Mint to be-Frango Brownies
The other morning I met a friend I hadn’t seen in a while for coffee. Thanksgiving had us talking about the holidays. We caught up on the kids’ comings and goings, where everyone was spending the holidays, and which kids would be home.
Of course, the conversation ultimately drifted to food. She mentioned ordering boxes of Frango Mints from Macy’s. FRANGO MINTS?! My eyes automatically glazed over. Frango Mints, ooohhhh, love Frango Mints. Back in the day whenever I was in Chicago, my to-do list included a stop at Marshall Field’s explicitly to buy Frango Chocolates. Delightful bites of satiny smooth chocolate flavored with mint, raspberry, or caramel.
Much to the chagrin of Chicagoans, Marshall Field’s was sold to The Federated Group, but for the rest of us, it meant those luscious chocolate morsels can now be found at Macy’s everywhere. I know, it is not the same as Marshall Field’s on State Street, sigh. But time marches on.
Doing the Frango Tango
Frango Mints straight out of the box are delectable, but those little bad boys elevate your standard brownie to a new level. Years ago, the Chicago Tribune printed a recipe for a Frango Mint Brownie. They are easy to make, and delicious with that minty twist that sets them apart. It does help to have a mixer since the recipe calls for whipping the eggs to a nice thick, foamy batter. There are no leaveners, so the egg mixture accounts for any lift in the batter. Add the melted chocolate, and fold in the flour, nuts, and chopped Frango mints. Bake. The brownies are ready when a toothpick stuck halfway between the edge and the center comes out fairly clean or just a few crumbs. Somewhere between fudgy and cakey, these brownies are just right.
With a promise to send my friend the recipe, I hustled home to make a batch of these long-forgotten gems. Well, I did have to make a stop before heading home. Lucky for me Macy’s is just a few minutes away. Had to get my signature green box of Frango Mints. (Yikes-Cyber Monday deal 9.99/box!)
Shhhh…I shouldn’t be writing this, but in a pinch, if you don’t have Frango Mints, you could use Andes Mints.
Frango Mints + Brownies + Cold Glass of Milk = Perfect Treat
You’re welcome.
FRANGO MINT BROWNIES
Ingredients
- 2 ounces baking chocolate chopped
- 1/2 cup (1 cube of butter) cut into pieces
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- 1/2 cup Field`s Frango Mints chopped
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8 inch square baking pan.
- Melt butter in medium saucepan or in microwave. Add chocolate and stir to melt until chocolate is completely melted.
- Beat eggs with an electric mixer until thick and lemon colored (~2 min)
- Gradually add the sugar to the eggs, beating thoroughly (additional 1 min) until the batter is smooth and light.
- Stir in the chocolate mixture and vanilla.
- Fold in flour and salt into the batter with rubber spatula.
- Fold in the pecans and chopped Frangos.
- Pour brownie mixture into a well-greased, 8-inch-square pan.
- Bake until the top is shiny and a crust has formed, 20 to 25 minutes. Avoid overbaking.
- Bake until wooden toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out with on a moist crumb.
- Cool on wire rack. Cut into 16 2x2 pieces.
- Store in an airtight container.
- Allow to cool completely, then cut into 2-inch squares.