Grasshopper Bars Recipe | Bake the Book (2024)

For the Brownie Base:

• 3/4 cup flour

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon dark unsweetened cocoa powder(like Valrhona)

  See Also

  Recipe /// Black Cherry White Chocolate Cupcake in a Jar

• 5 ouncesgood quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 1/4 cup firmly packedlight brown sugar

• 3 large eggs, at room temperature

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Buttercream:

• 3/4 cup sugar

• 2 tablespoons flour

• 3/4 cup milk

• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, softened but still cool, cut into small cubes

• 3 tablespoons creme de menthe

• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract

For the Chocolate Glaze:

• 6 ouncesgood-quality dark chocolate (60 to 72%), coarsely chopped

• 1 teaspoon light corn syrup

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes

1. For the Brownie Base: Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).

2. Butter sides and bottom of glass or light-colored metal 9-by-13-inch pan. Line bottom with sheet of parchment paper, and butter the parchment. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and cocoa powder.

3. Configure a large size double boiler. Place chocolate and butter in bowl of double boiler and stir occasionally until chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off heat, but keep bowl over the water of double boiler and add both sugars. Whisk sugars until completely combined. Remove bowl from pan. Mixture should be at room temperature.

4. Add 3 eggs to chocolate/butter mixture and whisk until just combined. Add vanilla and stir until combined. Do not overbeat batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.

5. Sprinkle flour/cocoa/salt mix over chocolate. Using a spatula (do not use a whisk) fold dry ingredients into wet until there is just a trace amount of flour/cocoa mix visible.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth top with an offset spatula, and bake for approximately 12 to 15 minutes, rotating halfway through the baking time. Brownies should be just a tad underdone (not too gooey, but ideally, just 1 minute from being cooked through completely). A toothpick inserted into brownies at an angle should contain a few loose crumbs. Remove brownies from oven and let cool completely while you make crème de menthe filling.

7. For the Buttercream: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, whisk sugar and flour together. Add milk and cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, 5 to 7 minutes.

8. Transfer mixture to bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on high speed until cool. Reduce speed to low and add butter and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high and beat until filling is light and fluffy.

9. Add crème de menthe and peppermint extract and mix until combined. If filling is too soft, chill slightly in refrigerator and then mix again until it is the proper consistency.

10. If filling is too firm, place bowl over pot of simmering water and re-mix to proper consistency. Spread filling evenly across the top of brownie layer and place pan in refrigerator, for a minimum of 45 minutes, while you make chocolate glaze.

11. For the Chocolate Glaze: In a large non-reactive metal bowl, combine chocolate, corn syrup, and butter. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with rubber spatula, until mixture is completely smooth. Remove bowl from pan and stir vigorously for 1 minute to release excess heat.

12. Pour mixture over chilled crème de menthe layer and use offset spatula to spread it into even layer. Place pan back in refrigerator for 1 hour, or until glaze hardens.

13. Remove pan from refrigerator, wait about 15 minutes for glaze to soften slightly, and cut bars with warm knife. Cut into squares and serve immediately.

    Notes

    The bars can be stored in the refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.