Chocolate Mint Brownie + A small request

It’s been weeks since I promised to post this recipe. My mom flew from Singapore for a visit, Melbourne has enjoyed some hail storm warnings and it’s suddenly that time of the year again where the much coveted Saveur Blog Award nominations have open.

And so I have a small request to make for you, one of the main reason why I started my blog and Instagram account was to use it as a source of documenting each bake that I did. Before this “adventure”, I often found myself constantly thinking back to the different things that I’ve made in the past but without anything beyond my memory (and those who ate them) to reference it’s existence.

Whilst this still holds true, a bigger part of me is now motivated by the people that I’ve met and gotten to know (both in person and virtually) over the last year and a half. Talking to each and everyone of you was amazing and a whole lot of fun. Every time I receive a message from you telling me that you’ve tried a recipe from this blog, fills me with such joy. I feel that through these post, I managed to sneak my way into a small part of your kitchen and life. Creepy? Potentially, but I’m just being honest. 😉

And I want this journey to continue and for me to grow more as a food enthusiast by expanding my knowledge and the circle of people that I know.

The Saveur Blog Awards was always one of those things that I’ve admired from afar and wish I had the courage to go after. So this year, I’m going to risk it and step out of my shell and ask if you wouldn’t mind taking a few moments of your time to nominate this blog in the ‘Best New Voice’ category if you enjoyed my posts and the stories on this blog.

Whether you do choose to nominate this blog or not, I really appreciate that you’ve taken time out of your day to stop by this blog and for enduring my little babbling moments.

Now, brownies like cookies are so subjective. Some like it cakey, some like it dense and fudgey, some chewy, and some meltingly tender. It’s honestly a mix bag of favouritism and no one brownie will be able to stand up to everyone’s needs.

However, that being said, I think one thing we can all agree on is that a brownie, should be by nature, chocolatey. If it ain’t, then it ain’t good enough.

So these here are chewy, fudgey chocolatey brownies. One with a nice bite and a decent chocolate melt to it. Elevated from its roasted chocolatey notes by the addition of peppermint extract to bring a hint of freshness.

The fudgey side of it is less prominent as compared to some of my other brownie recipes on this blog, but do not be fazed by it, it’s still plenty dense.

The bulk of the recipe comes from the King Arthur Flour website and I’ve made some minor adjustments to cater it more towards my liking (because I just couldn’t help myself and put my spin on things). The original was great but I have a personal preference for my minor adjustments to the recipe.

So the next time you crave some crinkle glossy eye-candy that tastes as good as it looks, give these beauties a try.

Bakers note:

• The main key point to note (as with every recipe on this blog) is to be sure that no matter what you do, you are using good quality ingredients. There are some things that you can skim on (in this instance sugar and flour) but there are some other things that just needs that extra bit of extra love (mint extract, cocoa powder, chocolate).
• Be cautious with your baking time and lean on the side of underbaking it rather than overbaking it. The brownie will be moist but it shouldn’t be raw. A toothpick inserted in the middle should come out with some small crumbs but not batter on it.
• A dark colour pan will always bake faster than a light colour pan
• I suggest doing a quick tap/slam of the tray on your counter (protect your counter top so you don’t damage it) when you rotate the brownies just to let it get even more compact and to knock out any air bubbles.
• The partially melted chocolate is key in this instance and helps with getting that super thin, shiny, flaky crust. I use couverture chocolate as it melts relatively quickly and doesn’t contain any of the stabilisers that you find in your off-the-shelf supermarket chocolate chips which allows them to retain its shape even after you’ve baked it. If you are using a block of chocolate, chop it into nice small chips size pieces as it’ll melt more evenly.
• Whether you manage to find the time to nominate this blog or not, I really appreciate all the support and the love you’ve shown and for even getting this far into my post despite my babbling.
• And if you are like me, you might sneakily sprinkle some salt onto your slice of brownie before digging in.
• I recommend giving your brownie a nice bang on the counter top just to help compact it and remove any air pockets that may have form in order to create a denser brownie. If you choose not to do so, it will still be amazing and fudgey. However, be sure to protect your counter top with a folded cloth or heat proof cork pads to ensure that you do not damage it in the process.

A Chocolate Mint Brownie

Adapted from King Arthur Flour

Serves 12-24

What you’ll need

• 230g unsalted butter
• 445g white sugar
• 1tsp salt
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 1tsp espresso powder
• 1tbsp vanilla extract
• 106g dutch cocoa powder
• 1tsp baking powder
• 1tsp peppermint extract
• 177g AP flour
• 205g 70% dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces

Making it!

Preheat your oven to 180C and line a 13″x9″ baking tray with baking paper.

In a small pot, melt the butter, sugar and salt until some of the sugar has melted.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, vanilla extract, peppermint extract and eggs on medium speed until smooth.

Add the warm butter mixture to the cocoa mixture and beat until smooth.

Scrape the bowl and add the flour, beat on low until just incorporated.

Whilst the brownie mixture is still warm, add the chopped chocolate into the mixture and let sit for 30 seconds to allow the heat of the mixture to melt the chocolate.

Mix on low until its 50% incorporated into the batter. (should only need a few turns of the paddle depending on how well your chocolate melts and how big the pieces were.)

You want the chocolate to melt through the brownie mixture but still leaves streaks of chocolate behind as that helps with creating that shiny, crinkly top.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway and giving the pan a nice bang on your protected counter top. Test with a toothpick by poking the middle of the brownie, its done when a few moist crumbs (not batter) clings to it.

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If you enjoy this recipe and my blog post, please nominate this blog in the ‘Best New Voice’ category for the Saveur Blog Awards 2018. I really appreciate your time and effort and thank you for reading this far. 🙂

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