2teaspoonspeppermint extractmore or less to your tastes
Instructions
Brownies
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper and spray with baking spray, set aside.
Melt chocolate and butter in the microwave in a medium-sized bowl. Start with 30 seconds and stir. Continue heating in 15 second intervals until completely melted. Cool slightly, about 2 minutes.
In a large bowl, beat eggs while gradually adding sugar. When all of the sugar is beaten in, slowly add the chocolate mixture**. Continue beating until smooth.
Add the flour, salt, and vanilla extract. Beat for one full minute to combine. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, do not over bake. Allow to cool completely
Fudge Topping
Place the sugar, evaporated milk, corn syrup, chocolate, butter, and salt in a 2.5 quart sauce pan. Stir mixture over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the chocolate is melted.
Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally until mixture reaches 236 degrees, soft ball stage, and remove from heat.
Let mixture sit WITHOUT stirring until it cools to lukewarm temperature (110 degrees).
Beat fudge with a hand mixer or wooden spoon until it loses its gloss. Add food coloring and mix to thoroughly combine.
Stir in the peppermint extract and immediately pour over the cooled brownies. Spread evenly over the top.
Sprinkle decorative jimmies and/or sprinkles over the fudge and gently press down into the fudge so they adhere.
Allow brownies to cool for 4 to 5 hours before serving. Cut into 2-inch squares and enjoy.
Notes
**To temper the egg/sugar mixture; add a small amount of the melted chocolate, beat to combine, then continue adding until it is all mixed together. If you just dump the warm chocolate into the eggs mixture, you will end up with chocolate scrambled eggs.
Do not let your fudge sit for too long in the pan before pouring over the brownies, or it will be too thick to pour. Carefully reheat over low heat to get it back to pourable if needed.
If you go past soft ball stage do not panic! Your fudge may end up a bit grainier and thicker, but it will still be delicious. Keep an eye on the temperature, and keep stirring to avoid any hot spots.
If the temperature does not increase steadily, check the temperature with an instant read thermometer.