Brownie Bites with Ganache Topping

It's the holidays and I'm in baking mode! I've been scouring my magazines and cookbooks for new goodies and have found so many, I simply won't have time to make them all. Tonight I wanted something with chocolate, but since it's Friday and I'm tired, I wanted something easy. Enter my Sandra Lee side. I went semi-homemade with these ganache-topped brownie bites. Super easy to make, and extremely delicious! I think I've had four or five so far, which is not a good thing. ;-)

Ingredients:
Your favorite box of brownie mix (I used Duncan Hines), along with the water, oil and eggs called for on the box
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cherries, strawberries or raspberries to garnish, if desired

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place mini paper baking cups into 42 mini muffin cups. (I only have one mini muffin pan, so I had to do this in two rounds) Make brownie batter as directed on box. Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full with the batter.

Bake 18-20 minutes, and be careful not to over bake. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack and cool for another 30 minutes or so.

In a saucepan, heat whipping cream over low heat just until it begins to boil. Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips; mix well. Let stand for about 15 minutes for the mixture to thicken. If desired, carefully remove the paper liners from the brownies.

Spoon about one teaspoon of the ganache onto each brownie. Garnish with the fruit, if desired.