Halloween Candy Brownies

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Bake Time: 20 minutes

Ganache Rest Time: about 45 minutes

For the Brownie Batter

♦ 1 stick regular salted butter, plus a little extra for greasing the pan

♦ 1 cup dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli 62% cacao, if possible)

♦ 1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

♦ 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract

♦ ½ cup white sugar

♦ ¼ cup whole milk

♦ 2 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk

♦ ½ teaspoon baking powder

♦ 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

♦ your favorite candy, chopped into pieces

For the Ganache

♦ 1 cup heavy cream

♦ 1 cup dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli 62% cacao, if possible)

♦ 2 Tablespoons dark corn syrup

♦ 1 teaspoon unsalted butter

♦ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Topping

♦ your favorite candy or nuts (or both!), chopped into pieces

Making the Brownies

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan with softened butter and set aside.  In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Add the chocolate chips and reduce the heat to medium low, stirring gently with a whisk until the chocolate is melted.  Add the cocoa powder and stir thoroughly, then stir in the sugar, salt, and vanilla.  Add the milk – you can turn off the heat at this point if the sugar is dissolved.  Add the eggs and mix thoroughly with the whisk until they are fully incorporated, and the batter is shiny (it is ok to whisk vigorously, as there is no gluten in the batter at this point).  Add the baking powder and combine thoroughly to make sure there are no lumps, then gently fold in the flour.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan, using a spatula to scrape the sides of the saucepan.  Smooth the batter into an even layer and sprinkle with pieces of your favorite candy.  Push the candy into the batter gently with your finger and bake for 20 minutes.

Making the Ganache and Final Assembly

Heat the heavy cream in the microwave or on the stovetop until just below boiling.  Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips and butter.  Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.  Stir thoroughly with a whisk or fork until the ganache is completely smooth and glossy (you can return it to the stove or microwave for a minute or so if the chocolate is not completely dissolved).  Add the vanilla and corn syrup and stir to combine thoroughly.  Let the ganache sit at room temperature for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes when you see a film forming on the top of the chocolate.  Pour over the brownies and decorate the top with your favorite candy, nuts, or chocolate chips.