Fudgy, gooey very chocolatey brownies with an inside layer of mini mince pies. If you love brownies and you love mince pies then this is the ultimate festive recipe just for you!
I know what some of you are thinking. A mince pie inside a brownie? Ewwww! Seriously though, stick with me because when my husband suggested this brownie mince pie mashup, I thought the same too!
"Are you mad?" I said to him. "Why would anyone want a mince pie surrounded by chocolate?"
"Trust me," he said.
So I did. And bowl me over with a piece of tinsel, he was only blimmin' well right, wasn't he?
These brownies are so Christmassy and festive. The mince pie works perfectly with the rich, gooey chocolate. Honestly - tasting these was like a Christmas party IN MY MOUTH. The sort of party you don't want to leave...
I digress. They are really yummy and you will simply have to try them for yourselves so you can experience the mince pie brownie joy.
Mince pies
For this recipe I used mini mince pies. When I bake brownies I use a 20cm square baking tin so that the brownies are nice and thick. You can cut them into 12 decent sized brownies so a box of 12 mini mince pies fit perfectly and meant every brownie had its own mince pie.
I used the ones you can buy in Asda but any mince pies will work. If you can't find the mini ones then regular size mince pies will work - just use 9 instead of 12.
Base recipe
The brownie recipe I've used is exactly the same base recipe I used in these Jaffa Cake Brownies and also my Wagon Wheel Brownies.
If you like your brownies thick, gooey and fudgy - the type of brownies that stick to the roof of your mouth when you're eating them - then this is the only base recipe you'll ever need.
Secret ingredient
The secret ingredient is the addition of a tablespoon of vegetable oil. This makes for the ultimate fudgy brownie and it works like a charm in any brownie recipe.
Tips for the best ever brownies
- Good quality dark chocolate
The type of chocolate you use is important. It has to be good quality dark chocolate – around 70% cocoa. Full-bodied chocolate like this is strong and intense without being overpowering. - Fudgy dense brownies that ooze when you squeeze
For gooey brownies, you’ll need to add more butter, eggs and melted chocolate than flour and cocoa powder. - Technique, technique, technique
Whisk the eggs and sugar really well until the mixture is frothy and tiny bubbles appear on the surface. Then, use a metal spoon to stir the melted butter and chocolate into the mixture in large, looping exaggerated movements. Lastly, fold in the flour, salt and cocoa powder carefully. Treat the brownie mixture as gently as you would a chocolate ticking time bomb! - Add in something special
In our case the star of the show: Mince Pies! You could also try Jaffa Cakes, Wagon Wheels, Turkish Delight, peanut butter, caramel, chocolate chips, nuts, Oreos. The possibilities are endless. - Timing is everything
I baked these Mince Pie Brownies for 20 minutes but checked them after 15. Too long in the oven and there will be no oozing chocolate so keep a close eye on them. Check out this article for an excellent visual of how to tell if brownies are undercooked, done or overcooked.
I hope you love these festive Mince Pie Brownies as much as we did. Even if they might seem like marmite, to begin with - I don't know how anyone wouldn't want to devour these. Enjoy!
More festive recipes you'll enjoy
Mince Pie Brownies
Fudgy, gooey very chocolatey brownies with an inside layer of mini mince pies. If you love brownies and you love mince pies then this is the ultimate festive recipe just for you!
Ingredients
- 200 g 70% dark chocolate , finely chopped
- 200 g unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs, or 4 medium eggs
- 150 g dark brown soft sugar
- 100 g caster sugar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100 g plain flour
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 75 g cocoa powder
- 12 mini mince pies, or 9 ordinary size mince pies
- icing sugar, to decorate
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180ºC / 160ºC Fan/ Gas 4/ 350ºF and line a square 20cm baking tin with baking parchment.
- In a saucepan set over a low heat melt together the chocolate and butter. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add the eggs, caster sugar and brown sugar. Mix until light and frothy.
- Stir the vegetable oil into the melted chocolate.
- Pour the melted chocolate and vanilla extract into the large mixing bowl. Stir the ingredients together in large looping movements until the mixture is dark and combined.
- Add the flour, salt and cocoa powder to the mixing bowl and fold together very gently until you can no longer see white streaks of flour.
- Tip half of the mixture into the baking tin, smooth out until level then add a layer of 16 mini mince pies. Add the remaining brownie mixture on top of the mince pies and level with a spatula.
- Bake for 20 mins. Checking for doneness after 15 mins. A skewer inserted into the brownies should not be wet but won't come out clean.
- Leave to completely cool in the tin before turning out and cutting into 16 slices.
Notes
- If you can't find mini mince pies you can use 9 regular size mince pies instead.
- Take care not to overmix when you get to the chocolate and flour steps.
- Do not overcook. Check for doneness after 15 minutes of baking.
- Storage: Mince Pie Brownies will keep for 4-5 days in an airtight container. Suitable for freezing up to 3 months.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 449Total Fat: 24gSaturated Fat: 15gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 109mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 4gSugar: 25gProtein: 4g
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