Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare a pan with criss-crossed parchment paper to create a handle.
In a large bain or bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and espresso powder; set aside.
Melt together the butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate over a bain marie.
In a large bowl beat the eggs with the vanilla and add sugar, beat until light and fluffy.
Add the melted butter and chocolate and whisk to incorporate.
Fold in the flour mixture.
Pour into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 16-18 minutes or until the middle of the brownie has puffed. Cool completely before icing or removing from the pan.
Prepare the frosting:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together butter, confectioner's sugar, and extract until light and smooth. Switch to the whisk attachment.
Add cream and whisk on high until light and fluffy and white.
Frost your cooled brownies and serve!
Video
Notes
Let’s get into it like a PROFESSIONAL CHEF:
Presentation - Let the brownies cool completely before frosting, and also cool before cutting for a clean edge! I love adding some colorful sprinkles on top to make them extra festive. Flavor Tips - Because chocolate is a star flavor in these brownies, you should use the highest quality chocolate you can find.Technique - It is important that the eggs and sugar are at the ribbon stage. This is the main leavening in the brownie and it will give you that chewy texture. You know you’ve reached the ribbon stage when you let the egg foam run off the whisk as you move it over the bowl and it sits on top of the rest of the batter briefly before disappearing back into the foam.Helpful Tools - Lining your pan with parchment paper is going to be a key detail for these, since it makes your brownies easy to take out of the pan!Variations - You could also use any of the following frostings instead of peppermint: Lemon American Buttercream, The Best Cream Cheese Buttercream, Chocolate Fudge Glaze, or Homemade Marshmallow Frosting.Storage - Store baked unfrosted brownies in an air-tight container at room temperature, refrigerated or frozen. Zip-top plastic bags also work nicely. These brownies will keep 3 days at room temperature, a week in the refrigerator or 2 months frozen. Store unused buttercream in an airtight, clean container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Buttercream can be frozen for longer storage. Once frosted, brownies can be kept at room temperature for up to three days before the buttercream spoils. For longer storage, store in the refrigerator.Yield: 1, ¼ inch Sheet