Mint Filled Brownie Cupcakes

My Mom came across this recipe last year in one of her magazines and sent me a copy of the recipe to try. I have made these cupcakes several times over the last year and they have always been a big hit! This recipe is from Martha Stewart's Cupcake Book.

Mint Filled Brownie Cupcakes

Ingredients:

8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick unsalted butter), cut in to pieces, room temperature

1 cup sugar

3/4 tsp. salt

3 large eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa, sifted

12 small chocolate covered peppermint patties, such as mini York Peppermint Patties

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard tin with paper liners. Place chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally just until melted, 4 to 5 minutes.

Remove bowl from heat. Whisk in sugar and and salt until mixture is smooth; whisk in eggs to combine. Gently whisk in flour and cocoa just until smooth (do not over mix).

Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of batter in to each lined cup. Place one peppermint patty on top, gently pressing in to batter. Top with 2 tablespoons of batter, covering patty completely. Bake, rotating tin about half way, until a cake tester or toothpick inserted halfway in centers (above mint patty) comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes. Transfer tin to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in an air tight container.

Tip from my Mom: For bite size use a mini muffin tin and since there is not a peppermint patty small enough for the mini muffin tin I used Junior Mints for the mint candy. You can't go wrong with either size tin, these cupcakes have the perfect amount of chocolate and refreshing mint!

I'll be honest, I'm not always a fan of Martha's recipes because it seems as though many of her recipes over complicate what should be a simple recipe that can be finished in a reasonable amount of time, however I have found that is not always the case with the recipes in Martha Stewart's Cupcake Book!

I haven't been able to find many of the recipes out of this book online but the next time you are at bookstore, check it out! Also, check with one of your girlfriends to see if they happen to have the book and are willing to share.

Happy Baking!