Monday, January 11, 2010

Mint Stick Brownies

This is for Heidi and Patricia and whomever else out there has been asking for my mint stick brownie recipie.  This isn't really "mine."  I got it from my mother who got it from... umm, I'm not sure where.  But despite its unknown lineage, it is still delicious!

Step 1: Make your favorite batch of brownies in a 9x13 pan.  From scratch, from box - it doesn't matter.  I pick up brownie mixes when the grocery stores have them for $1 and use them for every potluck after that.  Let them cool (the brownies, not the potluck).

Step 2: Make the mint topping.
4 T butter or margarine
2 c powdered sugar
2 T cream/evaporated milk (I use regular milk most of the time.)
1 t peppermint extract
a couple drops of green food coloring to make the mint color.

Melt butter and mix all ingredients to make a glaze-like frosting.  Spread over pan of brownies.  Put brownie pan in fridge to help the topping set while you melt the chocolate.

Step 3: Make the top chocolate layer
2 squares of unsweetened baking chocolate (OR 1 cup of chocolate chips)
2 T of butter or margarine

Melt chocolate and butter together (slowly!).  Remove brownies from fridge and spread the chocolate mixture in a thin layer on top.  (The "slowly" is inserted there for beginner cooks like myself who think you can melt everything in a saucepan on "high."  Chocolate doesn't do so well when it is charred.)


Step 4: Cut brownies into strips.  Eat the strips along the edge of the pan.  The topping there is uneven and you don't want to give those inferior pieces to your company.  Then arrange the rest of the pieces on a plate and serve.  My family usually cuts the brownies to 1" by 3" - thus making mint stick brownies and preventing people from getting too much of a sugar rush from the very rich deliciousness.

This receipie was orginally 1/2 the size (translated for the beginners: do everything the same, just use half the amount of every ingredient) and covered a 9x9 pan.  I've doubled it here.  I mean, really!  Who would ever make such a small pan of brownies?!?  Maybe someone who isn't in their right mind.  Wait - that would include me.  What?  But I always make... Never mind.  This is getting too complicated.  Or too implicating. Or too something.

Enjoy!

4 comments:

Elicia said...

this recipe was most amusing to read.
and i definitely agree... it's good to eat the inferior pieces yourself, not serve them to company. :)

Unknown said...

looks yummy....
just what I need after College Algebra and Grammer....too bad I'm still tutoring right now...maybe I should finish my lunch.

Laura said...

Quick question - in the top chocolate layer you call for either unsweetened chocolate or chocolate chips. If I use the unsweetened chocolate, don't I need to add some sugar?

D said...

Ten Things - That's a good question. But actually, no, you don't. I always do the unsweetened chocolate option and you don't need to add sugar/sweetener. When it's poured on top of the brownies and mint glaze and served, the flavors blend beautifully and you never give it a second thought.

You just have to keep the children from licking the bowl in which you melted that yummy-looking chocolate stuff! :)