Happy Peppermint Mocha Season!
Oh, whoops, I mean Happy Holiday Season, of course!
How has everyone’s December been so far? Filled with love and candy canes? Blue, white, green and red twinkly lights and eggnog? Endless peppermint mocha lattés and adorable gift-wrap with snowmen on it?
As most of you know, if I could, I would celebrate this season all year long, Michael Bublé’s holiday album would be forever playing in my car, and I would have our Christmas tree up and lit 365/24/7! So, I guess I’m really in my prime for the next couple of weeks.
After returning from a long weekend in Miami for Art Basel and Roberto’s birthday with my favorite couple (and future sister-in-law!), I was ready to pack away the little rompers and bring out the super hip sweaters with fuzzy polar bears on them—but it happens to be 70˚ here this week, so I guess I’ll just overheat in my dress-sweater combo, while pretending that it’s blizzarding outside.
This all includes lot and lots of hot chocolate with a candy cane, some yummy stew made by my one and only, and peppermint mocha brownies!
Yes, I am excited for the first two, but who doesn’t love super fudgy, extra rich, mocha and minty brownies?! I have no clue—especially when they are topped with a sweet white chocolate glaze and basically a snowstorm of candy canes!
The small amount of flour in these brownies, and lots and lots of chocolate, allow them to become oh so gooey in the center, while the outside has a slightly crisp “shell.” If the combination of a smooth center, and an even creamier white chocolate glaze isn’t enough for you, how about the fact that there’s extra caffeine fun with coffee grounds mixed in! Yes, my sweet, cheery, latté loving friends, I have just made your dreams come true with this here dessert—basically an edible peppermint mocha. I don’t believe I can say it enough times, or with enough excitement!
Peppermint. Mocha. White Chocolate. Candy Canes. Brownies.
Please do yourself a favor and make these as soon as possible, because while I write this post, I’m already on my second…or maybe third…slice!
ingredients
Butter—8 oz, or 1 C/2 sticks
Semi-Sweet Chocolate—4 oz
Candy Canes, crushed—3
Cocoa Powder—1 oz, or 1/3 C
Eggs—3
Sugar—14 oz, or 1 ¾ C
Coffee Grounds—0.2 oz, or 2 tsp
Vanilla Extract—0.1 oz, or ½ tsp
Peppermint Extract—0.1 oz, or ½ tsp
Flour—5.25 oz, or 1C + 1 TBL
Salt—0.1 oz, or ½ tsp
Baking Powder—0.1 oz, or ½ tsp
Sweetened Condensed Milk—7 oz, or ½ can, or 2/3 C
Butter—0.5 oz, or 1 TBL
White Chocolate—6 oz, or 1 C
Candy Canes, crushed—4 or 5
process
Preheat your oven to 350˚ F.
Over a double boiler, combine the butter, semi-sweet chocolate, cocoa powder and candy canes.
While that is melting, beat your eggs together, using the paddle attachment, or, if using your hands, a whisk, with the sugar and coffee grounds for 3-5 minutes, so that they are light and fluffy. This will help keep them from coagulating when you add in the warm chocolate.
Add in your two extracts.
In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Once your chocolate mixture has melted, slowly stream it into your beaten eggs with the mixer on low speed.
Add in your sifted, dry ingredients.
Only mix until combined.
Pour batter into a pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. I like to use a springform pan, which makes for much easier removal of the brownies when you’re ready to eat them!
Baking for 27-30 minutes, until the center is just slightly jiggly—this is what makes them fudgy!
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.
Once cooled, melt together the sweetened condensed milk, 1 TBL of butter, and white chocolate.
Pour over the cooled brownies and sprinkled with the 4 or 5 (or more!) crushed candy canes.
Allow to cool and harden, then cut and enjoy!
Bon Appétit!