Is there anything better than a holiday tradition? The answer is nope. OK, maybe there is something, and that is a Dark Chocolate Mint Brownie with Chocolate Glaze.
Every Christmas, my mom would make a version of these rich, minty bars — along with a slew of other treats — and one bite brings me back to our messy, festive kitchen. We would make batch after batch and hand them out as holiday gifts, which is something I still do today.
Yes, maybe we all get bombarded with sweets during the season, but I love collecting those tins of homemade goodies to see what everyone else’s traditions are. (Hint: Send me baked goods.) These bars begin with a fudgy brownie base, then are layered with creamy, cool mint and topped off with a chocolate glaze and crumbly mint candies. They are the perfect dessert for a jolly, memorable winter day.
Makes: 16
Hands-on time: 15 minutes
Total time: 2 hours, 22 minutes
3⁄4 cup unsalted butter
1 (four-ounce) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
1⁄2 cup granulated sugar
1⁄2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1⁄2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1⁄4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
MINT LAYER
1 1⁄2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1⁄2 tablespoons whole milk
1⁄2 teaspoon peppermint extract
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
1 (6-ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips
1⁄4 cup heavy cream
16 thin crème de menthe chocolate mints (such as Andes), chopped (about 3⁄4 cup)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil allowing 3 inches to extend over 2 sides; lightly grease the foil with cooking spray.
Melt the butter and chopped chocolate in a large saucepan over low. Stir in the sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Stir together the flour, cocoa, and salt in a bowl; stir into the chocolate mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack, about 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the mint layer: Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Spread over the cooled brownies. Chill for 1 hour.
Make the chocolate glaze: Place the chocolate chips and cream in a small microwavable bowl, and microwave on MEDIUM (50 percent power) until melted and smooth, 2 to 3 minutes, stirring at 30-second intervals. Spread over the mint layer. Sprinkle with the chopped mints. Chill until ready to serve.
Remove from the pan using the foil sides as handles. Cut into 16 squares.
Siri Daly is a Today show tastemaker and author of Siriously Delicious: 100 Nutritious (and Not So Nutritious) Simple Recipes for the Real Home Cook.
Excerpted from Siriously Delicious by Siri Daly. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.
