Peppermint Brownies

I love Brownies . . . all chocolatey and fudgy . . . I can't get enough of them. I also love the white version . . . called blondies. Filled with chocolate chunks, or nuts, they are moreishly scrumptiously good!



Sometimes though . . . I get to craving a brownie that's a little bit different . . . like brownies filled with caramel, or after dinner mints, or turkish delight thins . . . You've seen them all on here before.



No less scrummy or delicious than regular brownies.



Today though I made a fabulous brownie which is peppermint flavoured and topped with a yummy chocolate glaze and white chocolate trim!



It gets it's deep peppermint flavour from peppermint tea leaves, which you blitz with the sugar in the food processor until very fine and peppermint essence, which you can buy here. (It can be a bit hard to find over here in the UK, although I have no idea why?) You can also get it in some of the better grocery stores like Waitrose.



These brownies are wonderfully fudgy . . . beautifully pepperminty . . . and moreishly chocolatey!



If you can stop at eating just one of these . . . you're a much better person than I am!



*Peppermint Brownies*
Makes about 30, depending on how large you cut them
Printable Recipe

Delicious brownies that get even better tasting after a couple of days! Fantastic!

8 ounces of unsalted butter (1 cup)
8 ounces of good quality unsweetened chocolate
2 tsp peppermint tea leaves
14 ounces caster sugar (2 cups)
4 large free range eggs
2 tsp peppermint essence
pinch fine seasalt
4.5 ounces plain flour (1 cup)

For the chocolate glaze:
2 ounces unsalted butter (1/4 cup)
2 ounces good quality unsweetened chocolate
2 ounces semi sweet chocolate
2 TBS golden syrup

For the White chocolate trim:
2 ounces white chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 by 13 inch baking tin and line with parchment paper, allowing it to overhang by at least 2 inches above the long sides so that you can lift them out easily once baked and cooled. Butter the parchment paper.

Heat 2 inch of water in a small pot to a gentle simmer. Place the chocolate (chopped) and butter (chopped) for the brownies into a heat proof bowl. Set over the simmering water without allowing the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Cook and stir, until the butter and chocolate have melted and are uniform, some 6 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat, but leave the bowl over the water.

Place the sugar and the peppermint tea in a food processor. Blitz until the tea is finely ground. Stir this mixture into the melted chocolate mixture. Beat in the eggs one at a time and then stir in the peppermint essence and salt. Sift the flour over top and then fold it in. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bang lightly on the counter to settle and then bake in the heated oven for 35 to 40 minutes until well set and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out almost clean. Allow to cool to room temperature in the pan, on top of a wire rack, before proceeding. Once cool, lift out by the paper handles and peel off the paper. Place onto a foil lined board, or tray.

To make the glaze bring the water in the pot back to a gentle simmer. Place both of the chocolates (chopped) along with the butter (chopped) into a bowl and set over the simmering water, again without allowing the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Cook and stir until smooth and melted. Stir in the golden syrup. Spread the chocolate glaze over the brownies in an even layer using an offset spatula.

Place the whit chocolate in another bowl and set over the simmering water, stirring until completely melted. Drizzle the melted white chocolate over top of the chocolate glaze in lines. Run a toothpick the opposite way through the white chocolate lines to make a decorative pattern. Allow to set for several hours before cutting into squares to serve. Keep well covered and serve at room temperature.