These After Eight Brownies fixed everything for me last week. Sometimes I have a week in the kitchen that tests even my most basic of baking skills. Last week was definitely one of those – A week that made me question whether I’d lost my ‘knack’. I prefer to take these weeks as a lesson that even the most experienced bakers sometimes need to revisit the basics and learn to love baking and creating once again.
Fair to say I had my share of baking disasters last week. Nothing serious, just a few bakes that didn’t quite live up to expectations. They weren’t expensive mistakes – just a little under cooking, missing out some vital ingredients and basically just rushing to get something made instead of focussing on the quality.
So back to the basics it is. A good old brownie recipe made a little more exciting by adding 10 After Eight Mints. I may have eaten the same amount while I was doing the washing up too – Purely to make up for the disasters, you understand! I love being able to use up some of the leftover Christmas chocolate which would otherwise get nibbled away or stay festering in a cupboard. This recipe can be made using light brown sugar, muscovado or even caster sugar if you want to use these up (Your brownies will be much paler obviously if you use caster sugar).
AFTER EIGHT BROWNIES
| Serves | 8 |
| Prep time | 15 minutes |
| Cook time | 25 minutes |
| Total time | 40 minutes |
| Meal type | Dessert, Snack |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Freezable, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party |
INGREDIENTS
- 10oz Butter (I used Salted as I like the extra hit of salt)
- 12oz Soft Dark Brown Sugar
- 4 Large Eggs
- 4 tablespoons Golden Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 6oz Plain Flour
- 5 tablespoons Cocoa Powder
- 10 After Eight Mints
DIRECTIONS
| After Eight Brownies | |
| 1. | |
| Preheat the oven to 180C and line a 9″ square silicone baking tray | |
| 2. | |
| In a medium pan, heat the butter and sugar until melted. Mix thoroughly | |
| 3. | |
| Leave t cool for approx 5 minutes and whisk the egg in. You don’t want it to be too warm or the eggs will scramble | |
| 4. | |
| Stir in the vanilla & syrup. Fold in the cocoa and flour until combined | |
| 5. | |
| Pour into the baking tray and crumble the After Eight mints, adding evenly to the mixture. Some will sink – that is fine | |
| 6. | |
| Bake for 25 minutes – if the brownie mix is too wobbly and feels unset, continue cooking for another couple of minutes | |
| 7. | |
| Leave to cool then cut into squares | |
Oh Helen these look delicious. I know you probably don’t want to hear this but I am glad you had a bad week last week-it gives hope to us mortals 😉 the brownies have put you back up there though xx
Oh you do make me laugh, Emma! Mere mortals! x
Gorgeous brownies Helen – love the idea of a few After Eight mints in there! And golden syrup too – I’ll have to try that, sounds as thought it’ll make it even more sofer and yummy!
Angela x
It was a lovely soft minty flavour – not too harsh but strong enough. Thanks x
these look amazing Helen! I bet they tasted amazing too. We all get baking weeks like that, I have one every few weeks ands it is so frustrating. Funny how we have both made brownies this time! x
I’m loving the look of your brownies, Jenny. nice to know I’m in good company with the odd disaster x
I’m so sorry you had a difficult week with your baking, but I think you got right back on track with these brownies. They look absolutely delicious and so thick and moist. I would love to try these.
Thanks Sarah – I’m really pleased with them. Dense and chocolatey but held their shape.
God this are making me drool Helen, they look delish. Isn’t it annoying when bakes go wrong, you have definitely got back on top with the After Eight brownies!
Oh thanks Lucy – Have to admit that they have given me hope that perhaps I haven’t lost all my baking skills!
That upside down sweetie cake looks divine! Love the sound of After Eight Brownies – and they look gorgeous too.
Isn’t the sweetie cake just amazing? Thanks for your kind words about my brownies.
These look incredible! I haven’t baked brownies in forever, but I’m going to try to make these!
I love how versatile brownies are – let me know how you get on with these.
Oh I love after eights – these sound delicious!
They are too tempting once you open a box though! I was lucky that I found a half opened box that I had hidden!
oh my these look amazing and not ones I have ever tried so I so need to change this and attempt them myself for sure
Let me know how you get on – Have a go at these. I’m sure you’ll enjoy them.
I love After Eight, these do look really good. I could eat them now x
Sorry all gone! Have a go of making some – I’m sure you’ll em!
Oh my gosh – you had me at After Eight….IN A BROWNIE!!!! It’s like you took all my dreams and baked them in to a delicious tray bake! Mmmmmm – loved this!
Thank you for sharing your recipe! I plan on baking more this year so I will give this a shot. I think it’s a great idea to bake at least once a week
These look divine. I love that taste of chocolate and mint together.
Oooh, great set of recipes, that cake is so cool. The brownies look and sound amazing, I adore after eight mints
I was planning on doing some brownie baking in the next few weeks so I might have to do a batch of these as I love chocolate mint x
These look yummy! Perfect for getting your confidence back up 🙂 I love After Eights – have you tried them frozen?! Sooooo good.
A genius idea, this! I am going to have to make a batch of these soon, I think, as there is a half packet of After Eights in my cupboard since before Christmas. WHY WON’T MY FAMILY EAT THEM!? 🙂 Thanks for sharing with the No Waste Food Challenge!
Oh wow these look amazing! I love After Eights and brownies – I need to make them ASAP! x
I love After Eights and I love brownies! I am definitely going to try to make these! x
These look delicious, I LOVE after eights so there will never be any of those lying around after Christmas but I am definitely up for buying a box to make this recipe … and eat the rest whilst doing the washing up. As much as its horrible making mistakes and feeling like you have lost your ‘knack’ its encouraging to people like me that sometime even the pros have bad days so thanks for being honest. Linking up my first Valentines post this week, give everyone plenty of time to plan #Bakeoftheweek xxx
I am so sorry you had a rough time in the kitchen. I have moments like that too. This recipe for these brownies sounds really delicious. I will definitely be trying this recipe.
drooling right here. i love after eights and brownies (i mean who doesn’t right). will have to make these for dessert when i have friends round
The brownies look so delicious. Would love to try that.
These bakes all look delicious. I love brownies and will need to give this recipe a try as they sound and look great!
Wow how good do those look!! I would never have thought to add after eights to brownies before and now I really need to try them!!
My boyfriend loves after eights so I’ll have to have a go at these for him!
Brownies with a minty flavour? This must be amazing and so delicious.
Is there really such as thing as left over Christmas chocolate? Just asking:)
I like the sound of these brownies so much I think I would go out and buy a box of after eights just to make them. There wouldn’t be many left over for long either.
I love me some golden syrup so these brownies are a winner to me. Thanks for the recipe and link party, I need to check out some blogs
I’m not a huge fan of mint but my dad would LOVE these! I should make these for him as a surprise 🙂