Mint Chocolate Cream Cookie Brownies

Mint and chocolate, a match made in heaven as was the case with these Mint Chocolate Cream Cookie Brownies I made recently. My rich chocolate cake recipe, baked as a brownie and flavoured with mint chocolate coffee and chopped mint chocolate cream cookies. There was only a few cookies left and it was either trying to share them out fairly or chop them up and use them in these brownies so there was more to go around. The brownies won on all counts.

I was sent these samples of Beanies flavoured coffee. My favourite was the Cinder Toffee. A really rich, cafe style instant coffee but the Mint Chocolate one, as well as being delicious to drink on it’s own, is perfect for flavouring a chocolate cake. Coffee naturally enhances the flavour of chocolate so this is a perfect blend.

This cake mix is my favourite chocolate “crazy” cake recipe that I use for all cakes like round cakes, cupcakes, loaves and brownies. If baked in a slice pan, they turn out like a rich, fudgey brownie. Start by mixing 2 tablespoons of Mint Chocolate coffee into 1 cup of hot water.

Like I said earlier, we had a few of these mint chocolate cream cookies left and there wasn’t going to be enough to go around. (I could’ve hidden them from the kids but they were onto me this time.) I thought by roughly chopping them and adding them to the brownies would add more richness and a nice crunch which it did. There was definitely more of everything to go around too so no arguments.

Mix up the dry ingredients and add the coffee liquid and other wet ingredients. 

The add the chopped mint cream cookies.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes and once cooled, top with chocolate ganache.

A rich fudgey brownie with the additional crunch of mint cream cookies. These were so good and so full of mint chocolate flavour. This recipe doesn’t contain any dairy or eggs (other than what’s in the ready made cookies) so it can be made in a hurry with basic pantry staples. A quick way to makeover a basic chocolate cake recipe by adding chopped leftover cookies (if that’s even such a thing). A piece of this brownie with a cup of Beanies Mint Chocolate flavoured coffee was the perfect combination.

Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons cocoa
• 2 tablespoons mint chocolate flavoured coffee (or 1 tsp peppermint flavoured essence)
• chopped mint chocolate cream cookies (eg Arnotts “Mint Slice”)
• 1 cup boiling hot water
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 6 tablespoons of oil (I use vegetable or canola oil)
• 1 tablespoon of white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• dark chocolate and cream for ganache topping (optional)

1. Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa, bicarb soda and salt.
2. Add coffee (or peppermint essence) to cup of hot water.
3. Add white vinegar and add to dry ingredients.
4. Stir through chopped cookies.
5. Mix well.
6. Pour mixture into a 20x25cm slice pan lined with baking paper and bake in a 170 deg C oven for approximately 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool and top with chocolate ganache (equal quantities of dark chocolate and cream).

 

 

Disclaimer:  I was sent samples of Beanies flavoured instant coffee to try. All photos, thoughts and opinions are my own. This isn’t a sponsored post.

 

 

Pineapple & Mint Cakes with Lime Drizzle

You know me and those silly cravings I get. I had a craving to make a Hummingbird Cake a few weeks ago but that didn’t happen so I’ve had a can of crushed pineapple staring at me in the pantry every time I opened the door. No point making big cakes in our house anymore otherwise I just eat the lot. I bought myself a mini loaf pan and this pineapple recipe was perfect.

Ideally, one of these ‘mini’ loaves might do two people but I ate the whole thing. It wasn’t that big, really. This recipe can be made in a normal sized loaf pan, a ring pan, round pan or cupcakes. You could also add lime zest to the icing for a bit of extra lime taste.

Pineapple & Mint Cakes with Lime Drizzle

• 1 1/2 half cups plain flour
• 1 x 450g can crushed pineaple in natural juice
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbs dried mint leaves (or 2 tbs Gourmet Garden mint)
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 6 tablespoons oil (I use canola)
• 1 teaspoon bicarb soda
• half teaspoon salt
• 1 cup icing sugar
• enough lime juice to mix with icing sugar to form a honey-like consistency for Lime Drizzle

1. Turn oven to 180 C (375 F). Grease or line baking tin well.
2. Mix the flour, sugar, canned pineapple (including juice) and water in a bowl.
3. Add mint, vinegar, oil, baking soda and salt. Mix well.
4. Pour into the tin. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Cool for 10 minutes then take out of tin.
6. Drizzle with lime icing.