About This Recipe
There’s nothing like a brownie. That type of food is perfect in it simplicity. A good brownie is basically melted chocolate that is suspended in flour and sugar and fat so you can pick it up and eat it. And there isn’t much you can do to improve a brownie. Except to make a double frosting, as in this recipe for Fabulous Mint Brownies. Which is a great dessert for St. Patrick’s Day!
Because the two frostings are really the focus of this recipe, you can get away with a brownie mix. But even then I want to kick things up a notch and I add mint chocolate chips to the batter. Why not?
Nestle used to make a wonderful dark chocolate mint chip but they no longer do, which is disappointing. But the people who make Andes candies make a layered dark chocolate and green mint baking chip that works just fine. Or you can go to Nuts.com, where they have mini mint chips speckled with dark chocolate. So many choices!
Now that that’s settled, on to the frostings. The first frosting is a simple buttercream flavored with mint extract. You can tint it with green food coloring (paste only please – not liquid coloring) or leave it white. The second frosting is a cooked chocolate frosting that is the perfect finishing touch.
Enjoy every bite.
Tips for the best Fabulous Mint Brownies:
- Don’t overbake the brownies. Underbaked brownies are better than ones that have baked too long and are hard and dry.
- When you make the mint buttercream frosting, beat it for a longer time than you think necessary. Even powdered sugar needs to dissolve and beating is the only way.
- Make sure that you let the chocolate frosting cool for a bit so it won’t completely melt the buttercream.
Why this recipe works:
- The combination of chocolate and mint is as classic as the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Works every time.
- The two frostings help keep the brownie very moist even after days. Although they won’t last that long.
Steps
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1
Done
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 13" x 9" baking pan with nonstick baking spray containing flour. |
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2
Done
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Now combine the brownie mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl and mix for 50 strokes. Stir in the mint chips. Spread in the prepared pan. Bake for 24-27 minutes or until there is a dry shiny crust. You can't use a toothpick test on brownies because they are too moist even when baked. |
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3
Done
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Cool the brownies completely on a wire rack. |
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4
Done
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In a large bowl, combine the softened butter, mint extract, and 1 cup powdered sugar and beat well. |
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5
Done
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Add the remaining powdered sugar and cream alternately to the frosting, beating until smooth and fluffy. You can tint the frosting with some green food coloring if you'd like. Frost the brownies and put them in the fridge.. |
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6
Done
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Combine 1/2 cup butter, 1/3 cup milk, and granulated sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute them remove from the heat. |
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7
Done
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Stir in the semisweet chocolate chips and the milk chocolate chips and vanilla. Let stand for 10 minutes to cool, then pour over the brownies. You won't need to spread the frosting much. Return to the fridge until cold, then store covered at room temperature. |
