Poppies!

I know I'm always kidding about growing up as a Flintstone, although in some ways, it's kind of true.  I did grow up in a rock covered house, one like I've never ever seen again.  While I'm no gardener, my mom can do it all.  I remember the beautiful flowers growing next to the rock covered house year after year, at the time, I didn't really know how much work it was to make the yard so beautiful.  

Poppy Brownie

Anyway, back to the rock house.  I remember it well, it was gray (stucco or cement) covered in tiny little rocks and I do mean covered.  So when I came across these little bags of rocks, I wanted to recreate my house, in a smaller, sweet version.

If I remember correctly, the candy rock on the brownie is an exact replica of the outside of our home.

And the flowers growing up against the house were always beautiful.

Maybe not poppies, but beautiful flowers.

Even if you didn't grown up in a house covered in rocks, you can still make the rock brownie.

With Memorial Day this coming weekend, I decided to make Poppies.

Line a 9 x 13 pan with parchment paper.

Fill with brownie mix or favorite brownie recipe.

Bake according to directions and let cool.

Once the brownie has cooled, lift both ends of the parchment paper and remove from pan.

 Cut the brownie in half. 

Cut cardboard to fit the brownie and cover with wax paper. 

Place the brownie on the cardboard.

Get out three various sizes of round cookie cutters.

Fondant tools.

Red fondant and fondant roller.

Roll and cut a piece of red fondant.

Using the largest of the three sizes, cut a round fondant circle.

Dust a sponge with powdered sugar or cornstarch.

Use one of the fondant tools, gently roll around the edge of the fondant circle to make a ruffle.

Continue making ruffle edge circles until you have the three sizes. 

Place the fondant circles on top of one another creating the poppy.

Using a small round cutter, roll and cut a black fondant circle.

Roll the edge with the ball tool to make the ruffle.

Add a yellow fondant center (not shown).

Place inside the middle of the poppy.

Next, roll and cut green fondant, with any shape leaf cutter.

Let dry on flower former.

Here are those candy rocks I'm talking about.

Frost the top of the brownie with gray buttercream frosting.

Now for the fun, press the candy rocks over the entire brownie, making the rock house replica.

Cut long green strips from the fondant for the stems, place on the rocks.

Add the two poppies to the top of the stems and add the leaves.

Beautiful Poppies for Memorial Day!