{Boozy} Mint Chocolate Milkshake | Brancamenta

There are two treats I generally avoid altogether because they cause me to lose all self-control: French fries and milkshakes.

I have no problem with moderation when it comes to most of the foods I enjoy, but for some reason, set a basket of hot shoestring fries or a tall, frothy milkshake in front of me, and I'm all "NOM NOM NOMMMM" until all that's left is an empty vessel and a distant memory of my dignity. 

Since I can't make any promises to myself about sticking with just a sip or two, I just turn a blind eye any time I see milkshakes on a menu. The last time I allowed myself to indulge was when I was about 7 months pregnant and it was a bajillon degrees outside because I figured that if there were any appropriate time to cut myself some slack, that would be it. 

A few weeks ago, my husband and I went to a new burger joint and, wouldn't you know it, they had an entire section on the menu dedicated to -- you guessed it -- milkshakes! I quickly turned the page and ordered a turkey burger {and shoestring fries, RATS.} but not before catching a glimpse of a milkshake they called the "Thin Mint"... a chocolate shake blended with Bailey's Irish Cream and mint liqueur. Oh. Em. Geeeeee.

Needless to say, I have been fantasizing about "the one that got away" ever since I laid eyes on that description.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago when I was planning out my editorial calendar for February. My friends at The Baddish Group had given me an assignment to come up with a cocktail to share for  National Mint Chocolate Day using Brancamenta {remember when I made these with the liqueur?} but I couldn't figure out what kind of drink I wanted to make. 

And then, like a minty lighting bolt of inspiration, I remembered the Thin Mint and I thought, "Bingo."

Ice cream, Brancamenta and Irish Cream come together {or stay apart if you decide to layer the milkshake like I did!} in this super decadent tipsy treat. I have always loved the combination of mint and chocolate, and this work of art brings the two to a whole new level that straddles the line between cocktail and dessert.

Does it get any better?!

Now, hurry up and take this away from me before I melt --  I mean, IT melts! Although, one celebratory sip surely couldn't hurt...

{Boozy} Mint Chocolate Milkshake

Makes 1 {filling} Milkshake

1 tablespoon chocolate syrup

1/2 cup chocolate ice cream

2 tablespoons milk, divided

1 tablespoon Irish Cream liqueur

1/2 cup mint chocolate chip ice cream

1 tablespoon Brancamenta mint liqueur

Optional: Whipped Cream & chocolate garnish

1. Drizzle chocolate syrup directly into the glass so that it drips down the insides. Set aside {you may want to refrigerate or put it in the freezer so its nice and cold when the milkshake is ready.}

2. Blend chocolate ice cream with 1 tablespoon mint and one tablespoon Irish Cream liqueur until smooth and combined. {I tried this using a small blender but it heated up too much and got too melty, so I used the blending attachment on my hand mixer instead and it worked perfectly.} Pour into glass and keep in freezer while you make the other half.

3. Blend mint chocolate chip ice cream with 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon Brancamenta until smooth and combined. Carefully pour over the chocolate half to layer.*

If desired, top with whipped cream and a chocolate square. Sip and enjoy! 

*To ensure the layers stay separate, try to keep the ice cream as thick as possible. You may need to freeze the first half of the ice cream mixture for up to an hour to help it stay solid enough to allow for the second layer to sit on top. The good news is, it's delicious even if the layers combine! 

Boozy Mint Chocolate Mousse Brownies | BrancaMenta

If there's any time where getting a little spiffed up is appropriate, it's the holidays. Bust out the little black dresses, sequins, sparkles and red lipstick -- it's party time.

My own closet has been an adventure in appareling lately since I'm finally fitting into the last of the pre-baby outfits that were still a bit snug. I may or may not have done a little happy dance a few weeks ago when I was able to {comfortably} zip up a pair of {extremely non-stretchy} pants that I had all but given up hope on. So, for the first time in a while, I'm looking forward to exploring my closet with new found excitement for oldish attire.

Getting dressed up doesn't have to stop at your full length mirror -- this is a great time of year to give a stylish new appearance to classic favorites in your kitchen, too.

With just a few special touches, you can turn a modest bite into something with a little extra holiday pizzazz.

Take the basic brownie, for example. Maybe the plain, fudgy squares you'd find in a cafeteria aren't something you'd think to add to a gorgeous holiday spread, but with a splash of boozy mint liqueur, a dollop of mousse and a surprisingly easy-to-make chocolate flourish as its crowning finish, brownies can move to the grown up table this year.

Since today is "National Brownie Day", I thought I'd give these classic treats a chance to shine with a little holiday makeover.

BrancaMenta, a cousin to the herbaceous, bitter digestive Fernet Branca {which totally brings to mind Alfred from Batman in The Dark Knight Rises}, is the key to creating these sophisticated brownie bites. Without being overpowering, the addition of the minty liqueur gives the rich, chocolatey brownies a certain festive flair. The slight bitterness of the aperitif is balanced well by the sweetness of the chocolate and the creaminess of the tuft of mousse that tops the bites. And just like you might don your "good jewelry" for a special occasion, these guys break out their best with an elegant chocolate embellishment that will make guests take notice.

So, let brownies join the festivities this year, even if they show up a little tipsy! 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by The Baddish Group. I was provided with payment as well as a bottle of Brancamenta for use in this recipe. As always, the opinions here are all my own!

Boozy Mint Chocolate Mousse Brownies
Brownie base adapted from Nestle Tollhouse

1 1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup {1 1/2 sticks} butter, melted
2 tablespoons BrancaMenta
2 eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate or milk chocolate chips, depending on your preference

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8 inch pan with foil overlapping the sides for easy removal or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, Brancamenta, eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

4. Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture, mixing until just combined. The batter will be stiff and sticky. Stir in chocolate chips.

5. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Try not to over bake.

Remove from oven and cool brownies for about 15-20 minutes in the pan before lifting out the brownies by the foil flaps. Cool completely before proceeding to next step.

For Mint Mousse:
1 cup cold heavy cream
3 tablespoons Brancamenta
2 heaping tablespoons powdered sugar
Approximately 3 ounces good quality dark chocolate {I used 65% cocoa}, melted and cooled

1. Combine heavy cream, Brancamenta and powdered sugar in a bowl. With a hand mixer, beat until you have stiff peaks. {You can also use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.} Set aside.

2. Add about half of the whipped cream to the bowl with the cooled, melted chocolate and carefully fold together. You want to do this gently so the whipped cream doesn't lose its "fluffiness".

3. Add the remaining cream and fold until fully combined -- you'll want most of the streaks of chocolate to be gone and the mixture to me mostly uniform.

Refrigerate until ready to use.

For Embellishment:

You'll need: A few squares of good quality chocolate and a silicone baking mat or a sheet of parchment paper.

Break chocolate into pieces and microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring until completely melted. Cool completely.

Spoon the chocolate into a zip top bag and snip the tip to create a small opening. Create a squiggly "flourish" by drizzling the chocolate onto the silicone baking mat or parchment -- get creative! Pop it into the freezer for a few minutes until the chocolate is completely set. When ready to embellish the brownies, carefully remove the chocolate from the baking mat or parchment -- it should come right off.

For Assembly: 

When you're ready to assemble the brownie bites, you can either cut the cooled brownies into squares or diamonds, or use a cookie or biscuit cutter to punch out circles or other shapes.

Spoon the chilled mousse into a piping bag with a round tip or a zip top bag with the tip snipped off. Carefully pipe a dollop onto the top of each brownie bite.

Dust with some powdered sugar and top with a chocolate embellishment.