Week 19 - BYU Mint Brownies -- kind of

 

I had to take a dessert to an activity and had printed a recipe for BYU mint brownies a while ago -- however the prep time, cook time combo was 90 minutes -- and I did not have 90 minutes -- I had 45 and then I had to run out the door to soccer, then I would have only 5 minutes before leaving for the event. So I mixed and matched favorite recipes to create my own mint brownies.

They were AMAZING. I don't think I have ever gotten more compliments about something I have made as I did with these.

First, make the brownies. This is a very yummy, very easy chocolate brownies recipe. Once I discovered this recipe (in the Katy Third Ward cookbook -- calleed Cindy's Brownies and submitted by Wendy Peterson) I have never bought a brownie mix.

1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Melt butter. Add 2 cups sugar, beat well. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Blend well. Add flour, cocoa, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Add chocolate chips if you want. (Sometimes I put them straight into the batter, sometimes I sprinkle them on top). Spray a 9x13 pan. Pour in batter and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes.

While the brownies are cooking, you must make 2 frostings. The first one is the green mint frosting (and this is the exact recipe from the "official" BYU mint brownie recipe). The second is for the chocolate frosting (and this one is from a family cookbook -- as the "official" BYU mint brownie recipe ends with the line "Then frost with chocolate frosting" and doesn't even include a recipe.

The Mint Frosting

5 Tbs margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbs milk
1 Tbs light corn syrup
2 1/3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp mint extract
2-4 drops of green food coloring

Soften the margarine, Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.


The Chocolate Frosting

4 3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup boiling water
1 tsp vanilla

Beat with mixer, beat at medium speed. Let cool.


Once the brownies come out of the oven, let them cool a little -- put on the mint frosting and spread. Put pan into the freezer. The mint frosting must be frozen firm to be able to spread the chocolate frosting on top -- so you have to leave the pan in the freezer for at least an hour or so and then do the chocolate frosting. Cut and Serve. Sit back and graciously recieve the compliments!

Week 7 - Texas Sheet Cake

I grew up having lots of Texas sheet cake and always liked it but never remember thinking I had to have it. Right before we moved away from Texas to Connecticut my mom's friend Linda T. brought this Texas sheet cake to a get together. I could not keep away from it. I probably ate 4 squares of it. I immediately asked for the recipe and wrote it down. I stuck it in my binder. I moved. I forgot all about it. I found it a while ago and realized I could not actually make Texas sheet cake as I did not own a jelly roll pan.

But, now I own 4 of them. I also found powdered buttermilk at the store so I have buttermilk whenever I want (like for this recipe) although both my Mom and my sister said they just add vinegar to milk -- I guess I missed learning that substitution.

It did not disappoint. It was delicious. The frosting especially. I had to lick the spoon and bowl.

In a saucepan bring to a boil
1. 1 cup water
2. 1/4 cup cocoa
3. 2 sticks margarine (I used butter as sticks of margarine are tricky to find here in the greater NYC area -- I can get them at Stop N Shop, but not costco, trader joe's, or stew leonards which are the 3 stores I shopped at this week).

Remove from heat and add
1. 2 cups sugar
2. 2 cups flour

Stir well, then add
1. 1/2 cup buttermilk
2. 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3. 1 tsp vanilla
4. 1 tsp baking soda

Pour into a jelly roll pan (I sprayed mine with Pam although I don't know if it is necessary) and bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

While it is baking make the frosting.
Boil together
1. 1/4 cup cocoa
2. 1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs buttermilk
3. 1 stick margarine (again, I used butter)
4. 1 tsp vanilla

Remove from heat (it looks really creamy and like you want to taste it, so I did and it is awful at this point -- only bitter chocolate!!!)

Now stir in 1 pound of powdered sugar and 1 cup of nuts if you so desire.

When the cake is done, let it stand 5 minutes then pour the frosting on top. Don't forget to leave some in the bowl because now it tastes really good!

Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

 

My friend brought me a grasshopper cupcake from Crumbs the other day. It was good. It had everything I like in desssert, chocolate, chocolate, and mint. So I decided to try my hand at making them myself. The result was even better than the original! And not hard to do at all!

First, make a batch of chocolate cupcakes. Just follow the directions on the box. Any chocolate mix will work.

Next, make a bowl of instant chocolate pudding. Again, just follow the directions on the box. Let it set for about ten minutes and the put the frosting into a piping bag with a small tip (I use the little star tip)

Then, make some homemade frosting. (this is definately worth the effort)

1 1/2 cups of Crisco vegetable shortening (this is the one thing that I have noticed a taste difference between the brand name -- Crisco and the generic ones, so go ahead and splurge on the Crisco -- it will matter)
2 pounds of powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 - 2/3 cup of milk
1 tsp vanilla

That is the basic recipe -- for this specific cupcake, lower the vanilla to 1/2 tsp and then add 2 tsp of peppermint extract. (I always taste it -- you may decide you like it mintier and add more -- or you may decide that 1 1/2 tsp of peppermint is enough)

Now -- after you have added the vanilla -- but before you add the peppermint, get a quart freezer ziplock bag and put in 2 heaping spoonfuls of the white frosting.

Then add the peppermint and several drops of green food coloring to the big batch.

I then load the green mint frosting into a piping bag with a plain tip -- although for this cupcake you could just put it on with a knife.

Last, gather or prepare the chocolate shavings -- I used hershey's bar that I chopped. You could use mini chocolate chips (that is what crumbs uses) or really any chocolate. How can you go wrong???

Now you are ready for the assembly.

1. Make sure the cupcakes are completely cool.
2. Using the piping bag filled with chocolate pudding, shove the tip into the middle of the cupcake about 3/4 of the way down the metal tip. Then squeeze about 1 1/2 Tbs of pudding into the middle of the cupcake. You will see the cupcake get kind of fuller and when it is "full" the pudding will be at the top of the hole. Do this to all the cupcakes.
3. Now frost them nice and green. Important, go all the way to the sides -- so that when you roll them in chocolate there is something for the chocolate to stick to.
4. Take your freezer ziplock of white frosting and snip the corner and add the little dollap of white in the middle.
5. Roll the edges in the chocolate.

6. This step is not necessary, but I think it makes them better. Refrigerate them for an hour or two. It gives the pudding a chance to set up even firmer and gives the cake a chance to absorb all the moisture from the pudding and be so yummy and moist.

7. Eat and Enjoy.