St. Patrick's Day!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!  It's always fun to think of what green dessert I'll make on this holiday.  (This just has one layer of green, but still.)  These brownies are so good- a chewy brownie layer, topped by mint frosting, and covered with a melted mint chocolate mixture.  I did not realize how much butter this recipe entailed until after I started making it- holy butter!!  I almost didn't have enough butter in the house to make these- I only have one tablespoon left in the whole house now!!  Lol! 

This is my Mom's recipe.  She calls them BYU brownies, after the brownies her university had for sale in their food area (cafeteria?  I don't know what to call it).  I'm just going to call them Mint Brownies, myself, since I did not go to the same university.  :) 

These are not hard to make, but time-consuming, as you must make each layer and then wait for each layer to cool before adding the next.  I started these around 10am and was finished at about 2pm (doing lots of other stuff in-between, of course!).  One could make the brownie layer the night before to make prep faster.

Mint Brownies
from my Mom

Brownies:
1 cup butter
2 cup white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Grease a 9x13 pan.  In a large saucepan, melt butter.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Beat in the cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder (a whisk works well for this).  Spread batter into prepared pan.  Bake in preheated oven for 22-30 minutes, or until toothpick comes out almost clean.  Do not overbake.  Cool completely.

Filling:
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 Tablespoon milk or water
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
1//2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 drops green food coloring (or use gel food coloring; just a dab)

Combine filling ingredients in a medium mixing bowl; beat until creamy.  Spread over cooled brownies.  Refrigerate until set. 

Topping:
1 (10 oz.) package mint chocolate chips (or 10 oz. mini semi-sweet choc chips and a few drops mint extract)
1/2 cup butter

Melt chocolate chips and butter over very low heat in a small saucepan until smooth (mine never got completely smooth- but it was still fine and looked good on the brownies).  Let cool for 30 minutes or until lukewarm, stirring occasionaly.  Spread over filling.  Chill before cutting.  Store in refrigerator. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Mint Brownies II

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I've made similar mint brownies in the past, but wanted to try these, as the base used melted chocolate instead of just cocoa powder, and I thought they might be chewier.  There is also cream cheese in the filling, unlike the other ones. And a bit less butter in this recipe.  I love the old recipe, though!  These are really good, too.

Mint Brownies 
adapted from Cooking Classy

Brownie:
6 oz bittersweet chocolate chips - 50 or 60% cocoa (or chopped bittersweet chocolate)*
1/2 cup unsalted butter, diced into tablespoons, plus more for baking dish
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp cocoa powder
2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Mint Cream Filling:
1/2 cup salted butter, softened slightly
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 tsp mint extract
5 drops green food coloring, or more/less as desired (optional)
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Chocolate Topping:
9 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 Tbsp salted butter, diced into tablespoons

1.  For the brownie: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 by 9-inch baking dish with 2 sheets of aluminum foil (one going each direction) and leaving a two-inch overhang on all sides. Brush foil with melted butter (about 1/2 - 3/4 Tbsp), set aside. (I always skip the foil and just grease the pan.)

2.  Add bittersweet chocolate chips and butter to a microwave safe bowl. Heat mixture on HIGH power in 15 second intervals, stirring well after each interval until melted and smooth. (Or just melt this in a large saucepan on the stove, remove from heat, and continue the recipe in the same pan.) Pour mixture into a large mixing bowl and using a rubber spatula (for entire mixing process), mix in granulated sugar and salt. Blend in eggs one a time, mixing just until combined after each addition and adding in vanilla with last egg. Sprinkle cocoa powder into an even layer over batter and fold in just until combined. Add half of the flour and fold several times then add remaining flour and fold just until combined (batter will be thick). Pour and spread mixture into an even layer in prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven 20 - 23 minutes until toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Cool completely on a wire rack.

3.  Mint Cream Filling: In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy. Blend in mint extract and green food coloring if desired, then with mixer set on low speed slowly add in powdered sugar, and mix until smooth and fluffy. Spread mixture over cooled brownies into an even layer. Transfer to refrigerator and chill 30 minutes.

4.  For the Chocolate Topping: To a microwave safe bowl, add semi-sweet chocolate chips and butter and heat mixture on HIGH power in 15 second intervals, stirring well after each interval until melted and smooth. Let cool a few minutes.  (Or just melt in a small saucepan on the stove.)  Remove brownies from refrigerator and spread chocolate topping into an even layer over brownies. Return to refrigerator and chill 30 minutes longer, or until chocolate has set. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.  

*I used almost 2 whole 50% cocao Ritter Sport bars, chopped.  Measured 6 oz. on the scale.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Triple-Decker Mint Brownies

I have two other recipes for mint brownies on this blog, but this one was different enough that I wanted to try it. I actually made this back in February for St. Patrick's Day, lol. I just haven't gotten around to posting them. 

Triple-Decker Mint Brownies  

adapted from The Kitchn

BROWNIES:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
2 teaspoons peppermint extract

green food coloring, optional

Pinch kosher salt
2 cups powdered sugar

FOR THE GANACHE:

6 ounces dark chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream

MAKE THE BROWNIES:
1.  Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper so that it hangs over two sides of the pan. Lightly grease the pan and parchment with cooking spray or butter.

2.  Melt the butter and chocolate in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder, sugar, and vanilla until no lumps remain. Let sit for 5 minutes so the cocoa powder can bloom. Whisk the eggs in one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the flour and salt and fold in with a rubber spatula.

3.  Transfer to the prepared baking pan and spread in an even layer. Bake until set, 23 to 25 minutes. Cool completely in the pan.

MAKE THE BUTTERCREAM:
4.  Place the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. (Alternatively, use an electric hand mixer and large bowl.) Beat on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Beat in the peppermint extract, green food coloring, and salt.

5.  With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the sugar. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium-low and mix until smooth and fluffy. Spread in an even layer over the brownies. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Meanwhile, make the ganache.

MAKE THE GANACHE:
6.  Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat until bubbling round the edges, then pour it over the chocolate mixture. Let sit for about 10 minutes, then stir with a spatula until completely smooth. Let it cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then use it as soon as it starts to thicken up.

7.  Remove the brownies from the refrigerator and spread the ganache in an even layer over the buttercream with an offset spatula or knife. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **