Chocolate Mint Brownies
Brownie Layer:
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup cake flour (this helps tenderize the brownies, so I don’t recommend substituting)
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking powder
5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (regular or Dutch-processed or a combination)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1 teaspoon vanilla
Nonstick cooking spray
Preheat oven to 350° and coat the bottom of an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave on medium-high (about 70%) power for one minute. Stir mixture and, if not entirely melted, microwave on medium-high for an additional 15 to 20 seconds. Stir again and set aside to cool for a few minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder in a medium bowl. Whisk chocolate mixture once again, then whisk in sugar. Add egg, egg white, and vanilla, and whisk again. Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Spread in prepared pan and bake for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted about 1 inch from the outside edge comes out fairly clean. The center should still gooey; do not overbake or your brownies will be dry. Cool completely in pan on a rack.
Mint layer:
1 ½ cups confectioner’s (powdered) sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1½ tablespoons milk
¼ to ½ teaspoon mint extract
2-3 drops green food coloring
Combine sugar, butter, and milk in a medium bowl and beat well (I used a hand-mixer) until smooth. Add lesser amounts of mint extract and food coloring and beat well. Adjust “minty-ness” and color by adding more extract or food coloring as desired. Spread evenly over completely cooled brownie base and chill while preparing chocolate topping.
Chocolate topping layer:
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoon semisweet or dark chocolate chips
1½ tablespoons butter
Place chocolate chips and butter in small microwave-safe bowl and heat in microwave on medium-high (about 70%) power for 45 seconds. Stir, and, if not completely melted, microwave on medium-high for additional 15 seconds. Stir until smooth, then spread evenly over mint layer. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cutting into bars and serving. Store leftovers (if there are any!) covered in refrigerator. Makes 12-16 mint brownie bars.