I set about developing this recipe with a gold standard in mind: Andes Candies, those little rectangular foil-wrapped chocolates with a smooth ingot of minty white chocolate stacked right on top. Unlike my Fudgy Brownies these are a bit cakier, but still chocolatey enough to stand up to the rich white layer, which I infuse with fresh sprigs of fresh mint. By using coconut oil—which hardens when chilled—as a main ingredient in the ganache, we achieved the “snap” we were going for in that top layer.

Cocoa Brownies with Mint Ganache

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Ingredients

For the brownies:

• 1/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, plus more for greasing
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate

For the mint ganache:

• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 4 sprigs fresh mint
• 6 ounces white chocolate, chopped

Instructions

Make the brownies:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 x 9-inch square baking pan; set aside.
• Into a medium bowl sift the flour, cocoa, and salt; set aside.
• In another medium-sized, microwave-safe bowl combine the butter and chocolate and microwave on high, stopping and stirring every 45 seconds, until melted and smooth, 2-3 minutes total. Cool slightly, whisk in the sugar and, then whisk in the eggs until incorporated. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet until well blended.

Make the ganache:

• In a small saucepan bring the coconut oil, cream, and mint to a simmer. Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours, more, depending on your preferred level of mint intensity.
• In a small microwave-safe bowl melt the white chocolate, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth, 1-2 minutes.
• Remove the mint sprigs from the heavy cream and whisk the warm cream into the melted chocolate until emulsified.
• Spread evenly over the brownies and chill until the ganache hardens, 30 minutes. Cut into 16 equal-sized brownies.

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