Leprechaun Brownies

Ingredients and Supplies:

*Chocolate Fudge Brownie Mix, we used Betty Crocker (make according to directions)

**Gold Foil Covered Chocolate Coins

**Andes Candy Mints, chopped

**Mint M&M Candies

**Round Disk Gold Sprinkles and Gold Sugar Sprinkles

**Grasshopper Cookies or Fudge Mint Cookies

***Store bought chocolate frosting or use the following chocolate buttercream

Chocolate Buttercream or Stabilized Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients:

*1 and 1/4 cups Butter, out of the fridge 30 minutes

*1/4 cup Butter Flavored Shortening or if you want a whiter frosting use regular shortening 

*2 pounds Powdered Sugar, around 5 and 1/2 6 cups, more or less as needed

*2 tablespoon Cornstarch 

*2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

*1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract

*1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt, to taste

*2- 3 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream or as needed

Chocolate Ganache 

Ingredients:

*6 ounces Guittard Dark Chocolate Chips

*2 tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream

Instructions:

Melt in Microwave, in glass bowl in 30 second increments, stirring between each increment until melted.  Cool slightly then place in the fridge to harden slightly, this helps to incorporate into the buttercream/frosting.  Add to the above buttercream mixture and beat until combined.  Refrigerate frosting until chilled before piping on frosting.

Buttercream Instructions:

In a bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment add the butter and shortening and beat on medium low speed until light fluffy color.  Mix in salt, vanilla and almond extracts, just until incorporated.  Then add corn starch and powdered sugar  a cup at a time.  Beat on medium speed for 30 seconds making sure all powdered sugar is incorporated.  Mix another 30 seconds.  Do not over mix it will make a lot of air bubbles you will have to hand-stir out.

Add frosting piping bag with tip of choice or simply frost with an offset spatula.

**Decorate as desired.

Note: I used 1 box of brownie mix to make two small Mini foil loaf pans and 2 four leaf clover silicone pans or 1 box of brownie mix and made 8×8 inch square baking pan, parchment lined.

Enjoy!

Lindy