Recipes For Mousse Topped Brownies and a Mint Brownie Pie

Brownies are a dessert loved by almost everyone. The recipes below offer two different ways of serving brownies when you want to do something different.

MOCHA MOUSSE TOPPED BROWNIES
Brownies:
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan and set aside.

Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a saucepan over low heat; pour into a mixing bowl and beat in sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time beating after each one.

Combine the hot water and coffee granules; add to the chocolate mixture.

Combine the flour, cocoa, and baking powder together and beat into the chocolate mixture. Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake brownies at 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted into the near center of pan comes out clean. Cool brownies in the pan on a wire rack.

Mousse Topping:
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons instant coffee granules
1 pkg (3-oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
1 cup heavy whipping cream

In a saucepan, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold water. Let gelatin/water stand for 1 minute. Cook, while stirring, over low heat until gelatin is completely dissolved. Remove gelatin from the heat and stir in the coffee granules until they are dissolved.

In a small mixing bowl beat the cream cheese until smooth then beat in the milk and melted chocolate chips.

In a chilled mixing bowl, with chilled beaters, beat the whipping cream with the gelatin mixer until soft peaks form. Gently fold into the cream cheese mixture. Spread the mousse over the top of the cooled brownies. Cover and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours.

Cut the chilled brownies into squares to serve.

MINT BROWNIE PIE
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 large eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp mint flavoring, optional
2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease a 10-inch springform pan and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar in large mixer bowl. Add the corn syrup, mixing together well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one is added.

Combine the flours, cocoa powder, and salt; add to the sugar mixture alternately with the milk and mint flavoring, if using. Fold in the nuts.

Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted approximately 1-inch from the side comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.

GANACHE:
1 cup whipping cream
8 (1-oz each) squares semisweet baking chocolate, chopped

In a saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Remove pan from the heat and stir in the chocolate until it is melted.

Remove sides from the cooled brownie. Set wire rack over waxed paper. Pour the ganache over the brownie and spread over the top allowing some to drip down the sides. Allow to stand until ganache is set.

To serve, place a couple of Andes mint candies decoratively on each slice.

Enjoy!

For more of Linda's dessert recipes visit her blog at http://ladybugssweettreats.blogspot.com.
For her diabetic dessert recipes visit her at http://diabeticenjoyingfood.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Linda_Carol_Wilson

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