Peppermint Brownies

I've been totally MIA from this blog.  I blame it on the Earth.  And my day job.  By the time I get home from work, it's basically dark out.  (Stupid winter!)  I'm still baking and cooking, I'm just not taking pictures of what I make.  Food pictures taken without natural light look kind of yellowish and unappetizing.  If you go back to the beginning of this blog you'll see what I mean.  I'm kind of embarrassed by those pictures--my poor brownie pizza....not its best light!!  Live and learn.

So anyway, it's Sunday and for the first time since the end of October we spent the weekend at home and with no company.  The Christmas tree went up, the presents got wrapped (a 3 hour job!), and I started obsessing about all of the holiday stuff I want to bake.  The problem with holiday baking is you don't really want to do it until right before the actual holiday when you can quickly give it out to family, neighbors and friends.  Otherwise it sits in your kitchen, calling your name.  Christmas treats tend to have great projection, and I can hear them from all over the house.  Especially about 11 at night, after a glass of wine has inhibited my ability to say no to them.

These peppermint brownies seemed like a good pre-Christmas-baking kind of holiday treat.  They aren't fussy or time intensive--no candy thermometer or extensive wrapping like caramels or English toffee.  

Well, a tiny bit fussy, because the chocolate melts best in a double-boiler.  If you don't have one, improvise like I do.  Put the chopped up chocolate and butter into a bowl, and set the bowl on top of a saucepan with about 2 inches of simmering water.

The best part is you can just throw the rest of the brownie stuff in this same bowl and make the base.

I whipped up the peppermint cream cheese layer in my food processor.  You know how I love my food processor.

While that all bakes...ganache.  I could eat this stuff with a spoon.  No lie.

Unfortunately while I was putting this all together, the Vikings were in a neck-and-neck with the Ravens and it was a total nail biter.  We lost, which probably goes without saying.  I'm telling you this to explain why I didn't get pictures.  I also forgot to set the timer for the cream cheese layer, which I didn't catch until I'd checked my clock a few times and realized it had been at the 3 minute mark WAY too long (3:17, and then 3:23, and then 3:27....pm, sigh).  But this recipe is particularly forgiving.  The ganache on the top covered the small crack from overcooking.  And really, look at this.

It's rich, and fudgy, and bright with peppermint.  It will undoubtedly call for me in the evenings until the kids eat it gone.  I don't care.  It's worth the extra treadmill time!

Peppermint Brownies
Slightly adapted from this Taste of Home recipe

Brownies:
8 T butter
3 one-ounce squares of semi-sweet chocolate, cut into pieces
2 eggs
1.5 cups of sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c all-purpose flour

Minty Cream Cheese Layer:
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 T butter, softened
1 T cornstarch
1 egg
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp peppermint extract
red food coloring (I use Wilson's gel)

Ganache Layer;
1 c semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c heavy cream

Crushed up candy canes or Andes Peppermint Chips (my choice) to sprinkle on top
 
Preheat the oven to 350.  Line a 13 x 9 pan with parchment paper, and spray with nonstick cooking spray if you wish to remove the brownies from the pan to cut and serve them.  Use a double-boiler (or your microwave) to melt the butter and chocolate.  Remove the bowl from the heat, and beat in the sugar.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined, and then stir in the flour.  Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the top is set.

While it bakes, beat the cream cheese and butter until well combined.  Beat in the remaining cream cheese layer ingredients.  Pour on the brownie layer, and return to the oven for another 15-20 minutes or until the cream cheese layer is almost set.  Cool.

Prepare the ganache by gently melting the chocolate chips with the heavy cream.  Allow the ganache to cool as the brownies cool.  When the brownies are entirely cool, spread the ganache over the top, sprinkle with peppermint chips, cover the pan with foil, and refrigerate until all layers are set.  Enjoy!