Candy Cane Dark Chocolate Brownies with Cookie Crust

Nobody wants a candy cane in their stocking. On Christmas morning, Reese's Trees, Andes Mints, and green and red M&M's get all the sweet-tooth glory.

So why not combine candy canes with chocolate?

As usual, I bought every seasonal mint treat I could find: Candy Cane Hershey's Kisses, Peppermint Marshmallows, and Candy Cane Oreos. I added all three of them to dark chocolate brownie mix. The brownies came out so incredibly gooey. Like, so gooey they stay that way even after they cool. They're not runny, but you'll probably want a fork to eat one.

It was all an accident.

Those red dots are peppermint marshmallows!

My mom gave me a super-complicated food processor, and I was trying to use it to chop up the Candy Cane Hershey's Kisses. I couldn't figure it out, so I turned the task over to Frank. When I turned around, he's ground them up into dust. Well.

So, the Kisses all but melted into oblivion. What they left behind: an infusion of strong minty flavor and gooey delight! I wasn't disappointed. The Candy Cane Oreo crust provides a firm foundation, so they don't run everywhere.

 

Candy Cane Dark Chocolate Brownies with Cookie Crust

What you need
1 box dark chocolate brownie mix
2/3 cup vegetable oil 
2 eggs
1/4 cup water
1 bag Candy Cane Oreos, finely chopped
1/2 stick butter, melted 
1/2 bag Candy Cane Hershey's Kisses
1 cup Peppermint Marshmallows

Put it all together

1. Grind the Oreos in a food processor until they're a fine crumb. (You can also place them a plastic bag, and crush them with a rolling pin.)
2. Combine the Oreo crumbs with melted butter, and firmly press into the bottom of a lightly greased 9" x 13" pan. 
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Stir the brownie mix, vegetable oil, and water in a medium bowl until well combined. 
5. Finely chop the Hershey's Kisses, either by hand or in a food processor. Gently stir into the brownie batter, along with the marshmallows. 
6. Pour the brownie batter over the Oreo crust, and bake for 30-35 minutes. 
7. Remove from oven, and let cool at least half an hour before serving.

Peanut Butter Brownies with Chocolate Ganache

Are you tired of peanut butter yet? Because I'm not. I've nearly worked my way through all 12 jars of my Peanut Butter & Co. peanut butter freebies. In fact, to plow through the PB, I've made peanut butter pie parfaits, Elvis whoopie pies, and triple chocolate peanut butter bars, and eaten peanut butter every single morning for breakfast. (My current obsession is a mix of crunchy and dark chocolate peanut butter swirled on an English muffin.) 

       I was committed to trying something new—I have three lemons in my fridge, I promise—but then it was my boyfriend's father's birthday. And he loves peanut-butter desserts.  So, sorry, another peanut-butter recipe. But don't hate me for being boring, because the outcome was, as all things peanut butter are, delicious. 

       The layer of ganache is rich and slightly bitter, sort of like dark chocolate, while the brownie has a robust, nutty flavor that is unfortunately rare among peanut-butter desserts.  Too often, they're only mildly nutty, so the peanut butter seems like an afterthought. But, with these brownies, the peanut-butter flavor is strong and undiluted, providing a creamy contrast to the chocolate's depth and intensity.

Peanut Butter Brownies with Chocolate Ganache

From Gourmet via SmittenKitchen.com

What you need

Brownies

2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened

1 ¾ cups sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg yolk

2 tsp vanilla 

2 cups flour

1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

½ tsp salt

Ganache

1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Put it all together

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9X13" baking pan.
2. Make the brownies: Beat together butter and sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, then add peanut butter, beating until well incorporated. Mix in the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low, and beat in the flour until just combined.
3. Fold in the chocolate chips (1 ½ cups), then pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
4. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
5. Cool completely in the pan on a cooling rack, about 1 ½ hours.
6. Make the ganache: Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan, and pour it over the  chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl. Let stand for 1 minute.
7. Gently whisk in the butter, until both the butter and chocolate are melted.
8. Spread ganache on cooled brownies. Let stand until set, about 15 minutes.