Mint Candy Cane & Porter Brownies

Directions

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving 1-inch overhang for handles; set aside.
2. 2. Pour brownie mix into a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together porter, oil and egg until blended. Pour over dry mix and stir until moistened and no streaks remain. Spread in prepared pan, smoothing top.
3. 3. Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and sprinkle crushed candy canes overtop immediately. Let cool completely.
4. 4. Using parchment paper handles, transfer brownies to a cutting board. Peel off paper. Cut into 12 to 16 squares. Brownies will keep in a tightly sealed airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Variation

• How about mint-ganache-topped brownies? Reduce candy cane topping by about half and set aside (rather than sprinkling over warm brownies). Very finely chop 60 g semisweet chocolate and place in a small heatproof lidded bowl or dish. In a small saucepan, bring 1/4 cup (60 mL) 35% cream to a gentle simmer over low heat. Immediately remove from heat and pour over chocolate; gently swirl to combine and cover with lid. Let stand, without stirring, for 5 minutes. Add 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) peppermint extract and stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Let stand at room temperature until cooled and thickened, about 2 hours. Spread over cooled brownies and sprinkled with reserved crushed candy canes. Cut into squares.

Tip

• For the prettiest finish, strain crushed candy cane pieces through a fine-mesh sieve and discard dust. Chunks melt better and won’t disappear into the brownie surface.