If there's any time where getting a little spiffed up is appropriate, it's the holidays. Bust out the little black dresses, sequins, sparkles and red lipstick -- it's party time.
My own closet has been an adventure in appareling lately since I'm finally fitting into the last of the pre-baby outfits that were still a bit snug. I may or may not have done a little happy dance a few weeks ago when I was able to {comfortably} zip up a pair of {extremely non-stretchy} pants that I had all but given up hope on. So, for the first time in a while, I'm looking forward to exploring my closet with new found excitement for oldish attire.
Getting dressed up doesn't have to stop at your full length mirror -- this is a great time of year to give a stylish new appearance to classic favorites in your kitchen, too.
With just a few special touches, you can turn a modest bite into something with a little extra holiday pizzazz.
Take the basic brownie, for example. Maybe the plain, fudgy squares you'd find in a cafeteria aren't something you'd think to add to a gorgeous holiday spread, but with a splash of boozy mint liqueur, a dollop of mousse and a surprisingly easy-to-make chocolate flourish as its crowning finish, brownies can move to the grown up table this year.
Since today is "National Brownie Day", I thought I'd give these classic treats a chance to shine with a little holiday makeover.
BrancaMenta, a cousin to the herbaceous, bitter digestive Fernet Branca {which totally brings to mind Alfred from Batman in The Dark Knight Rises}, is the key to creating these sophisticated brownie bites. Without being overpowering, the addition of the minty liqueur gives the rich, chocolatey brownies a certain festive flair. The slight bitterness of the aperitif is balanced well by the sweetness of the chocolate and the creaminess of the tuft of mousse that tops the bites. And just like you might don your "good jewelry" for a special occasion, these guys break out their best with an elegant chocolate embellishment that will make guests take notice.
So, let brownies join the festivities this year, even if they show up a little tipsy!
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Baddish Group. I was provided with payment as well as a bottle of Brancamenta for use in this recipe. As always, the opinions here are all my own!
Boozy Mint Chocolate Mousse Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cup sugar
- ¾ cup {1 ½ sticks} butter melted
- 2 tablespoons BrancaMenta
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ⅓ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate or milk chocolate chips depending on your preference
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 inch pan with foil overlapping the sides for easy removal or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, Brancamenta, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
- Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture, mixing until just combined. The batter will be stiff and sticky. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Spread batter evenly in prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Try not to over bake.
- Remove from oven and cool brownies for about 15-20 minutes in the pan before lifting out the brownies by the foil flaps. Cool completely before proceeding to next step.
Mint Mousse
Ingredients
- 1 cup cold heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons Brancamenta
- 2 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar
- 3 oz good quality dark chocolate {I used 65% cocoa} melted and cooled
Instructions
- Combine heavy cream, Brancamenta and powdered sugar in a bowl. With a hand mixer, beat until you have stiff peaks. {You can also use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.} Set aside.
- Add about half of the whipped cream to the bowl with the cooled, melted chocolate and carefully fold together. You want to do this gently so the whipped cream doesn't lose its "fluffiness".
- Add the remaining cream and fold until fully combined -- you'll want most of the streaks of chocolate to be gone and the mixture to me mostly uniform.
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
For Embellishment:
- You'll need: A few squares of good quality chocolate and a silicone baking mat or a sheet of parchment paper.
- Break chocolate into pieces and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring until completely melted. Cool completely.
- Spoon the chocolate into a zip top bag and snip the tip to create a small opening. Create a squiggly "flourish" by drizzling the chocolate onto the silicone baking mat or parchment -- get creative! Pop it into the freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate is completely set. When ready to embellish the brownies, carefully remove the chocolate from the baking mat or parchment -- it should come right off.
For Assembly:
- When you're ready to assemble the brownie bites, you can either cut the cooled brownies into squares or diamonds, or use a cookie or biscuit cutter to punch out circles or other shapes.
- Spoon the chilled mousse into a piping bag with a round tip or a zip top bag with the tip snipped off. Carefully pipe a dollop onto the top of each brownie bite.
- Dust with some powdered sugar and top with a chocolate embellishment.
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