Peppermint Brownies

Ingredients

• 2½ sticks unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
• 230g unsweetened chocolate
• 2 tsp Tea Drop Peppermint tea leaves (from about 2 tea bags)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Method

Centre a rack in the oven and heat the oven to 180°C.

Butter the bottom and sides of a 9×13-inch baking pan, line it with parchment (the paper should extend at least an inch above the long sides to act as handles for getting the brownies out), and butter the paper.

Put about 5 cm of water in a small pot and heat to a gentle simmer. In a heatproof bowl set over the water, melt the butter and the unsweetened chocolate. Be sure that the water is hot but not boiling and that it does not touch the bottom of the bowl.

Stir occasionally with a heatproof spatula until the mixture is completely melted and uniform, approx 6 to 7 minutes. Turn off the heat but leave the bowl over the water.

In a food processor, finely grind the peppermint leaves with the sugar. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, peppermint extract, salt, and peppermint sugar until just combined. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture (reserve the pot of water for later).

Slowly add the flour, gently folding it in with a spatula, until incorporated.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a pick inserted into the centre comes out almost clean (a few bits of batter should cling to the pick), 35 to 40 minutes. Put the pan on a rack to cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.

Lift the paper lining to pull the brownies out of the pan. Peel the paper off the brownies and put them on a cutting board to slice.