So, I decided to do something fun with this impulse purchase. Originally, I decided to have a mini-Girl Scout Challenge in my kitchen. I have a ton of copycat recipes for girl scout cookies and thought it would be fun to have a bake-off/taste-test, etc. Then I realized that it would be even more absurd to have double the amount of cookies in our house. So, I settled on a single brownie recipe instead. These brownies are baked with chunks of thin mint cookies.
I love dark chocolate and decided these would be made best with all things dark. I opted for Hershey's dark cocoa powder instead of unsweetened cocoa powder. I also used 8 ounces of dark chocolate (61% cacao) Ghiradelli baking chips instead of baking chocolate because I didn't have it on hand (although convenient, chocolate in bar form retains chocolate flavor much better than chips, it makes a difference in baked goods, try it!). These brownies were an explosion of chocolate and pretty good. I made mint brownies last year (during one of my 3am baking binge sessions at finals) with Andes baking chips and a chocolate ganache frosting. Those turned out to be pretty good and I think that if I baked again, I would use that recipe w/ the thin mint pieces and add the ganache. The brownies would be absolutely amazing. I need to find that recipe...
On a side note, my mom suggested that I start bringing some of my baked goods to a shelter or a senior citizen's community. I often bring goodies into work/school, but I'm fearful that people get annoyed when I do this. I'm weird, I know, but if someone was always shoving baked goods into my face, I'd feel compelled to eat them and I would feel bad if I turned them down. I wish I had a place to bring all of these goodies (like a bakery shop that I own!!) and I am on a hunt to find a willing place. I still intend to bring goodies into work/school, but for how much I bake, this stuff needs to go elsewhere too!
adapted from The Food Librarian
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- I used Hershey's dark cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- I used dark Ghiradelli baking chips
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 sleeve Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, chopped.
- (16 cookies)
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line 9 x 9 square pan with parchment paper and butter or spray with Pam with flour.
- I could not find my 9x9 so I used an 8x8. It worked fine.
- In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- Place butter and semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of gently simmering water.
- I used my double-boiler.
- Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth.
- Remove bowl from heat.
- Add sugar; mix to combine.
- Add eggs one at a time, and mix to combine.
- Add flour mixture; mix just until moistened (do not overmix).
- Fold in chopped Girl Scout Thin Mints.
- Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 40-50 minutes.
- Original recipe note: be sure to check them early. The original recipe says "50-60 minutes" but she found them to be done at 50.
- With 8x8 pan, mine took about 46 minutes (with a wavering oven).
- Cool in pan for 30 minutes.
- Using paper overhang, lift brownies out of pan; transfer to a rack to cool completely (still on paper).
- On a cutting board, using a dampened serrated knife, cut into squares.
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