I have whipped up many batches of chocolate brownies over the years, experimenting with ingredients, quantities, tweaking, blending and adding to the original recipes until I managed to master a mixture that looks, tastes and smells exactly right for my tastebuds.  The recipe for moist, decadent chocolate brownies can be found on my post dated the 24th May.

I am always looking for new ways to display and serve brownies to suit the occasion. Today I sent Berry Topped Chocolate Birthday Brownies to school with my eldest daughter to share with her school friends. Tomorrow she turns 12 and with chocolate and berries on her top ten list of favourite things, I decided to perch hand made fondant-based strawberries on top of each brownie. These are easier to make than a miniature bicycle. 


These sweet little berries are very easy to make using pliable fondant. Just take yourself back to moulding shapes out of Play-Doh during rainy days with toddlers. These little gems, unlike Play-Doh, are edible which is a real bonus. 

Fondant is readily available from cake decorating suppliers and well stocked cooking stores such as Plenty in Balmain and The Essential Ingredient in Rozelle. I especially like a satiny vanilla flavoured fondant which is delicious and smooth to work with. 

When making strawberries, add a dab of pink food colouring as you roll each small ball to coat the surface (it’s up to use what size berries to make). Alternatively you can kneed the food colouring into a large piece of fondant and then break off and shape each small piece. I prefer to use the first method because it gives a marbled, slightly imperfect finish which is more realistic. 

Using your fingers, pinch the end of each ball and slightly flatten the surface so that it resembles a strawberry shape. Once again don’t feel pressured to make each one exactly the same – actual strawberries vary in size too. 

Leave the fondant berries to set at room temperature, for at least 30 minutes. If it is a hot day, you will need to put them into the fridge. Once they are firm to the touch, use a black edible ink pen to dot the surface with fake seeds. 

Add a sliver of a green jelly jube, cut using sharp kitchen scissors, to the top of each berry as edible leaves. Push this into the top using either a skewer or cake decorating prong. You may need to add a dab of sugar syrup to fasten each “leaf”. 

Spread a small patch of strawberry jam onto the surface of each brownie to adhere the fondant berries.

To serve, pop each brownie into a colourful cupcake wrapper which looks pretty but also makes it easier to handle and eat each brownie as the wrapper acts like a little disposable plate. 

Experiment making other favourite fruits from fondant. Oranges and apples are great for beginners, especially if several are piled up together. Shaped and coloured fondant is an eye-catching and relatively easy way of decorating larger cakes too. If a shape looks a little wonky, well you can always re-roll it or if no one is looking, eat the evidence!