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.

Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

Boredom doesn't bode well with me. I don't have cable (weird, I know), and my (stolen) internet connection tends to be spotty. So, instead of binging on Hulu, I dig through my pantry, mix random ingredients, and pray the resulting creation doesn't explode in my oven. I've had a few failures: collapsed butter cake, delicious dough that turned into disgusting cookies, a pie that overflowed into a goopy mess. But my latest experiment was a sweet success: I constructed a three-layer bar from a tongue-teasing, sweet-and-salty combination of peanut butter, white, dark, and milk chocolates, graham cracker crumbs, and nuts. In other words, ingredients that guarantee eat-the-entire-pan results. 

 Triple Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

What you need

Bottom layer
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup Peanut Butter & Co. Dark Chocolate Dreams 

Middle layer
5 oz. white chocolate
¼ cup salted peanut halves
¼ cup Peanut Butter & Co. White Chocolate Wonderful

Top layer
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips
¼ cup creamy peanut butter 

Put it all together

1. Make the bottom layer: In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, and dark chocolate peanut butter. Press into an ungreased 9x13 baking pan.
2. Make the middle layer: Place the white chocolate and white chocolate peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 1 minute (or until melted), stirring every 30 seconds. Pour over the bottom layer, and spread evenly with a spatula. Place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, or until chocolate has hardened.
3. Make the top layer: Place the milk chocolate chips and peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 1 minute (or until melted), stirring every 30 seconds. Pour over the hardened middle layer, and spread evenly with a spatula. Place in the refrigerator for an hour before serving. 

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