Very Cool Brownies

Ingredients

• 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• ½ cup (42 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• ¼ cup (34 g) all-purpose flour
• 16 thin dark-chocolate-covered peppermint patties (about 5 ounces / 140 g), roughly chopped into ½-inch pieces

Instructions

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325°F (165°C).
2. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the cocoa powder and salt and stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.
3. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with baker’s spray. Line the bottom and two opposite sides with parchment, leaving an overhang for lifting, then lightly spray the paper.
4. Whisk the eggs into the warm butter-cocoa mixture one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition until the batter looks smooth and shiny.
5. Whisk in the sugar until well blended. Switch to a flexible spatula and gently fold in the flour just until no dry streaks remain.
6. Fold in the chopped peppermint patties, distributing the pieces throughout the batter without overmixing. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the thin layer as evenly as possible.
7. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, until the surface looks set and a tester inserted away from a melted peppermint pocket comes out with moist crumbs. Do not overbake.
8. Cool completely in the pan, then chill for about 30 minutes for the cleanest cuts. Lift out with the parchment and cut into 9 squares. Serve cool or chilled.