Best Chocolate Mint Brownies

What is it with chocolate and mint together? It just tastes so darn good! It's up there with peanut butter and chocolate.  Or caramel and chocolate.  Chocolate of course is the common ingredient here - big surprise! These deliciously, fudgy brownies definitely capitalize on chocolate but add a smooth little note of mint that is sublime. I have to add that I love the fact that they are made with baking cocoa too. I always have that on hand and it is so much easier to prepare in a recipe than melting the baking chocolate.  (That's just me though... I'm usually attracted to the simplest recipes that taste amazing!) Honestly, these are some wonderful brownies! I don't know which layer I love the most because they are all so divine but the chocolate ganache on top just may win my vote. It's silky and dark and just slightly firm - perfect next to the softness of the mint creme. (Mindy, no cheating this time with milk chocolate... it just wouldn't be the same! :)) I can't wait for you all to try them! Let me know what you think!

Brownie Layer:

2 cups sugar
5 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
14 Tb butter, melted
1 cup flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 tsp kosher salt

In a mixing bowl, beat together sugar, eggs, and vanilla.  Add butter, mix well.  Combine dry ingredients; add to batter and mix well.  Pour into a greased 9x13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes. (You don't want to over bake them or they will be dry! Mine are perfect at 27 minutes.) Cool completely before frosting.

Mint Creme Layer:

1/2 cup butter (1 cube), room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
1 Tb heavy cream
green food coloring

Beat all ingredients together until smooth, adding desired amount of food coloring.

Chocolate Ganache Layer:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tb heavy cream
1 Tb light corn syrup

Place chocolate and corn syrup in glass bowl and microwave on 70% power for 1 minute.  Stir (they won't be completely melted yet)  Add cream and microwave again for 30 seconds on 70% power. Stir until smooth.
Once brownies are completely cool, spread mint creme layer on top evenly.  Then pour chocolate ganache over the top of the mint creme layer and very gently spread to cover it all.  Make sure you barely brush the top of the ganache so as not to dig too deep and hit the creme! If that does happen, no big deal. Just stop and gently cover it up with ganache from another area and proceed.  Let cool - ganache will harden slightly. Cut in squares with sharp knife. (You can warm the knife with warm water to make it cut super smoothly - just rinse and dry between every several slices.)