Martha Stewart's Almond Brownie Coffins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for pan
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for pan
• 1/2 cup unsweetened dutch cocoa, plus more for marbling
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 8 ounces dark-chocolate-covered almonds, chopped
• 3 ounces marzipan
• royal icing, and fleurs-de-lis

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square pan, and line it with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 sides. Butter and flour parchment, tapping out excess.

2. 2

   Combine flour and salt in a small bowl. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Sift cocoa powder on top of butter, and whisk to combine. Let cool 3 minutes. Gently whisk in vanilla and eggs, then stir in sugars and flour mixture until just combined. Fold in almonds, then spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

3. 3

   Bake until the top is firm and set, about 30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let cool for 20 minutes. Remove brownies from pan using parchment overhang, and let cool on wire rack. (Brownies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days.)

4. 4

   Using the large coffin template, cut out brownies. Dust marzipan lightly with cocoa powder, and mix until marbled dark brown. Roll out marzipan to 1/4-inch thickness. Using the small coffin template, cut out 1 marzipan coffin for each brownie. Gently press a coffin on top of each brownie.

5. 5

   Fill a pastry bag fitted with the smallest plain round tip with royal icing. Decorate marzipan with small dots around the edges, and apply 1 fleur-de-lis to each coffin with a small offset spatula, securing each with a dot of royal icing.