Combine chocolate and mint for St. Patrick’s Day desserts

These chocolate mint bars are like homemade Andes mints.

Bottom chocolate layer: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch pan.

In a bowl, beat the eggs. Add the melted butter and sugar.

Mix in the peppermint and melted chocolate.

Stir in the flour if you want a brownie layer.

Pour the chocolate batter in pan. Bake 25 minutes. If you do the flourless version, check after 15 minutes. Don't overbake; it will set as it cools. Cool for at least 30 minutes.

Middle mint frosting: Blend all of the ingredients well. If desired, stir in several drops of green food coloring.

Spread the mint frosting on the cooled baked chocolate layer. Place in the refrigerator to chill 5 minutes.

Top chocolate layer: Mix the melted chocolate and butter well.

Once the middle mint frosting is firm, spread the butter-chocolate mixture over the top.

Place in the refrigerator to chill 5 minutes. Cut the chocolate mint bars into strips or squares, as desired.

Store the chocolate in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Serves 16-plus.

Itsy Bitsy Foodies

You will need 5 mini mason jars, glasses or custard cups.

Using a food processor, coarsely grind the chocolate cookies.

In a saucepan, melt the marshmallows with the milk over low heat. Then chill the mixture, stirring it occasionally, until mixture begins to set.

Once the marshmallow mix has cooled and set, stir in the Creme de Menthe. Set aside.

Using a mixer, whip the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Then fold the whipped cream into the mint mixture. Set aside. (Make extra if you want whipped cream as a topping.)

Now it's time to put the pies together: For the crust, evenly spread the cookie mixture into the bottoms of your jars, then pack it down.

Add the mint mixture on top of the cookie mixture, evenly spreading it out between the 5 containers.

If you like, top the mini pies with a little dollop of whip cream and some chocolate shavings. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

*If you don't want to use Creme de Menthe, you can use 1 teaspoon mint extract and a couple drops green food coloring.

aprettylifeinthesuburbs.com

Who says you have to wait until that magical time of year when the little girls in green come around? This recipe makes homemade chocolate mint cookies in a snap.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the cake mix in a large bowl.

Add 1/2 cup of the oil. Mix until well combined.

Add the mint extract and oil 1/2 tablespoon at a time, just until a dough that sticks together forms.

Sprinkle the cocoa powder onto a clean surface. Roll the dough onto the surface, using the cocoa powder to keep the dough from sticking to your rolling pin. Roll to a little less than 1/2-inch thickness.

Use a 2- to 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut the dough. Transfer to an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake in preheated oven for 6-8 minutes, or just until the cookies are set. Remove and cool completely.

Microwave the chocolatey candy melt in your microwave, according to package directions. Dip each cookie into the melted candy coating, then dip the edge into sprinkles, if desired.

Transfer to a piece of parchment or plastic wrap until the candy coating has hardened. Serve and enjoy. Makes 24.

Cheekykitchen and tablespoon.com

Heat oven to 375 degrees (350 degrees for dark or nonstick pan). Line bottom only of 15-by-10-by1-inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper. Spray paper with baking spray.

Place paper baking cups in 6 regular-size muffin cups.

In large bowl, beat eggs with electric mixer on high speed, about 6 minutes,* or until thick and lemon-colored.

Add cake mix, water and oil; beat on low speed 30 seconds, then up to medium speed for 1 minute. Pour 3 1/2 cups of the batter into the prepared jellyroll pan. Divide remaining batter among 6 muffin cups.

Bake 14 to 16 minutes, or until cake springs back when lightly touched in center. (Cupcakes will be done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.)

Lay out clean kitchen towel sprinkled with 1/4 cup powdered sugar and immediately turn cake upside down onto it. Peel away parchment paper.

While it’s still hot, carefully roll up cake and towel from narrow end of towel. Cool rolled-up cake in towel 10 minutes at room temperature, and then about 1 hour in refrigerator.

Cool cupcakes 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely, about 30 minutes. Save cupcakes for another use.

While the cake cools, place the frosting in a bowl and mix with the peppermint extract and food coloring. Mix until well blended.

Unroll the cake carefully, and remove towel. Allow the end to remain slightly curled. Spread the frosting evenly over cake's surface. Re-roll filled cake, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Remove cake from refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Melt the white chocolate by putting it in a microwave-safe bowl and cooking on high in short bursts, stirring after each, just until smooth. Spread melted chocolate over top the cake roll.

Transfer the cake roll to a serving platter. Decorate with colorful green sprinkles and garnish with fresh mint. Store loosely covered in refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.

*Set a timer to be sure you beat the eggs for a full 6 minutes. This will help ensure a spongy cake texture and will help keep the cake from breaking when you roll it.

Tip: You must roll the cake into the towel immediately after turning it out. The cake is most malleable while still hot. A thick towel works best.

Halfbakedharvest and tablespoon.com