Peppermint Brownies

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 325 F. 

Add the sugar and butter to a bowl and microwave for 2 minutes or until the butter is melted. Whisk the butter and sugar mixture together until they are incorporated. 

Once the butter mixture has cooled slightly, beat in the eggs, vanilla extract, peppermint extract, and cocoa powder. Beat until the mixture is smooth and glossy. You can do this with a whisk, hand-mixer, or in a stand mixer.

Stir together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt in a separate bowl. 

Fold the flour mixture into the wet mixture until there are no more pockets of flour. Be careful not to over mix. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter. 

Pour the batter into a parchment-lined 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Make sure the parchment paper hangs over a few inches above the edges of the baking pan. The brownies are topped with frosting so they will still be thick. Smooth the top of the batter. 

Bake for 45 minutes on the center rack in the oven. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the brownies. The toothpick should come out sticky, but not runny. 

While the brownies are cooling, prepare the ganache. Place the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat for one-minute intervals until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Whisk in between each interval.

Pour the ganache over the cooled brownies. Smooth the ganache with a rubber spatula. Top the ganache with the crushed peppermint sticks. Allow them to cool slightly to room temperature. You can also place them in the refrigerator or freezer to get them to cool quicker. 

Remove the brownies from the pan by grabbing the parchment paper. Cut them into squares with a long chef's knife or a pizza cutter.