Grasshopper Bars Recipes

GRASSHOPPER CHEESECAKE BARS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix flour, sugar, and cocoa powder in a large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Set aside 1 cup of the crumbs to be used as the topping. Press remaining crumb mixture into an ungreased 8x8-inch baking pan.
• Bake crust in the preheated oven until set, about 15 minutes. Remove and let cool. Keep oven on.
• While crust is cooling, beat cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add egg, peppermint extract, and green food coloring; beat well. Stir in milk until batter is smooth. Pour batter over the cooled crust. Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture on top.
• Bake until filling is set, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool before cutting into 25 bars.

GRASSHOPPER SQUARES

Steps:

• Make brownie layer:
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 13- by 9-inch baking pan and line with 2 crisscrossed sheets of foil, leaving a 2 inch overhang on all sides. Butter foil.
• Melt butter and chocolate with brown sugar in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined. Whisk in flour, cocoa, and salt until just combined.
• Spread batter evenly in baking pan and bake until set and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs adhering, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Make mint ganache:
• Bring cream to a simmer in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan and remove from heat. Pour over white chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Stir in crème de menthe and extract and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 1 hour.
• Make chocolate ganache:
• Bring cream to a simmer in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan and remove from heat. Pour over bittersweet chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 30 minutes.
• Assemble layers:
• Spread mint ganache over top of cooled brownie in a thin even layer using offset spatula, then chill until firm but still slightly sticky, about 30 minutes.
• Spread chocolate ganache over mint and chill until firm, about 2 hours.
• Lift dessert out of pan using foil overhang. Run a heavy knife under hot water and wipe dry, then trim edges of dessert (1/4 inch off each side). Cut dessert into squares and peel from foil.

GRASSHOPPER BARS

Steps:

• Make the buttercream layer: In a medium size heavy-bottomed sauce pan, whisk the sugar and flour together. Add the milk and 3 tablespoons of the cream and cook over medium heat, whisking occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and has thickened, 5-7 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and beat with an electric mixer on high until cool. Reduce the speed to low and add the butter. Mix until thoroughly incorporated. Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the filling is light and fluffy. Add the peppermint extract and green food coloring, if using (add until you get the desired green tint you're looking for), and beat until combined. The consistency should be smooth and creamy. If too stiff, add the additional tablespoon of cream. Spread the buttercream over the cooled brownie layer and chill in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes. Make the chocolate glaze: In a medium size bowl, combine the chocolate, corn syrup and butter and melt in the microwave, stirring with a rubber spatula and checking often to avoid scorching. When melted, stir vigorously for 1 minute to cool. Pour over the buttercream layer, tipping pan in each direction so the buttercrream is completely and evenly covered with the glaze. Chill the bars in the fridge for at least 1 hour. When ready to serve, remove the pan from the fridge 15 minutes prior and cut the bars into squares with a warm knife and serve immediately. Store in the refrigerator for up to four days.