Palm Beach Brownies

These just might be the most decadent brownies you'll ever make. So fancy.

Ingredients

Cooking spray

2 (4-oz.) unsweetened chocolate baking bars, coarsely chopped

1 cup (8 oz.) unsalted butter, cubed

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

5 large eggs, at room temperature

3 3/4 cups granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. instant espresso granules

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 2/3 cups (about 7 1/8 oz.) unbleached all-purpose flour, sifted

2 cups walnut halves, toasted and coarsely chopped

2 (14-oz.) pkg. chocolate-covered peppermint patties (such as York)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat bottom and sides of a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line pan using aluminum foil, letting foil overhang on 2 sides by at least 1 inch; coat foil with cooking spray. Place 2 (16- x 12-inch) sheets of parchment paper in pan perpendicular to one another, overhanging opposite sides. Coat parchment with cooking spray. Gather all ingredients.

Pour water to a depth of 1 1/2 to 2 inches in a small saucepan, and place a small stainless steel bowl over saucepan to make a double boiler, making sure water does not touch bottom of bowl. Bring water to a boil over medium. Stir together chocolate, butter, and salt in stainless steel bowl; cook, stirring often, until chocolate and butter are melted and smooth, 5 to 7 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Remove from heat; dry bottom of bowl.

Beat eggs, sugar, espresso granules, and vanilla with a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on high speed until thick and fluffy, 8 to 10 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

Reduce mixer speed to low; add chocolate mixture, beating until just combined, about 30 seconds.

Gradually add flour to egg mixture in 2 additions, beating on low speed until just combined after each addition, about 1 minute total, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl as needed.

Gently fold in walnuts.

Spoon half of batter into prepared baking pan, and spread in an even layer. Unwrap 35 of the peppermint patties, and place in a single layer evenly over batter. Dollop remaining batter over peppermint patties, and spread evenly.

Bake in preheated oven until brownies form a crust on top, edges start to pull away from sides of baking pan, and a toothpick inserted into center of brownies comes out with few moist crumbs, 32 to 35 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking time.

Remove baking pan from oven, and let cool completely in pan on a wire rack, about 2 hours. Cover using plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 7 days. Cut brownies using a sharp knife.