Grasshopper slice

"What is a Grasshopper slice" I hear you ask? Well, for me it was something I had always known growing up, chocolate and mint, usually in a cookie. Apparently here in Australia it's not a term they use. So thinking I would have some fun with it, I told my 10 year old nephew, with a very straight face, "you can barely taste the grasshoppers, the chocolate masks the bug taste." I could see him out of the corner of my eye watching me, waiting for me to crack a smile and tell him I was kidding, but I held it in. I tried this the next day too when I took the slices to work, but apparently they are not as gullible!
I originally found a recipe for grasshopper brownies, but can not really call them that due to a mistake I made while putting these together. The base is much more dense than a brownie, but I think it tasted great and is a nice contrast against the creamy mint ganache, so I have altered the recipe slightly.

ENJOY!

Grasshopper Slice

For brownie layer

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 cups dark chocolate finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
  

For mint ganache

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3 cups white chocolate, chopped
• 2 tablespoons crème de menthe or peppermint flavour
• 1 or 2 drops of green food colouring

For chocolate ganache

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups dark chocolate, chopped

Make brownie layer: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly butter a 13- by 9-inch baking pan and line with 2 crisscrossed sheets of foil, leaving a 2 inch overhang on all sides. Butter foil.
Melt butter and chocolate with brown sugar in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined. Whisk in flour, cocoa, and salt until just combined.
Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake until set and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs adhering, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
Make mint ganache:Bring cream to a simmer in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan and remove from heat. Pour over white chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Stir in mint flavour and colouring and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 1 hour.
Make chocolate ganache: Bring cream to a simmer in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan and remove from heat. Pour over bittersweet chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 30 minutes.
Assemble layers: Spread mint ganache over top of cooled brownie in a thin even layer using offset spatula, then chill until firm but still slightly sticky, about 30 minutes.
Spread chocolate ganache over mint and chill until firm, about 2 hours.

Note: You will want to note that these can take up to 4 hours to make because you have to wait for each layer to cool before adding the next, but it's well worth it!