Peppermint Brownies

Here's one that was inspired by my friends at the Fat Witch Bakery, who despite their name have you covered through all the holidays, not just Halloween.  I have made their S'mores Brownies about one million times (I am an honorary member of the teenager's posse purely on the basis of making them S'Mores Brownies over and over and over again.  Not that they let me actually hang out with them or anything, but they love me from afar.)

Anyway, here's the next one that I tried from the Fat Witch Brownies cookbook, and to be completely honest, I followed the directions for the brownie part to the letter, but then ran totally amuck on the topping.  Fat Witch called for the topping to be made with a mixture of white chocolate and confectioner's sugar and chopped peppermint, and I just...couldn't...do it.  It just seemed like a little too much chocolate to me (I know!  What is wrong with me???) so I went for a more traditional vanilla buttercream frosting, which came together in a jiff, and I did use the chopped peppermint.  Obviously.  It's still puh-lenty sweet, but the consistency is just a little bit lighter than the white chocolate would have been.  I hope the Fat Witch will still love me, and no hexes will be coming my way.

By the way, since it is the holiday season and I am feeling very generous and like I need to give credit where credit is due, I would like to go on record as saying that these little candy canes that I used for this recipe?  They were individually wrapped (AAAARRRGGGHHH!) and my dashing Southern husband unwrapped them all for me so I didn't lose my mind.

That is what you call true love and devotion.  Peppermint Brownies...make them for someone YOU truly love this Christmas.

Peppermint Brownies, inspired by Fat Witch Bakery

• 1 3/4 sticks unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unbleached flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips

• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pound (3 1/2 cups) sifted confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons milk or light cream, or to make smooth and spreadable
• 1/2 cup chopped candy canes

1. Line 9x9 inch baking pan with foil and spray with Pam.  Preheat oven to 350.

2. Mlet the butter and the bittersweet chocolate together in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

3. Beat together eggs, sugar and both extracts until smooth.  Add cooled chocolate mixture and mix until well blended.  

4. Sift flour and salt together directly into the batter and stir until well-combined.  Stir in white chocolate.  Spread into pan and bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean or with crumbs, not batter.  Cool on rack until completely cool.

5. Cream butter, salt, and vanilla, beating with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners' sugar gradually, beating after each addition. Add 3 tablespoons milk or light cream, beating until smooth. Beat in more milk until desired spreading consistency is reached and the frosting is spreadable.

6. Spread over cooled brownies and sprinkle chopped candy canes on top.  Using sides of foil, lift brownies out of pan and on to cutting surface.  Cut into small pieces.

Click here for printable recipe

No Bake S'Mores Brownies

So, now that I have gone on the record and named my favorite cookbooks of all time (click here if you missed that post!) I can now start telling you about my new favorites.  Because life is better with more cookbooks.

But first, because I am me, I need to give you a little back-story.  While I spend the majority of my time photographing cookies and spaghetti and bacon cinnamon rolls, I do venture out of the kitchen from time to time to take pictures of other delicious things.  Like puppies.  A little while back I was lucky enough to photograph this dynamic due of adorableness:

Can you STAND the cuteness???

Anyway, their owners are almost as sweet as they are, and on the day of our shoot they brought me a delicious box of Fat Witch Brownies.  Which in case you haven't had one, are the Most Delicious Brownies On Earth.    And just for the record, the Fat Witch people have never heard of me, did not pay me either in brownies or anything else to say this, this is purely my own love and adoration speaking.   This is why I was so excited to hear that the Fat Witch Bakery Cookbook had just been published, full of recipes for unbelievable brownies of every kind...I couldn't get my hands on it fast enough.  And now that I have a copy, let's just say that there will be a steady stream of brownie making in my house, and I started out with the incredibly easy, amazingly scrumptious recipe for No-Bake S'Mores Brownies.

That's right...no bake.  I had my doubts, but I promise you, it's really true!  You crush some graham crackers into tiny crumbs, and mix in some mini-marshmallows and chocolate chips.  Then you melt some butter with some beaten egg, sugar and vanilla, stirring over low heat until it thickens just a bit.  Cool it down a little, then pour it over your graham cracker mixture.  Toss in a few more chips and marshmallows.  Mixmixmix.  Now spoon the whole thing into a pan that you have lined with foil and pop the whole thing in the fridge.  (I love using a fridge in place of an oven!).  30 minutes later it will have set into a pan full of s'more brownie wonderfulness.

Fat Witch Cookbook!  I have my eye on the Molasses Brownies next....

No Bake S'Mores Brownies, from Fat Witch Brownies Cookbook

• 10 graham crackers, crushed (about 2 1/4 cups)
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
• 3/4 cups chocolate chips
• 1 stick butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Line a 9 inch square pan with foil, leaving some hanging over the sides, 
and grease the foil with butter.

2. Mix graham crumbs, 3/4 cup marshmallows and 1/2 cup chocolate chips together 
in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

3. Melt the butter in small pot and stir in sugar, egg and vanilla. 
Stir over medium low heat until slightly thickened. Cool slightly.

4. Add sugar mixture to graham mixture and stir well. Fold in remaining marshmallows 
and chips.

5. Press mixture into pan and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Remove from pan using foil 
overhang, cut and serve.

Click here for printable recipe

Ice Cream Cupcakes

Some recipes are just a work of genius -- you run across them and first you think "I have GOT to make this as soon as possible," and for me that is quickly followed by "now, why didn't I think of this??" These delectable little ice cream cupcakes are from one of those recipes, and are from Joy The Baker, who is a virtuoso when it comes to inventive and irresistible desserts. A virtuoso, plain and simple.

Here's the drill: you make up a batch of brownie batter (Joy makes her own, I went right for that Duncan Hines box in my pantry), and you spoon just a little bit into foil cupcake liners. Just enough to cook up a fabulous brownie base for your cupcake. Bake and freeze. Then grab your favorite flavor or flavors of ice cream and let it soften. I chose (from left to right in that picture up there) chocolate, mint chocolate chip, and Starbucks Mocha Frappachino. Spoon enough soft ice cream on top of each brownie bottom to fill the cupcake liner. Freeze again.

What you do from here is up to you. Plain would be fine. Joy makes a little chocolate ganache to go on top of hers. I whipped up some cream with a little sugar and vanilla and plopped it on top of each cupcake. Now, the three specimens up there did not last much past their photo op, but the rest of their cousins went into a Ziplock bag, and the next time we got a craving for an ice cream cupcake all we had to do was take one out of the bag and add the topping. Or take one out of the bag and eat it immediately while still standing in front of the freezer.

Ice Cream Cupcakes. Happy happy summer.

Ice Cream Cupcakes, from the incredibly talented Joy The Baker

• One batch brownie batter
• Assorted flavors of ice cream

1. First make the brownie batter. Line two cupcake pans with the foil cupcake liners. Into each cupcake liner, scoop 1 Tablespoon of brownie batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 6-8 minutes until the brownie is cooked through.

2. Let the brownies cool in the cupcake pans to room temperature. Once cool, place in the freezer (still in the cupcake pans) for 30 minutes. When you place the cupcake pans in the freezer, remove the ice cream you’re using and place in the refrigerator to soften.

3. When ready to assemble the cupcakes, remove the cupcake pans with foil lined brownie cups from the freezer. Remove the ice cream from the fridge. Run the ice cream scooper under hot water and working quickly, portion a small scoop of ice cream into each foil lined cup, while still in the cupcake pan. The cupcake pan will help the Ice Cream Cupcake hold its shape. You may need to rinse the scooper under hot water in between scoops for easy portioning. Quickly smooth the scoops of ice cream with the back of a small spoon also rinsed in warm water and return the ice cream cupcakes quickly to the freezer.

4. Let the newly formed Ice Cream Cupcakes refreeze for 45 minutes to an hour.

5. To serve, remove the cupcakes from the freezer about 5 minutes before you’d like to serve them. Finish with a dollop of whipped cream and serve.

Click here for printable recipe