Peppermint Brownies with a Fudgy Middle

Peppermint Brownies with a Fudgy Middle is filed under Brownies and bars and built around g all-purpose flour, kosher salt, and baking powder. Plan on 16 brownies.

Count on 30 minutes of prep, 18 minutes of cooking, about 48 minutes from the first measurement to the plate.

Ingredients Method

What goes in the bowl

For the Brownies

• 96 g all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• 170 g unsalted butter
• 40 g cocoa powder
• 85 g 70% chocolate
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla
• 300 g sugar

For the Peppermint American Buttercream

• 113 g unsalted butter
• 227 g confectioner's sugar ½ of a 1 lb box
• ¼ teaspoon pure peppermint extract more to taste
• 32 ½ g heavy cream more as needed

How the cooking goes

Prepare the brownies

1. Warm the oven to 350°F. Prepare your pan with criss-crossed baking paper. Let it overhang to create a handle.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and espresso powder; keep it to one side.
3. Blend the butter, dark chocolate, and cocoa powder in a bowl and melt it over boiling water.
4. In the bowl of your electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, vanilla, and sugar until light and fluffy. Like with these brown butter brownies you want the eggs to reach the ribbon stage.
5. With the mixer on low, slowly pour the butter and chocolate mixture into the eggs. Make sure the chocolate isn’t too hot, we don’t want to cook the eggs.
6. Once the chocolate mixture is fully incorporated, fold through the flour.

Bake the brownies

1. Tip the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it with an offset or flexible spatula.
2. Bake in a preheated oven for 16-18 minutes, or until the center of the brownie has puffed and the crackled top reaches the center. You can also test with a cake tester to see if it comes out with a few moist crumbs.
3. Cool completely before icing or removing from the pan.

Prepare the frosting

1. In the bowl of a electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, confectioner’s sugar, and extract until light and smooth. Switch to the whisk attachment.
2. Add cream then whisk on high until light and fluffy and white.
3. Frost your cooled brownies and serve! You can add crushed candy canes or peppermint candies for extra peppermint flavor.

After it comes off the heat

Let the pan settle before you slice, so the crumb stays together. Cover leftovers once they are cool.

If you want another plate from Brownies and bars, open Peanut Butter Brownies with a Fudgy Middle and Carmelitas for the Dessert Plate.