Chocolate Espresso or Chocolate Mint Glazed Brownie Buttons

This recipe for Brownie Buttons is from Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours Cookbook. I covered half the brownies with a chocolate ganache glaze flavored with espresso powder and half flavored with mint.  Both versions were delicious!



One year ago: Mint Brownies

Brownie Buttons
from Baking, From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
Makes 16 (I tripled the recipe)

Ingredients:
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
2 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
Ganache glaze for topping (recipe below)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two miniature muffin pans, each with a dozen cups, and place them on a baking sheet. (Or line mini muffins cups with paper liners.)
Whisk together the flour and salt and set aside.
Melt the butter, chocolate and brown sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over very low heat, stirring frequently with a heatproof spatula and keeping an eye on the pan so nothing overheats or burns. When the mixture is smooth, remove from the heat and cool for a minute or two.
Stir the vanilla and egg into the chocolate mixture. When the mixture is well blended, add the flour and stir only until it is incorporated. You should have a smooth, glossy batter.
Spoon the batter into 16 of the muffin cups, using about a teaspoon of batter to fill each cup three-quarters full. (I used my smallest cookie scoop.)
Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the tops of the buttons spring back when touched. Transfer the pans to racks to cool for 3 minutes before carefully releasing the buttons. Cool to room temperature on the racks. When the brownies are completely cool, glaze with chocolate espresso ganache.

Chocolate Espresso or Mint Ganache
adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking by Matt Lewis and Renato Polafito

6 Ounces / 170g Dark Chocolate (60 to 72% Cacao), coarsely chopped
1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
 1 tsp espresso powder or 1/2 tsp peppermint extract

 1. Put the chocolate in a medium bowl and set aside. Whisk together the cream and espresso powder (omit espresso powder for mint ganache) in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil and pour over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 2 minutes before gently mixing the chocolate and cream together until completely smooth.  For peppermint ganache, stir in the peppermint extract once the ganache is smooth.

2. Let the ganache sit for about 15 minutes.

3. If the ganache has cooled enough to become solid, microwave (for only a few seconds) or gently heat the ganache until pourable.