St Patrick's Day Mint Brownies

To make the brownies
1.    Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C/Gas 3.
2.    Line a baking tray 20cm x 20cm with baking parchment.
3.    Place the broken chocolate, butter and peppermint extract in a bowl over a bain marie and melt.  Allow to cool slightly, then stir in the sugar. Carefully fold in the beaten eggs.
4.    Sift the flour and the baking powder and gently fold into the mixture.
5.    Pour the mixture into the baking tray and bake for about 20 to 22 minutes or until just set.
6.    Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then transfer to a rack to cool, then cut into 16 squares.

To prepare the honeycomb
1.    Line a 20cm x 20cm baking tray with foil and brush with a little oil.  
2.    Place the caster sugar into a deep saucepan (it must be a deep saucepan as the honeycomb bubbles up) over a low heat until it turns amber in colour.
3.    Take the saucepan off the heat and add the bicarbonate of soda and quickly stir with a wooden spoon. Be careful the honeycomb will bubble up. Pour the honeycomb into the tin and leave to cool completely. Leave for 1½ hours until cold before cracking and roughly crushing.

To decorate and serve
1.    Place chocolate brownie on serving plate with a scoop of mint chocolate ice-cream and spoon crushed honeycomb on top of each brownie, sprinkle with icing sugar (in the shape of a shamrock if you want to be really creative) and a mint sprig to serve.

Recipe supplied by Catherine Fulvio