Friday 28 December 2012

Peppermint Bark Frosted Brownies


I have been baking like crazy this month! Not that you'd know it with the lack of blogging that's been going on around here! I have so many festive recipes still to blog...and I know Christmas is over but I can eat peppermint and chocolate any day of the week and you can always pin these for next year! 


I made some homemade peppermint bark for the first time ever! We don't get bark in England (aside from in Costco, which doesn't really count since it's American anyways!) so I've always been a fan of it! It's delicious to eat by itself or to use in recipes! Watch out for some peppermint bark cheesecake truffles that I'll be blogging soon too!


There was a Christmas dinner at my work and I signed up to bring desserts.  I made these super moist and fudgy brownies (the base brownie recipe is my new fave), slathered on some creamy chocolate frosting..


and finished with a sprinkling of chopped up homemade bark, and I also melted some candy cane peppermint kisses down to drizzle across the top tying the whole peppermint theme together! 

The principal at my school said they were the best brownies she had ever eaten, so I took that as a pretty good compliment!

Peppermint Bark Frosted Brownies:
Makes 16
From Cupcake Crazy Gem

4oz (110g) dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
1 stick (110g) unsalted butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups (250g) caster sugar
1/2 cup (65g) plain flour

For the frosting:

2 cups (500g) icing sugar
1 stick (110g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark/semi sweet chocolate chips, melted
2 tbsp semi skimmed milk

1 1/2 cups chopped up peppermint bark
1/3 cup candy cane peppermint kisses

In a heatproof bowl above a pan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter together.  Once completely melted, stir in the vanilla and salt.  Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and grease a brownie tin, I used a 9x9"dish.

Whisk the sugar into the cooled chocolate mixture, and add the eggs one at a time - beating well after each addition.  Stir in the flour using a metal spoon.

Pour into your pre prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes.  I always check mine around the 18 minute mark because you really don't want to over bake these.  Once out of the oven, immediately put the brownie pan into the freezer (make sure you put a tea towel underneath it first) and leave them to get nice and fudgy in there while you make the frosting.

Beat the butter and sugar together until creamy.  I usually add the sugar one cup at a time to avoid icing completely covering my kitchen.  Melt the chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave in 30 second intervals.  Once cool, beat it into the frosting.  Add the milk and beat for 2 minutes until fluffy.

Once the frosting is finished, remove the brownies from the freezer and from the pan.  Using a palette knife, slather the brownie slab with the frosting.  Chop it into squares whilst still semi frozen as this gives you the neatest slices.  Add the chopped up peppermint bark and drizzle with candy cane kisses.

Serve and enjoy! 

10 comments:

  1. Oh Gem - these look fab. I've seen the candy cane kisses on lots of blogs now and I really want to try them. Don't think you can get them in the UK though, can you? Will have to try some other minty chocolatey goodness instead. :)

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  2. Happy Christmas Gem! Hope you had a good one in Canada?

    I have really come round to the chocolate and mint combo (never really liked it much before) so I think these will be delicious!

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  3. They look fabulous. I loive the combination of mint and chocolate and yet rarely bake with them together. I must do soon. Yummy

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  4. these look so festive! always been a bit freaked out by crushed sweets on baked goods but they add such excitement to everything,
    em x

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  5. These look so decadent & tempting! Love the combo & it looks so good with lovely color of the candy cane kisses ! Will try this recipe with all the leftover of candy canes from my gingerbread houses! YUM!

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  6. I have to tell you these look simply incredible - what lovely Christmassy flavors!
    Mary x

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  7. These look amazing - we love chocolate and peppermint, especially during the holidays :)

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  8. Hope you had a lovely Christmas for the first time in Vancouver!!! :) These brownies look super decadent and festive with the addition of peppermint bark ~

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  9. These look delicious! Anything peppermint for me :)

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  10. Yummy!
    Have you ever tried these?
    http://shoptravelfood.blogspot.fi/2012/12/pink-bebe.html

    ReplyDelete

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