Spelt Brownie Christmas Trees

 

 

 

These spelt brownie Christmas trees are so simple to make.

They are fudgy, chocolatey and irresistible. They are the perfect recipe to make with your kids, and can be decorated in any way you like. The recipe can be adapted to make with either spelt flour or all-purpose (plain) flour. 

 

 

My spelt brownie Christmas trees

Are brownies the same as kladdkaka?

Creating brownie Christmas trees

Ways to decorate your brownies

More Christmas recipes

 

 

 

 

My spelt brownie Christmas trees

I think the thing I like most about this recipe is how much they do look like Christmas trees. In the past, I’ve used recipes where some of the brownie was discarded to make the Christmas trees. I mean, come on, who throws away brownies? With this recipe, there is no wastage because the brownie is made in a round pan and not rectangular. Ingenious, huh?

This is my tried and tested one million times recipe and it doesn’t fail. Made using spelt flour (that can easily be swapped out for all-purpose (plain) flour, the hardest thing will be to decide how to decorate them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are brownies the same as Swedish kladdkaka?

Let me tell you a secret: I use the same recipe for both my brownies and my Swedish kladdkakor. I know, right? 

The only difference between the two is how long they are baked for. Kladdkaka is a well-loved Swedish cake that is no stranger to this blog. It is famously underbaked, leaving a decadent, molten centre. Of course, not all Swedes enjoy it this way. Some like to pop it in the fridge to give it a more-set texture, and this is when it is very similar to brownies. 

I think the jury is still out on how brownies should be enjoyed, too. I used to think that they were a little on the dry side and not at all fudgy, but I now realise that’s somewhat of a generalisation, and Land O Lakes does a good job of delving into the “which one is your best” debate.

Many enjoy their brownies on the softer side. I like mine with a softer texture, but they still definitely firmer compared to my super gooey Swedish favourites, like white chocolate and lemon kladdkaka. Pure molten, gooey, deliciousness. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Creating brownie Christmas trees

These brownie Christmas trees are so freakin’ cute, and they’re honestly one of the easiest festive bakes you can make. They are adorable and perfect for baking with kids during the holiday season.

Start by baking your brownies (either using my recipe, or your own). Then, let the brownies cool completely (or even pop in the fridge for a while) as this helps the slices hold their shape when you cut them. When ready, remove the brownies from the tin and slice the slab into eight even wedges, just as you would cut a round cake.

Next, prepare the “tree trunks”. Take your candy canes and trim off the hooked tops so they have a flat end. Gently insert one into the long edge of each brownie wedge. They should slide in easily and stay upright without much effort. If the brownies are a little soft in the middle, even better. The candy cane will stick more firmly.

 

 

 

Ways to decorate your brownies 

For my brownie trees, I used different frostings and decorations. Some had royal icing piped in a simple zigzag pattern, then finished off with a few festive M&Ms as colourful little ornaments. Others had store-bought ready made icing in bright colours, topped with sprinkles. 

If you want to switch things up or try different styles, here are some other fun decorating options:

• Melted white chocolate: beautiful snowy contrast against the brownie
• Candied clementine peel: attach long slices like tinsel or chop it up into smaller pieces
• Gingerbread: crush up the festive cookies and sprinkle over
• Crushed candy cane: especially handy for using up the trimmed hooks
• Festive sprinkles: stars, snowflakes, Christmas trees, anything seasonal
• Edible glitter or shimmer dust: adds extra sparkle
• Mini chocolate drops or pearls: great as tiny baubles