Peppermint Pattie Brownies

Peppermint Pattie Brownies.

November 16, 2012

There’s something important that you should know about these brownies.

And it’s that I got to keep them all to myself.

See, I married this guy who doesn’t like chocolate and mint together. What? I know. That’s what I said too. He also isn’t *thrilled* about chocolate and peanut butter when combined but we are learning to overcome such a disturbance. I mean, that’s like total grounds for divorce.

The thing is, I don’t even think I KNEW about the mint + chocolate combo hatred until after we were married. Maybe he mentioned it once but it seems that I may have what some call selective hearing. Whatever. That just certainly sounds like “irreconcilable differences” to these ears.

Me? I love chocolate and mint together. It’s so fresh… so cooling… so perfect! I actually find it to be refreshing, which shouldn’t come as a surprise since it’s basically dessert. Only I would find a non-fruit, chocolate-loaded dessert refreshing. Hey, at least you always know what you get here.

So… I’ve been dying to make a peppermint pattie brownie for months. Maybe even over a year? Ever since I made these 1988 brownies, which um… don’t even compare here. I didn’t want to just stuff plain brownies with the traditional old things, I wanted to create the cooling, tingling center of a York peppermint pattie and layer it into a brownie. A few years ago I made homemade peppermint patties and holy cow were they fab. Love them so much. I took the filling and combined it with an 8×8 pan brownie recipe, then covered the whole thing in ganache. And it’s not like I covered it neatly. I can’t be bothered with such patience. Slap that chocolate on there and feed me.

Print
Save

Yield: 9-12 brownies (1 8x8 pan)

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup chocolate chips

peppermint pattie layer
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract

ganache
3.5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2.5 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 baking pan with butter or nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine melted butter with sugar and vanilla extract, whisking until combined and almost smooth. Whisk in each egg one at a time, stirring until a smooth batter forms. Add in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, stirring until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread batter in the 8x8 baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Remove and let cool.

While brownies are cooling, add powdered sugar, butter, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and peppermint extracts to the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat until smooth and creamy. Pour over brownies and spread in an even layer with a spoon or spatula. Place in the refrigerator until set, about 30 minutes.

To make ganache, heat heavy cream until warm and pour it over chopped chocolate. Stir for a few minutes until totally combined, smooth and creamy. Spread over the top of the peppermint layer or cut brownies first and spoon over top. I love these refrigerated!

[brownies from allrecipes, peppermint layer from homemade peppermint patties]