Appetizers

Chocolate Mint Squares

This chocolate mint square which is a three-layer no-bake square, on the top you have a layer of chocolate and underneath that, you have a mint-flavored buttercream and at the bottom, you have this delicious mixture of graham cracker crumbs, cocoa, dried coconuts, and some chopped nuts. So the first thing you will need to do is prepare the pan, you will need a 9 inch (23 cm) square baking pan. Spray the pan and then you can line the pan with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil cut the paper one going to the other way and the other on the other way and use clips to clump it so it stays.

In a large bowl, you will need graham cracker crumbs or you can use even crushed digestive biscuits, put your graham crumbs and put them in a plastic wrap, and use a rolling pin crush it to get the crumbs. To that add chopped nuts (make sure you chop them evenly. You can use wall-nuts, pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts), and dried coconut either sweetened or unsweetened. You can use shredded you can use flaked but we will use the sweetened today. Toss all that using your clean hands then in a medium saucepan you will need butter either sweetened or unsweetened whatever you have in the house.

Put it in medium or medium-low heat and melt the butter, in a separate bowl whisk an egg using a wire whisk to break it out. Try to have your egg in room temperature. Once the butter is melted add to it granulated white sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder. You could use regularly sweetened or you could use the Dutch process whatever you have. Mix all these together and until it is melted have your heat at low at this point.

Take the saucepan off the heat (because you want to whisk in your egg). It is warm so have your egg at room temperature. You want to be whisking all the time so as not to scramble your egg you just want to incorporate it to the hot mixture. So do it whisking and do it gradually. Put the saucepan back to the heat, and cook that egg a little and thicken the mixture over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens (it will take about 1 – 2 minutes). Remove from heat and add in the vanilla extract to add in flavor then add the liquid mixture pour that over that graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and chopped nuts.

Mix it well using a spatula to get all the graham cracker crumbs mixed in the mixture, you can use your hand to mix it up. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan using the back of the spoon or your hand. Try and get an even layer use the spatula to make it even and flat and that is it. Cover and refrigerate until it is nice and firm (about an hour) you can leave it overnight if you want. Next, make the mint buttercream. You will need butter you could use salted or unsalted just have it at room temperature, mash it up using a spatula. You could use a hand mixer, stand mixer, or do it by hand, you will need confectioner sugar you may know that as powdered or icing sugar. Sift it since it may have lumps you can use a strainer or an actual sifter.

Add the sifted confectioner sugar to the butter and start it mixing by hand using a spatula then put your mixer on low speed and mix until it comes together. Once it starts to come together add in milk to get it to that spreading consistency, you could use milk or half n half or cream depending on how rich you want your buttercream to be. Mix that using a hand mixer. To add the mint flavor you can use pure paper mint extract or pure peppermint oil.

If desired, add a little green food coloring gel or any liquid food coloring and beat until the filling is uniform in color. If the mixture is too thick to spread, add a little more milk, use a spatula to mix it all in and make sure the color is well mixed. Spread the filling over the bottom layer using a spoon to spread it evenly, cover it up, and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes). For the last layer you will need a saucepan of simmering water and in a heatproof bowl get chocolate you can use semi-sweet or bittersweet.

Try to use a chocolate that you like to eat on its own and use waiver size or chocolate bar that you coarsely chopped when you melt the chocolate it gets nice and smooth. Add in vegetable shortening you can use butter just a little bit it kind of makes the chocolate nice and fluid and make sure your water is at a simmer and just melt it together. When the chocolate is melted take it off the heat and stir it is a little warm.

You want it fluid when pouring to the buttercream but not warm to melt the buttercream, so let it cool to lukewarm then drizzle over the filling use a spoon or spatula and spread that out evenly and refrigerate not for very long just until the chocolate has set a little it will lose its shine. To prevent the chocolate from cracking bring the squares to room temperature and then, using a sharp knife, cut into pieces. Wipe the knife in between the cuts.

If your chocolate is hard just let it set before cutting in it and enjoy it. The whole combination is like one of those little peppermint patties because of the pure peppermint oil that gives you the mint flavor.

Ingredients;

Crumb Base:

  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar
  • 1/3 cup (30 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder (regular or Dutch-processed)
  •  1 large egg, beaten
  • 1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (200 grams) graham cracker crumbs (or crushed Digestive Biscuits)
  • 1 cup (65 grams) dried coconut (either sweetened or unsweetened, shredded or flaked)
  • 1/2 cup (50 grams) walnuts or pecans, finely chopped

Mint Buttercream:

  • 1/4 cup (55 grams) butter, at room temperature
  • 3-4 tablespoons milk or light cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) pure peppermint extract or 1/4 teaspoon (1 gram) pure peppermint oil
  • 2 cups (230 grams) powdered sugar (confectioners or icing) sugar, sifted
  • Green Food Coloring (optional)

Chocolate Topping:

  • 6 ounces (170 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
  • 1/2 tablespoon (6 grams) butter or vegetable shortening

Instructions;

  1. Chocolate Mint Squares: Butter, or spray with a nonstick cooking spray, a 9 inch (23 cm) square baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper, wax paper, or aluminum foil.
  2. Crumb Base: In a saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter. Stir in the sugar and cocoa powder. Take the saucepan off the heat and gradually whisk in the beaten egg. Return the saucepan to the heat, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens (1 – 2 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract, graham cracker crumbs, coconut, and chopped nuts. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until firm (about an hour).
  3. Mint Buttercream: In your electric stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth.
  4. Beat in the remaining ingredients. If desired, add a little green food coloring and beat until the filling is uniform in color. If the mixture is toothpick to spread, add a little more milk. Spread the filling over the bottom layer, cover, and refrigerate until firm (about 30 minutes).
  5. Chocolate Topping: In a heatproof bowl, placed over a saucepan of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter. Let cool to lukewarm, and then spread over the filling and refrigerate just until the chocolate has set (5-10 minutes).
  6. To Serve: To prevent the chocolate from cracking bring the squares to room temperature and then, using a sharp knife, cut into pieces.

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