These candy cane brownies are perfect for Christmas. They're chocolatey, fudgy and deliciously flavoured with peppermint candy cane, scattered through the brownie itself and used to top of the dark chocolate ganache frosting.
Put the butter and chopped dark chocolate in a large, heatproof bowl. Gently melt until smooth. You can use the microwave to do this, using 30 second bursts and stirring after each burst. Alternatively, you can put an inch of water in a pan, place the bowl on top (so that the water isn't touching the bowl) and bring to the boil so that the steam gently melts the chocolate, stirring as you go.
Whisk the sugar in. The mixture will thicken - graininess at this stage is fine.
If the mixture is hot, wait until it's just slightly warm before adding the beaten egg and vanilla. Whisk together until smooth.
Sift the flour into the bowl. Gently fold through until evenly combined.
Add the chopped candy canes and fold through to evenly distribute.
Grease and line a 20cm x 28cm (8 inch x 11 inch) non-stick shallow rectangular cake tin. Fill with the brownie batter and level off.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until set all the way across. A skewer pushed into the centre should reveal sticky crumbs.
Place on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes, then turn out to cool completely.
Make the ganache topping
Place the chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt.
Add the cream and whisk together. At first, it might look murky, but it should quickly transform to a smooth, glossy ganache.
Bring it all together
Transfer the fully cooled brownie to a board.
Spoon the still-warm ganache on top - this is important as it will set once cool - and spread to the edges of the brownie. Leave to set. You can chill in the fridge for 30 minutes if you want to speed up the process.
Once set, cut the candy brownie in a 3x4 pattern to create 12 squares.
Top each brownie square with a piece of candy cane. Because they're stick and the ganache contains moisture, they're quickly adhere themselves to the tops! Your peppermint candy cane brownies are now ready to enjoy!
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Notes
These candy cane brownies should be stored in an airtight container somewhere cool and dark. Even when stored correctly, the candy canes on top will soften and begin to turn sticky over time as the sugar begins to pull moisture from the ganache and brownie.If you know that you won't be eating all your brownies immediately, I would suggest not cutting them up and storing them in the largest size that will fit in your container, then cutting them as and when you want to. This will mean they dry out more slowly compared with having the edges of each brownie exposed.If you store somewhere cool, they will last for up to a week. You can keep them for longer if you store them in the fridge, but they'll be at their best if eaten within the first day or two