Thursday, September 11, 2008

The Art of Food Coloring


Frozen Mint Brownies, originally uploaded by mud pie gourmet.

I'm a natural girl. Well, I love a nice pair of leather shoes (in peacock, please) as much as the next person, but I recycle, I use my own bags at grocery stores, I get after the kids for wasting water and electricity (and sometimes my hot husband, too. Uhh, sorry about that. I swear, I'm not a nag), I try not to buy foods with preservatives or added colors. But, I just can't do mint brownies without adding the green food coloring. I've tried it. It messes with my mind. It's almost like they don't taste as minty just because they don't have green icing. You see yellow, you think, "Lemon." Red--Cherry or Cinnamon, Purple--Grape. Green is mint. You can try and keep them natural and just go with the white icing, but yours just won't taste as good as my green ones.

Frozen Mint Brownies

Brownies:
3 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
3 eggs
3/4 cup flour and dash of salt

Frosting:

3 T butter
1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 T milk
1/2 tsp peppermint extract
2-4 drops green food coloring

Glaze:
2 sq unsweetened or semi-sweet chocolate
2 T butter


Melt chocolate and butter together for the brownies. Beat eggs and add sugar. Add chocolate and butter mixture and mix. Add extract, flour, salt and mix thoroughly. Spread in a 9x13 greased pan and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely (I rush cooling process by putting them into freezer).

Mix frosting ingredients together and spread on cooled cake. Cool in fridge, covered (or freezer for faster).

Make glaze by melting chocolate and butter. When at room temp, spread on top of frosting.

Place in freezer for 5 minutes to set chocolate. Cut brownies. Place in a container and keep in the freezer until you eat them! They are best right out of the freezer.

9 comments:

Lisa said...

Oh! I must try this recipe!

I also refrain from artificial colors and the like. But then there are a few items that make you forget all about your values...

Karrot Soup said...

OK, this is a really late comment, but I was just thinking of adapting some mint brownies to a Halloween party we're hosting and making the frosting orange, and drizzling the chocolate all webby-looking on top. Or something like that, we're still in the brainstorming stages. But you're right, I think it might mess with our minds...

Lucky said...

Stephanie, this is Michelle Butler's mom. Your recipes are becoming very well known!

At any rate, this chocolate
mint brownie one looks
great!

Second one I have printed so far!

Vanessa said...

oh julie. these are delicious! I just made them to take to a get-together and they are the best mint brownies i've ever had! And you are right, these are so delicious right out of the freezer!! they almost taste like ice cream bars!

Stephanie said...

Hey lady! We miss you in the blogosphere!

xo

Tasha Canyon said...

I miss reading this! I love your ideas and recipes! =)

Stephanie said...

Julie....where are you?!! I miss you!

xo

Unknown said...

Love this!

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