STATE STREET BROWNIES

Makes 25 brownies

THESE BROWNIES ARE NOT MEEK. TWO TYPES OF CHOCOLATE, LOADS OF BUTTER and eggs and cream and more, all crammed into a relatively small 8 × 8-inch vessel, designed to be cut into tiny, rich, special little bites. But sometimes being over the top is just the thing. Like growing up as a suburban Chicago kid, anticipating Christmas with a thrilling train trip into the city, a freezing walk along State Street to press my nose up against the glittering holiday windows at Marshall Field’s (RIP), binging on their famous truffle-esque Frango mints from the candy counter inside, and kiddie cocktails from the bar at the glamorous Palmer House hotel, just up the street. There’s just nothing more deliciously extra than Chicago’s State Street in December.

As it happens, the Palmer House is also the birthplace of the brownie, an American treat so iconic it’s rare to consider its origins. But it was back in 1893 that Bertha Palmer, the socialite wife of the hotel’s owner, requested that the pastry staff create a handheld boxed lunch dessert for the upper-class ladies attending Chicago’s World’s Fair. The Palmer House still serves that brownie, topped with an aggressive layer of walnut chunks and an apricot jam glaze, reminiscent of a German Sachertorte. I tinkered with the brownie’s foundation, added some Frango mint-inspired flair, and created a celebration of two of Chicago’s most beloved confections. Cut these into small squares—they’re rich!

WHIPPED MINT MILK CHOCOLATE GANACHE:

9 ounces/256 g high-quality milk chocolate, chopped

⅓ cup/80 g heavy whipping cream

⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt

1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract*

BROWNIES:

Nonstick cooking spray for pan

7 ounces/200 g bittersweet chocolate (60% cacao), chopped

¾ cup/170 g unsalted butter, cut into cubes

4 large eggs

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons/175 g granulated sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure peppermint extract

¾ teaspoon fine sea salt

7 tablespoons/56 g unbleached all-purpose flour

GLAZE:

2 tablespoons/28 g unsalted butter

2 ounces/57 g bittersweet chocolate (60% to 72% cacao), chopped

¼ teaspoon vegetable oil

Prepare the ganache: Place the chocolate in a medium, heatproof bowl. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the cream with the salt, microwave on HIGH until hot to the touch but not boiling. Alternatively, heat the cream and salt in a 1- to 1½-quart/1 to 1.4 L saucepan over low heat. Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate. Let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Whisk in the peppermint extract. Set the bowl in the refrigerator and chill until the mixture is thickened and threatening to set firm, about 2 hours.

Prepare the brownie layer: Position a rack to the center of the oven and preheat it to 300°F/150°C. Spray an 8-inch/20 cm square metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper with a couple of inches of overhang on 2 opposite sides.

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Place the bowl in a microwave and melt with 45-second bursts on HIGH, stirring well after each interval. Alternatively, melt in a double boiler.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt until slightly aerated, about 30 seconds. Scrape the egg mixture into the melted chocolate and whisk until satiny and thick. Add the flour. Switch to a spatula and gently fold just until no dry white streaks remain. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth evenly. Bake until the edges are set and just begin to pull away from the sides of the pan, 30 to 35 minutes—the center will be quite soft. Let cool to room temperature in the pan set on a wire rack.

When the brownie layer has cooled and the ganache is completely cold, use a handheld electric mixer on high speed to whip the ganache to stiff peaks. Use a small offset spatula to spread the ganache over the brownie layer as smoothly as possible. Set the pan in the freezer to firm the ganache slightly, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze: In a small, microwave-safe bowl, melt together the butter and chocolate in a microwave for about 45 seconds on HIGH, stirring until smooth. Alternatively, melt them together in a 1 to 1½-quart/1 to 1.4 L saucepan over low heat. Don’t overheat the glaze, instead, give it just enough heat to encourage the chocolate to begin melting, and then let the residual heat from the butter and the bowl or pan do the rest of the work to smooth out the glaze as you stir. Whisk in the vegetable oil for extra shine.

To finish the brownies, when the ganache layer is just becoming firm to the touch, remove the pan from the freezer. Working quickly, drizzle the glaze over the ganache layer. Use a small offset spatula to evenly slick the entire surface with glaze. Refrigerate until the glaze and ganache are firm, at least 1 hour. To serve, run the back of a knife around the perimeter of the pan to loosen the slab, then use the parchment handles to transfer it to a cutting board. Warm a large, sharp knife with hot tap water, then dry it thoroughly. Immediately cut the slab into small squares, wiping the knife in between, and warming it again, if needed, to get clean cuts. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

*Look for pure peppermint extract, not “mint” extract, which is usually a weaker blend of spearmint and peppermint that tastes vaguely of toothpaste and doesn’t give these brownies the same oomph as pure peppermint.