Ingredients
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (60-70% cacao), chopped
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (like canola or avocado)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 2 standard tins of Altoids (about 1.75 oz each), crushed
Prepare the Pan and Mints
Preheat your oven to 350F.
Use the foil trick for your 9×13-inch pan: flip the pan upside down, shape a sheet of heavy-duty foil over the bottom, then flip the pan back over and fit the pre-shaped foil inside. Grease the foil.
Put the Altoids in a ziplock bag and crush them with a rolling pin. You want a mix of fine powder and some small chunks for texture.
Melt the Chocolate and Fats
In a large, heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chopped chocolate and the butter. Stir until smooth, then remove from the heat.
Whisk the oil into the melted chocolate mixture.
Make the Batter
In a separate large bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs together for about a minute, until the mixture is pale and slightly frothy.
Slowly stream the warm chocolate mixture into the eggs and sugar, whisking constantly until everything is combined and glossy.
In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt, and espresso powder.
Add the dry ingredients and the crushed Altoids to the chocolate mixture. Fold with a rubber spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
Bake the Brownies
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 30-35 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist, fudgy crumbs, not wet batter. The edges should look set. It’s better to underbake these slightly than to overbake them.
Cool Completely Before Cutting
Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. This is the hardest part.
For the best flavor and texture, let them sit for at least 4 hours or even overnight. The mint flavor needs time to mellow and permeate the brownies.
Lift the brownies out of the pan using the foil sling and cut into squares.
Baked Brownies with Altoids
Ingredients
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate 60-70% cacao, chopped
- 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup neutral oil like canola or avocado
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 2 standard tins of Altoids about 1.75 oz each, crushed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F.
- Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil using the flip-and-shape method, then grease the foil.
- Crush the Altoids in a ziplock bag with a rolling pin until you have a mix of powder and small chunks.
- Melt the chopped chocolate and the butter in a large bowl over simmering water, stirring until smooth.
- Whisk the oil into the melted chocolate mixture.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and eggs for 1 minute until pale and frothy.
- Stream the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture while whisking constantly until glossy.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, the salt, and the espresso powder in another bowl.
- Fold the dry ingredients and the crushed Altoids into the chocolate mixture just until combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick shows moist crumbs but not wet batter.
- Let the brownies cool completely on a wire rack, at least 4 hours or overnight.
- Lift from the pan using the foil and cut into squares.
