St. Patrick’s Day Means Irish Mist Brownies

Although I only have a “drop” of Irish blood in my ancestry, I still enjoy celebrating St. Patrick’s Day which, by the way, falls on March 17.  Living in St. Paul, MN means St. Patrick’s Day gets lots of attention.  The city of St. Paul was settled, in part, by Irish immigrants and still boasts a population of approximately 13% Irish according to the 2005-2007 American Community Survey.  There are numerous celebrations including a large parade each St. Paddy’s Day and I, for one, never miss a chance to have fun!

So, I always try to wear something green on St. Patrick’s Day and bake something that seems a little Irish.  Irish Mist Brownies fit the bill this year.  Ok, I admit, there is nothing authentically Irish about this recipe, but they have a St. Patrick’s Day sounding name and have a delightful green frosting.  I guess they are just about as Irish as I am :).   Do I get some credit for naming my first born son Ryan – a very Irish name if there ever was one?

I digress, now back to the recipe.  Irish Mist Brownies are an easy saucepan brownie.  Not too long ago I blogged about how simple it is to make homemade brownies.  Well, here is another example.  You can whip these brownies up in hardly any time, let them cool and them make them extra special with a cream cheese and butter frosting that is flavored with a little peppermint extract.  Ah heaven, my favorite flavor combination, chocolate and mint.  It just doesn’t get any better!

Begin by heating the oven to 350°F.  In a saucepan over medium heat melt the butter and chocolate, stirring constantly to prevent any burning, until melted and smooth.  I usually use one of my silicon spatulas for stirring when I melt butter and chocolate.  Silicon, unlike rubber, can be used in temperatures up to 500°F.  Using this spatula allows me to scrape down the sides of the pan as the mixture melts.  I honestly can’t image baking or cooking without my silicon spatula.  They are readily available at just about any department or kitchen store.

Remove from the heat and add the remaining brownie ingredients (sugar, flour and eggs).

Stir until well mixed.

Spread the brownie mixture into a greased 8-inch square baking pan.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the brownie just begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Be careful to not over bake the brownie or it will be hard instead of chewy.  Cool completely.

Once the brownie is cooled, make the frosting by combining all the ingredients except the drizzling chocolate in a bowl.  Beat on medium speed until creamy.

Spread over the cooled brownie.  Doesn’t that nice green frosting just scream Irish?

Now drizzle the melted chocolate over the frosting.

Let the drizzle cool so it will become firm.  Cut into bars and enjoy whether you are Irish or not.

So, how do you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?  Let me know and please take a minute to rate and review this recipe once you make it. 

Make sure to come back in a few days when Liz will share a lemon cake perfect for spring.

Becky Wahlund is the Director of the Test Kitchens for Land O'Lakes and writes for our Recipe Buzz® Blog.