BYU Mint Brownies

These brownies are killer! Killer! I can't get over how good they are. I am fighting temptation right now to go and have another one (a tray of them are sitting in my fridge as I speak ready to go to work with my husband tomorrow). I will resist though because 1 is enough. They are so rich! But SO yummy. I got this recipe a while ago from my friend Corinne. Thanks! It is actually the real mint brownie recipe, just scaled down, from Sugar-n-Spice in the Cougareat. You can find this recipe on the BYU Magazine website here. I added the chocolate frosting/topping which IMHO rocks and also changed the method a little bit to make it easier. I hope you like these brownies too!

BYU Mint Brownies

Brownies:
1 cup butter (2 sticks), melted
1/2 cup cocoa (I used Dutch Process cocoa)
2 tablespoons honey
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional, I left them out)

Mint Frosting:
5 tablespoons butter, softened
dash of salt
3 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

Chocolate Topping:
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
6 tablespoons butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Make a foil sling (to make the brownies easier to take out of pan and cut) by taking 2 sheets of foil and placing them in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan making sure there are a few inches of overhang. Take another 2 sheets and place them the opposite way across your pan making sure there is over hang. (I do double sheets of foil for strength.) Spray the foil lined pan well with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a bowl combine 1 cup melted butter and 1/2 cup cocoa powder and stir until smooth and combined. Transfer this mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer and add honey, sugar, and eggs and beat well to combine. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the mixer and beat until combined. Add in walnuts if using. Spread into the foil lined baking pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes (it was 30 minutes for me). Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

To make mint frosting: combine 5 tablespoons of softened butter, powdered sugar, and corn syrup int the bowl of a mixer. Start beating and add milk slowly until it is the consistency of thin cake frosting. Add mint extract and food coloring and beat until combined. Spread this mint frosting over the completely cooled brownies. Place in the freezer until frosting has hardened.

To make chocolate topping: combine chocolate chips and butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 45 seconds. Stir and microwave another 30 seconds or so until melted. Stir well until chocolate is smooth, melted, and completely combined with butter. Spread over the cold mint frosting layer and smooth to the edges with an offset spatula or knife. Place back in freezer until topping is hardened.

Now for the cutting. Once brownie layers are all set up and cold remove from freezer and pull the brownies out of the pan by the foil sling. Peal the foil sling off the brownies and place the slab of brownies on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife cut the brownies into squares, dipping the knife in hot water and cleaning it off after each cut (believe me this makes it so much easier). Place the brownies on a platter and refrigerate until ready to serve. YUM.