get overwhelming, though…and now that makes me want to try to recreate something like that. We’ve got the dessert course covered with this french vanilla-white chocolate fondue….time to work on the cheese course! 🙂
I would never have thought to add coffee creamer into a white chocolate and cinnamon fondue dip! David – that’s brilliant on so many levels – and yeah – bananas with any sort of chocolate is fabulous! Have y’all ever had frozen sliced bananas sandwiched together with peanut butter and covered in melted white or dark or milk chocolate? Fabulous – only thing better I can think of is this fondue!
Y’alls trip down memory lane got me reminiscing too -my ex husband and I are working on reconciling -not shared that on my blog yet, but, our third date many years ago was at The Melting Pot – while it wasn’t the best food – just the dunking and dipping and talking was just so much fun – so heck yeah to bringing fondue back!
So no…I have not had frozen bananas + peanut butter covered in melted chocolate. Clearly the next question here is why not? That sounds amazing! Laura has become fond of making a peanut butter banana smoothie and she was saying she wants to add cocoa powder in next time. Sounds kinda close! So excited (I think?) for the news about you and your ex-husband. I’ll keep my lips sealed but I’ll be watching for more updates there (hopefully good ones!). I agree with you about Melting Pot. The experience is the best part! Let’s bring fondue back! We’ll host a fondue party at our house tomorrow night…you in? 😉
I have a fondue pot too. And vintage dipping forks. And a vintage fondue apron and cookbook my grandmother gave me from the 60’s. I knew we could be friends.
#fondueforlife
Of course you have a vintage fondue pot. How did I know that? Because you are pretty much my alter ego. I pretty much want everything vintage ever! (Well, I don’t want to look like a thrift store, though…haha.) Glad we are friends. You coming up for fondue tomorrow night??
OMG I realy want to have a fondue party now! My favorite part is the cheese and bread. I like the bananas and chocolate too. How clever of you to use coffee creamer!
Yes! Let’s start a fondue come-back, Rachelle! You make the cheese fondue, and I’ll take care of the chocolate one! 🙂
The creamer sounds like it gives the chocolate the perfect kick! Delicious 🙂
It definitely was a fun twist on this chocolate fondue, Medha! I love French Vanilla, so it was a fun way to pack a serious French Vanilla flavor into the dipping sauce. 🙂