Peppermint Chocolate Brownie Cake

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2 oz sticks unsalted butter 8
• 10 ounces dark chocolate chips
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 6 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 Ghirardelli White chocolate Peppermint Bars 3.5oz

FOR THE GANACHE

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 10 ounces dark chocolate chips

FOR THE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

• 1 3/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 6 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Lightly grease a 9 inch spring form pan and dust with flour, set aside. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Using a stand mixer, make the chocolate frosting. Beat the soft butter until creamy. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and milk until creamy and free of lumps. Set aside.
3. Make the ganache by heating the heavy cream until hot. Turn off the heat and add the chocolate chips. Stir with a whisk until the chocolate becomes smooth and shiny. Set aside.
4. To make the brownie cake, melt the butter in a large pan over a low heat. Add the chocolate chips and mix until melted and smooth, switch off the heat.
5. Add both sugars, peppermint oil and vanilla, mix until well combined.
6. Add the eggs one at a time to the pan whisking well after each one.
7. Pour the chocolate batter into the flour with the cocoa powder and whisk well until all lumps are gone.
8. Pour about 1 cup of the brownie mixture into the prepared pan and spread it out to cover the base.
9. Take a peppermint chocolate bar and lay it in the center of the pan. Take another chocolate bar and split it down the middle evenly.
10. Half each of those split pieces and use it to fill the spaces beside the full bar already in the brownie batter.
11. Pour more batter on top of the chocolate bars, enough to cover them and repeat with the other bar of chocolate.
12. Finally pour the rest of the batter on top and smooth it out.
13. Bake in the oven for 50 minutes and then let cool for at least an hour.
14. Before covering the brownie with the ganache, check to see if the top is level. You can carefully slice of any high peaks with a sharp serrated knife.
15. If the ganache has started to set, you can heat it over a low heat until it becomes pourable again.
16. Starting in the center of the brownie, pour the ganache in a circle until you almost get to the edge of the cake.
17. You can push the ganache over the edge by using a spatula, you might not use all of it. Keep the rest for serving with slices of the brownie cake.
18. Put the cake in the refrigerator and let it set for about 20 minutes.
19. Using a piping bag with a plain tip, create swirls of frosting evenly around the cake and top with crushed chocolate if desired.