Red Velvet-Peppermint Swirl Brownies

This recipe comes from the December 2012 issue of Southern Living magazine. I love Red Velvet Cake (be sure to check out that recipe too!) and I needed something festive to take to a party. Well, cake is nice be not as easy to serve and eat when it’s more of a grazing thing going on.

I couldn’t resist giving this a try. The photo made it look yummy. And it is. Even with everything that went wrong. LOL I didn’t have Peppermint extract. I added crushed peppermints. It seemed to work. I’ll know when I actually buy some Peppermint extract and make them again. Oh, and I had to retrieve utensils -- and wash them -- more times than I can say. But it all worked out and I managed to laugh through it all. The brownies were worth it all.

Red Velvet-Peppermint Swirl Brownies

1 (4-oz.) bittersweet chocolate baking bar, chopped
¾ cup butter
2 ¼ cups sugar, divided
4 large eggs
1 (1 oz.) bottle red liquid food coloring
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
½ (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of a 13-x-9-inch pan with aluminum foil, allowing 2 to 3 inches to extend over sides; lightly grease foil.

Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 ½ to 2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals. Whisk in 2 cups sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, whisking just until blended after each addition. Add food coloring, peppermint extract and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gently stir in 1 ½ cups flour and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Beat cream cheese and remaining ¼ cup sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg whites and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until blended. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Drop cream cheese mixture by heaping tablespoonfuls over batter in pan; gently swirl with a knife.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 32 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Lift brownies from pan, using foil sides as handles. Gently remove foil; cut brownies into squares.

Makes about 2 dozen. (I cut them into smaller, bite-size pieces)

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