I am hooked on fancy brownies.

And brownies are hooked on me. Ahem. I was saying…these mint chocolate chip brownies taste better than they look. It’s not the best picture. I didn’t mean to forget about the picture until I got to work. That’s just how it played out. So. Stop looking at them and go bake them instead. It’s really easy – look:

The Brownies:
Take a box-mix off of the shelf (doesn’t everyone have a baking shelf?) and make the mix according to directions. If the mix doesn’t have chocolate chips, empty a goodish amount of chocolate chips into the batter. See how easy this is? I even use a mix because I am fancy, yo. Also – a single mommy with not very much time. Details.

The Mint Layer:
While the brownies are baking, you can make the mint layer ahead of time. You’ll need:
2 cups confectionary sugar
3 Tblsp of milk (the recipe calls for heavy cream; my substitute works just as well)
4 Tblsp of butter, softened
1 tsp of peppermint extract

In a smallish bowl, microwave the butter in 10-second intervals until it’s softened, but not necessarily melted.
Add in the confectionary sugar, the milk and mix well.
Mix in the extract.

Ta-da! You have your mint layer ready.

When the brownies come out of the oven, let them stand for about 5 minutes. (I find it helpful to set a timer. Otherwise hours will go by before I wander through the kitchen and exclaim, “Oh! The brownies!”) When the 5 minutes are up, spread the mint layer over the brownies. This recipe should make enough mint for a thin layer (all you really need) for a 13×9” pan. You can half it if you’re using a 9×9” pan or you can make the mint layer a little thicker. Or, if for some reason someone in your house is kinda freakish and doesn’t like mint, you can halve the recipe and mintify just half of your brownies. The mint isn’t too runny and will stay in place.

Once the mint layer is in place, refrigerate the brownies for 10-15 minutes or until the mint sets. (Don’t forget to put a potholder under the hot pan if you have glass shelves.)

The Frosting:
The frosting is even easier than the brownie mix, if that’s even possible. Take a container of chocolate frosting, microwave it until it’s a little runny (but not burned, ruined, or runny beyond salvage). With my microwave, I zapped it for about 25 seconds. That’s how I discovered that I – accidentally – bought chocolate frosting with mini-chocolate chips in it. When I pulled the container out of the microwave, I saw these teeny, tiny lumps. I thought that either the frosting was uber-disgusting or else it had lived past its “sell by” date. Then I thought, “Hey, those lumps are about the size of tiny chocolate chips!” And then I thought to check the label. Now can you see why I needed chocolate in the first place? It’s a proven sanity restorative. Once you’re sure that the frosting is runny enough not to smear the mint layer, pour the frosting onto the brownies and spread gently with a butter knife or spatula. Refrigerate again until the frosting hardens.

Voila! Fancy mint chocolate-chip brownies that are perhaps the best I’ve ever tasted in my life. And, judging by how quickly they disappeared at work, the best they’ve ever had, too.

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Tags: baking, brownies, cooking, dessert, food, recipes