Double-Chocolate Mint Brownies

As a young home cook, I loved mint so much that I tinted almost all my baking green. When green cookies and green cakes failed to garner applause, my frostings began glowing like radioactive limes that tasted like toothpaste. While I still occasionally color frosting green, these Brownies don’t need it. They’re exactly perfect as they are. 

Double-Chocolate Mint Brownies:

2 c. (250 mL) semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

½ c. (125 mL) margarine

½ c. (125 g) granulated sugar

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 tsp. (5 mL) peppermint extract

¾ c. (180 mL) all-purpose flour

1 tsp. (5 mL) baking powder

¼  tsp. (1.25 mL) salt

½ c. (125 mL) chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 deg. F. Lightly grease 9x9-in. (22.5 x 22.5 cm) baking pan, lining bottom with parchment. 

In heat-proof metal bowl over hot water, melt 1 c. (250 mL) chocolate chips and margarine. Stir until fully melted. Remove from heat. Gradually beat in sugar until a little rubbed between thumb and index finger is barely grainy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in peppermint extract.

In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir flour mixture and walnuts into chocolate batter. Spoon and smooth into pan, spreading with remaining chocolate chips. Bake 25 min. Brownies are ready when toothpick poked into center comes out clean. Cool and cut into squares.