Recipe Friday

Chocolate-mint Bars

Bottom layer:
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs, beaten
1 (16-ounce) can chocolate syrup
Cooking spray

Mint layer:
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring

Glaze:
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons butter

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. To prepare bottom layer, lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and salt; stir with a whisk. Combine granulated sugar, egg substitute, 1/4 cup melted butter, 2 tablespoons water, vanilla, eggs, and chocolate syrup in a medium bowl; stir until smooth. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring until blended. Pour batter into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 23 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
3. To prepare mint layer, combine powdered sugar, 1/4 cup melted butter, and next 3 ingredients (through food coloring) in a medium bowl; beat with a mixer until smooth. Spread mint mixture over cooled cake.
4. To prepare the glaze, combine the chocolate chips and 3 tablespoons butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until melted, stirring after 30 seconds. Let stand 2 minutes. Spread chocolate mixture evenly over top. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into 20 pieces.

Verdict: eh. I'm honestly not sure what possessed me to make these - I fully believe that mint is for teeth cleaning products only. To me, these taste like brownies with a layer of Crest. But at least they're pretty. B, a great lover of mint-chocolate chip ice cream, was only mildly impressed, saying that they tasted more like cake then brownies. Probably because this is yet another recipe from Cooking Light, so it doesn't have the enormous amounts of fat required to make a really fudgy brownie. Right now, the plate of them is sitting near the printer at my work and they seem to be disappearing at the standard rate. I sit close enough to eavesdrop, so I will update in Twitter if I overhear any comments.