Paddy's After Eight Brownies

Storm Darwin prevented me posting delicious Valentine's Day recipes, so I'm doubly excited for St. Patrick's Day! Last year's After Eight Cupcakes were such a hit, I decided to incorporate the mints into another classic dessert- the brownie.

These brownies are no-mixer, one-bowl, easy peasy so you've no excuse not to make them! You could probably melt down the After Eights but I decided to just layer them in between the brownie batter and they melted during the baking process anyway!

The brownie recipe was featured here and is a Picky Palate original! This has become my go-to brownie recipe as I have yet to find a more delicious one, but feel free to use your favourite recipe instead!

You will need:
1/2 cup butter
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup cream flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chips
1 small box After Eight mints

1. Preheat oven to 165 degrees Celcius.
2. Line 9x9 baking tray with baking parchment.
3. Partially melt butter in microwaveable mixing bowl (40 seconds on high).
4. Mix oil and sugar into the melted butter.
5. Add eggs and vanilla, mix until incorporated.
6. Sieve in the dry ingredients and mix well.
7. Add chocolate chips and mix until the batter becomes thick.
8. Pour two thirds of mixture into baking tray, and smooth out.
9. Layer the After Eight Mints over the entire surface.
10. Cover with the remaining batter, ensuring all of the mints are covered.
11. Bake for 35-40 mins until baked through. To check this, lift the bottom of the brownies from the baking parchment, if they remove cleanly you're good to go! Be careful doing this, test only a corner so your brownies don't fall apart!
12. Allow to cool before cutting.
13. Enjoy!

Whatever you get up to have a fantastic St. Patrick's weekend!

Stay sweet! x

Creator of After Eight Mints Passes Away

It's funny how you never relate chocolate to its creator- unless it's a well marketed artisan product or bought at a farmer's market. The Lindt Choclatiers ad  definitely raised the profile of the truffles, but the floppy gild-embroidery hats definitely conjure up images of luxury.

Today I read that Brian Sollit, the man behind not only After Eight mints, but also the Yorkie bar (another favourite of mine, even though 'IT'S NOT FOR GIRLS!'), the Lion Bar and Matchsticks. His first job in the factory, at age fifteen  was piping Black Magic chocolates (which I also love!) This article is a great account of the man's life and he really seems like a man everyone would wish to know.

Another article speaks of childhood memories of After Eight mints. I know I was always a huge fan! Even to this day I tear both sides of the envelopes carefully so I won't rip the flimsy tissue paper to get a flat rectangle of dark tissue. I love folding up the wrapper to make some poor oragami too... At the risk of sounding like a fetish, I love the peppermint scent on those dark papers.Yum yum yum! I love the textured top of the mint, compared to the precise branded bottom. This treat has everything you could wish for!

For St. Patrick's Day I featured my After Eight Cupcakes, so in honour of Brian Sollit, here they are again.

Thin Mints

If you thought the Week of Cookies had already peaked with homemade Oreos, take a look at these beauts!

I was always mystified by these American Girl Scout cookies so I took the plunge and baked some up! Think of an After Eight mint, in cookie form. *salivates* These are decadent, and reminiscent of the After Eight Cupcakes I featured here for St. Patrick's Day!

The best part is these are made with cookies, left over from yesterday's post sans buttercream. 

I got this chocolate in ALDI for 89c if I remember correctly? It's fab! Great for melting down, tastes amazing and not overtly bitter like some high cocoa chocolate!

Some recipes advised using a fork to dip the cookies into chocolate (by resting on the fork like rice, not spearing the cookies) but I found it easier to dip one cookie in, slather it up and rub off the excess chocolate onto another cookie! Messy and yummy! Definitely fun to do with kids!

All you need is... 
Single homemade Oreo cookies *without buttercream*
1 bar of 74% cocoa solids chocolate
Peppermint essence

1. Melt chocolate in short bursts in the microwave, stirring often (or over a double boiler if you prefer).
2. Add in 1/4tsp peppermint essence, stir, taste.
3. Add in more peppermint if you wish. *Be careful!! This is deceivingly potent!*
4. Dip in your cookies, covering with chocolate on both sides and allow to dry on wax paper.
5. Enjoy!

So, that's the end of the Week of Cookies here on Milis! I can't wait to do something similar next year! Again, if you missed any posts you can find the link below.

• Week of Cookies featuring tips, Nutella Pillow Cookies, Snickerdoodles, Nutella 3 Ingredient Cookies and Chocolate Chip Cookies.
• Jammy Dodger Hearts
• Vanilla Chocolate Swirl Cookies
• Scrumptious Oat-Rolled Cookies
• Marshmallow Malteser Cookies
• Ory's Oreos

Which are your favourites? Let me know in the comments box! :) 

Stay sweet! x

After Eight Cupcakes

I love, love, love St. Patrick's Day! It's an excuse to indulge (as if I need any!) and you can be as tacky as you like with decorations and food colouring!

St. Patrick's Day = Green

Green = Mint

Mint + Chocolate = Win!

Although I stayed fairly calm with the flavours here, I used shamrock green cupcake cases which looked so cute and festive! 

Also, a 150g box of After Eights was the perfect size for these cupcakes, no need to buy a big box.

I used a chocolate batter, with a hidden After Eight baked inside, and kept the peppermint flavouring and green colouring for the icing. 

The results were delicious! Just like an After Eight in cupcake form!

Ingredients- Yields 12 Cupcakes

6oz self-raising flour

4oz caster sugar

4oz margarine

3 eggs

2 tablespoons cocoa

12 After Eight Mints

1. Preheat oven to 180degrees Celcius.
2. Line baking tray with cupcake cases (I used cute green polka-dot ones from Sainsburys)
3. Mix all ingredients except for the After Eights until combined.
4. Spoon half of mixture into cake tins.
5. Place a whole After Eight on top of batter in each case.
6. Cover each After Eight with more batter.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until the cupcakes are springy to touch (don't try the skewer test here!)
8. Cool on a wire rack.

Icing:

About 1/2 a bag confectioners sugar

3 drops green food colouring

3 drops peppermint essence

2 knobs margarine

2 teaspoons hot water

6 After Eight mints

1. Mix all ingredients, except After Eights until smooth.
2. Add more green colouring or peppermint essence, to taste.
3. Slice mints diagonally.
4. Ice cupcakes, I used a small spatula and worked in a circular motion, picking up the icing from side to side and finishing in a small peak in the centre of the cupcake.
5. Place the After Eight firmly into the cupcake, apex upwards.

Enjoy these beauties with a cup of tea in front of War of the Buttons!  

Let me know what you think of them in the comment box below, honestly, they're probably my favourite thing I've ever baked!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Have a great one and see you back here next week!

Stay sweet! x