Peppermint Brownies (Its almost better then....)

Peppermint and chocolate, I believe I have landed on the moon my friends.  Just take my word for it. The holidays are here and there is no stopping the chocolates, sweets or fatty foods.  I will try my best but I'm not guaranteeing anything.  Listen to Mariah Carey while you make these babies.

Here is a great recipe I put together for my wonderful friends.  There are three different parts to this so when reading the recipe I will attach the pictures under those categories.  Have fun.

Enjoy

Ingredients For Brownie

2 Sticks Unsalted Butter
4 Squares of Unsweetened Chocolate
4 Eggs
1/2 TSP Baking Powder
1 TSP Vanilla
11/4 Cup All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Sugar

Making The Brownie

• Turn your oven on to 350 degrees
• Grab a medium bowl and add your butter and chocolate to it and melt it in the microwave in increments of 30 seconds a piece until it is melted completely (do not eat this, I did and about spit it out because there is no sugar in the chocolate, just a little FYI)

• As the chocolate has melted and you have mixed it together nicely, set it aside

• Grab your eggs and place them in your mixer and mix them together for 3 minutes 

• Add your sugar and vanilla

• Mix these well until it becomes thick
• Add your chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and mix together for 3 more minutes
• While this mixes get your flour and baking powder ready to mix in by hand

• Grab your flour and add it to your mixture and mix well as you scrape the sides

• Now grab a 9x13 pan and add butter to it so the brownies don't stick

• Add your batter and spread evenly

•  Place this in the oven for 20 minutes 
• As this cooks we will make the frosting that goes on top

• This is what it should look like when it comes out of the oven

Frosting Recipe

2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 TBL Milk
2 TSP Peppermint Extract
1 TBL Red Dye
4 TBL Soft Butter

Making The Frosting

• Put your butter and powdered sugar in a mixing bowl
• Mix these well together

• Add your peppermint and red food coloring and mix for about 2 minutes and it turns a pink color
• Add your milk

• Set aside
• Get your brownies out of the oven and allow them to cool (faster to cool if put in the fridge)
• When the brownies have cooled
• Lets make the Chocolate ganache for the top

Ganache Recipe

6 TBL Butter

1 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips

Putting It Together

• Grab a medium bowl and add your ingredients

• Melt it in the microwave on 30 second increments

• Set aside for a few minutes, not to long or it will harden

Putting The Brownies Together

• Grab your brownies
• Take your frosting and spread it the top and even it out the best you can

• Take your ganache and add it to the top of the frosting

•  Spread it as even as you can

• Now the best part, adding the peppermint sticks
• These are the ones that are made in Cincinnati and have been made from scratch since 1871

• Take them and crush them to the smallest, biggest pieces you want 
• Add them to the top of your brownies and you have the best peppermint brownies in the world

Enjoy making these, I know it may seem a little tricky, but it all flows together nicley.  Have a great day.  Enjoy