Choc-peppermint Slice

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

• 200 g good-quality dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 1 1/2 cups plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup firmly-packed brown sugar
• 150 g butter, melted, cooled
• 395 g sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 40 g butter
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• green food coloring

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 180°c grease a 3cm-deep, 18cm x 28cm (base) slab pan. line with baking paper (see note).
• 2 make base: sift flour and baking powder together into a bowl. stir in brown sugar. add butter and mix until well combined. using the back of a spoon, press mixture into prepared pan. bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until light golden. remove from oven. reduce oven to 170°c
• 3 make filling: place condensed milk, caster sugar and butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. cook, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes or until butter and sugar have melted. reduce heat to low. cook for 10 minutes. remove pan from heat and stir in peppermint essence. add a few drops of food colouring and stir to combine.
• 4 pour filling over base. bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until filling is just set. allow to cool completely.
• 5 place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. microwave on medium (50%) for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring every minute with a metal spoon, until almost melted. stir until smooth. spread chocolate over the cooled slice. stand slice in pan for 1 to 2 hours or until set. cut into pieces and serve.
• 6 notes & tips.
• 7 lining a slab pan: lightly grease the base and sides of a slab pan, paying particular attention to the two short ends. cut out a sheet of baking paper, allowing a 2cm overhang at each long side. use the overhang to lift slice from pan in one piece.