Marshmallow Ripple Brownies

Though I have had brownies like this before, I have never tried to make them.  But I wanted something with marshmallows and chocolate.  These fit the bill pretty perfectly.

Makes 24 bars

3/4 cup butter
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
2 cups miniature marshmallows

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 oz unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

1. Grease a 9x13 inch pan and set aside.
2. In heatproof bowl, microwave butter and 4 oz unsweetened chocolate for one minute.  Stir well.  If chocolate is not fully melted, heat for another 30 seconds and stir until melted.  Let cool 5 minutes.
3. Stir sugar into butter-chocolate mixture.  Add eggs, one at a time, until batter is smooth.  Add vanilla and stir well.  Beat in flour just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth until even.
4. Bake brownies for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Top brownies with marshmallows immediately and return to oven for 3 minutes more.  Remove to a cooling rack until brownies are cool.
5. Bring brown sugar, water, and 1 oz unsweetened chocolate to a boil in a small saucepan.  Stir mixture occasionally while it is coming to a boil.  Stirring constantly, boil mixture for 3 minutes.  Remove saucepan from heat and add tablespoon butter and vanilla to mixture.  Stir until butter is melted, then add powdered sugar.  Beat until smooth and drizzle over marshmallows on brownies.  Smooth slightly on brownies and allow to cool.  Frosting should harden before cutting brownies into bars.

Mint Brownies

I make cookies with creme de menthe chocolate candies, which means that I inevitably buy more of them than I need and end up with extra.  This recipe grew out of an attempt to use them.  What came out was fudgy brownies with a nice minty taste and a good solid minty frosting.

Makes one 9x13 inch pan

1 cup sugar
10 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons milk
1 heaping cup chocolate chips
1 tablespoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups creme de menthe candy pieces, broken in half

1/4 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons green creme de menthe liquor
1 tablespoon milk

1. Grease 9 by 13 inch pan.  Set aside.
2. Combine sugar, butter, and milk in microwave safe bowl.  Microwave on high for 1-2 minutes or until butter is melted.  Stir chocolate chips into butter mixture until melted, microwaving another 30 seconds if needed to melt chocolate.  Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes.  If you have not already done so, this would be a good time to unwrap and break your candy pieces in half.
3. Stir eggs into batter one at a time.  Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until smooth.  Stir candy pieces into brownie batter.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Place on rack to cool completely.

4. To make frosting, beat butter and 1 cup powdered sugar with an electric mixer.  Add creme de menthe and milk, then beat until combined.  Frosting at this point might appear curdled.  Beat in as much of the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar as needed to make a spreadable frosting.  Spread frosting evenly over cooled brownies.  Cut into desired squares.