Grasshopper Brownies

This recipe gives you a decadent chocolate brownie with a sweet, minty topping complemented by a rich dark chocolate ganache and mini chocolate chips for added texture. During summers as a kid, I couldn’t get enough of Schwan’s Silvermint bars (now Yelloh.) - ­those mint ice cream bars coated in rich chocolate were my ultimate treat. Even in high school, I’d jazz up boxed brownies with crushed mints on top for that extra minty kick. To this day, if Andes mints are offered after a meal at a restaurant, you can bet I’m grabbing a handful on the way out. Chocolate and mint speak to my soul.

Brownies:
1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
½ cup dark brown sugar (120 g)
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
4 eggs
1¼ cups all-­purpose flour, unbleached (156 g)
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup butter (227 g)
½ cup vegetable oil (52 g)
⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (65 g)
2 tsp. instant coffee
1 (12 oz) bag semisweet chocolate chips

Filling:
1 cup butter, room temperature (227 g)
2 cups confectioners’ sugar (226 g)
3 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream
½ tsp. pure peppermint extract
2-3 drops green food colouring
½ cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (85 g)

Topping:
½ cup butter (113 g)
1 cup dark chocolate chips (175 g)

Make the Brownies:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4). Spray a 9x13" baking pan with baking spray, then line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on two sides of the pan. Spray the parchment. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, add 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, ½ cup (120 g) dark brown sugar and 2 tsp. vanilla extract. Whisk together to combine. Add 4 eggs and whisk vigorously until fully incorporated and the mixture is light yellow and frothy. Set aside.

In a separate medium bowl, add 1¼ cups (156 g) all-­purpose flour and 1 tsp. sea salt and whisk together to combine. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, add 1 cup (227 g) butter and ½ cup (52 g) vegetable oil and melt over medium heat. Once melted, add ⅔ cup (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 tsp. instant coffee, whisking vigorously until smooth with no visible clumps.

Reduce the heat to low and add one 12 ­oz bag semisweet chocolate chips, stirring to melt with a wooden spoon. If the chocolate mixture starts to boil, remove the pan from the heat and continue stirring until smooth and glossy.

Moving quickly, slowly pour the hot chocolate mixture into the sugar-­egg mixture while whisking continuously. You are tempering the eggs; pouring the hot mixture in too quickly will cook the eggs. Once all the hot mixture is poured, begin whisking vigorously to incorporate and fully dissolve most of the sugar - ­a few grains of sugar are fine.

Add the flour mixture into the chocolate-­egg mixture and, with a wooden spoon, fold in the dry ingredients to combine until no visible flour streaks remain - ­do not overmix.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth it evenly and give the pan a few taps to release any air bubbles. Bake until the top is dry and slightly cracked and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few crumbs. Edges should look firm and the center moist but not gooey, 25-30 minutes.

Remove from the oven and immediately place in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.

Make the Filling:
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream together 1 cup (227 g) butter, room temperature and 2 cups (226 g) powdered sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Stop the mixer and add 3 Tbsp. heavy whipping cream and ½ tsp. peppermint extract. Mix on medium until evenly combined and the mixture is fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add 2 or 3 drops green food colouring and mix until evenly blended and pale green. With a rubber spatula, fold in ½ cup (85 g) mini semisweet chocolate chips until evenly combined.

Remove the brownies from the refrigerator and evenly spread the buttercream over the brownies and return to the refrigerator for 30 minutes for the buttercream to firm up.

Make the Topping:
Meanwhile, in a small heatproof bowl, add ½ cup (113 g) butter and 1 cup (175 g) dark chocolate chips. Using a microwave, melt in 30-­second intervals, stopping and stirring, until the butter and chocolate are melted. Whisk together to evenly combine.

Remove the brownies from the refrigerator and pour the chocolate over the buttercream layer. With an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread into an even layer. Return to the refrigerator and chill for another 30 minutes.

Once the chocolate is set, remove the brownies by pulling them up from the overhang. Cut the brownies into servings.

Makes 12-16 servings.