mint chocolate brownie trifle

Mint chocolate plus brownies plus cream...how can you go wrong with this one? I made this last Friday for my husband's Valentine's day dessert. In the past, I've always made this trifle with crushed up Heath Bars on it, but I wanted to try something different this time. We both love mint chocolate, so I decided to go that route instead. This dessert is really delicious and not at all hard to make. And this is one of those desserts that is better the longer it has had in the refrigerator. It makes a lot, and we are still working on it! I will warn you-it is chocolatey!

The original recipe I got this idea from, which calls for Heath Bars rather than the Andes Mints, also says you can pour some Kahlua over the top of the crushed Heath Bars. I have never done that, but it's an option. The original recipe also calls for double the pudding and whipped cream, but since I was just making this for my husband and me, it would have been far too much for the two of us. When you do use the double amounts, it's pretty served in a real trifle bowl. The following recipe is for the amount that I made the other night.

Mint Chocolate Brownie Trifle

I N G R E D I E N T S :

1 package brownie mix. I used Ghirardelli double chocolate.

1 package instant chocolate pudding, or you may make the pudding from scratch. If you do, you'll need:
1 cup sugar
2 level Tbsp. cocoa
1/3 cup flour
2 egg yolks
2 cups milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Whipped cream, or make your own. If you do, you'll need:
1/2 pint whipping cream
Dash sugar
Dash vanilla extract

One package of Andes Mints, crushed

D I R E C T I O N S :

-Bake brownies according the the directions on the box. Let cool.

-Either make the instant chocolate pudding according to the directions, or to make it from scratch, you'll need to:
Mix sugar, cocoa, and flour together in a bowl.
Beat 2 egg yolks with a fork and add 1/4 cup milk, and then add to the flour mixture.
Stir mixture on medium heat (I used a double boiler just so nothing would get burnt on the bottom of the pan) for about 2 minutes and then gradually stir in the remaining 1 3/4 cups of milk. Stir continually until mixture thickens (I just stir it every few minutes as I add the milk).
Once the mixture is thick with the consistency of pudding, remove from heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla

-If you are making the whipped cream, just mix whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla in a stand mixer until soft peaks form. Or, you may use store-bought whipped cream.

-Layer:
Half the brownies
Half the pudding
Half the whipped cream
Half the crushed Andes Mints
Repeat, ending with the final half of Andes Mints.
Let cool in refrigerator.