Mint Chocolate Ganache Covered Fudge Brownies

  • Mint Chocolate Ganache Fudge BrownieYes, it’s exactly as marvelous as it sounds.  You take the World’s Best Fudge Brownie, and then you drape it with a thick blanket of bittersweet chocolate ganache that’s infused with rich, cooling mint.  You then let it set just long enough to slice, and then you dig on in… allowing some of the excess ganache (and there will be excess if you’ve poured it on in excessively excessive excess quantity, as instructed) to ooze over the edge of your perfectly cut confection.  I am a firm believer that any kind of dessert that oozes is a keeper.  So slather the ganache on top of a bare, innocent batch of brownies, and keep this one all to yourself.

    (Oh, in case you’re a bit off in the head and you don’t happen to love mint in your chocolate, you can totally omit the mint and keep this a purely chocolate experience.  While I do blame you for not supporting the minty-chocolate union, I do respect you for wanting a pristine, unabashed chocolate-on-chocolate dessert.  There is a time and a place for everything [except Mistake-o de Mayo Brownies].)

    BROWNIES:

    1 batch of the World’s Best Fudge Brownies (baked in a 9″ pan)

    GANACHE:

    1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (or 8 ounces finely chopped pieces from a block)

    1/2 box of Junior Mints or Andes Mint squares, finely chopped

    1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon heavy cream

    1 tablespoon unsalted butter

    2 drops peppermint oil (or 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract)- optional

    1. Bake World’s Best Fudge Brownies as directed in link above and allow to cool to room temperature.
    2. Place chocolate and chopped mint candies in a medium bowl, and set aside.
    3. Heat cream and butter until just about to boil (in either a small saucepan over medium high heat, or in microwave), and pour over chocolate.  Allow to sit for about 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.  (If chocolate is not fully melted at this point, you can microwave in brief intervals.)  Add peppermint oil if using (to impart a stronger mint flavor- totally optional).  Allow to cool; it will thicken as it cools.
    4. Pour the ganache (while still pourable) over the cooled brownies and chill before slicing.  For best flavor, serve at room temperature.

    Tips:

    • Nuts?  I prefer to leave the nuts out of the brownies if I am pouring a mint ganache on top, but it’s up to you if you’d like to include.
    • Mint-free?  Okay, if you don’t plan to use mint (or if you don’t have any on hand), you can keep the ganache pure and use simply the chocolate, cream, and butter.
    • Flavor ideas: mocha steals the show… add a tablespoon of coffee liqueur, and a bit of instant espresso or coffee to the chocolate before you add the cream.  Or how about a teaspoon of your favorite extract or flavoring (almond, vanilla, orange, hazelnut)?  A tablespoon of your favorite flavored booze will do the trick, instead of an extract- Frangelico, Grand Marnier, etc.  Match the nuts in the brownie to the flavor of your choice (so if you use Frangelico, add toasted hazelnuts to the batter… almonds with Amarettto… you get it).
    • Use great quality chocolate, especially if you are omitting the mint or any other flavors.  (Feel free to use semi-sweet instead, or dark, if you prefer.)
    • Pouring the ganache will be easier of it’s still a tad warm, since it thickens as it cools.  (You can always rewarm a bit to make it flow again; don’t despair.)  One lovely thought is to pour the ganache over the brownie slab set onto a plate (rather than pouring it overtop the brownie while it’s still in it’s baking pan), so the icing flows over the edge of the crust.  You can bet that the edge pieces will be the most highly coveted ones of all.
    • Enjoy!

     

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    June 13th, 2012 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: , , ,

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