Chocolate Mint Silk Torte

What a fun recipe this is to make! I made two of these this week, and my friend, Paige, made one for her dad's birthday. The chocolate ganache on top and the cream cheese mousse filling has two boxes of Andes mints, and peppermint extract mixed with a brownie mix, baked in two parchment paper-lined torte pans. YUMMY! Here is the recipe, but you'll need a torte pan, which has a deep well inside a pan with fluted edges. The indentation inside provides a place for the center filling. My torte pans are from The Pampered Chef, for $25.

• Baker's Joy (nonstick cooking spray with flour)
• parchment paper cut into two 8-inch circles
• 1 package (18-21 ounces) traditional or chewy brownie mix
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 2 package (4.67 ounces each) Andes mints, unwrapped, divided (56 pieces total)
• 1 container (12 ounces) frozen Cool Whip, thawed, divided
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. spray torte pans with Baker's Joy. Place 8-inch circles of parchment paper over centers of pans; set aside. Mix together brownie mix with oil, water, eggs, and peppermint extract. Divide batter between pans, spreading to edges. Bake 10-12 minutes or until centers feel firm to the touch.

2. Meanwhile, for ganache, combine 12 of the candies and 3/4 cup of the Cool Whip in microwave bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30-60 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring after each 30-second interval; set aside. Remove pans from oven to cooling rack; cool in pans 5 minutes. Invert onto cooling rack and cool completely, about 8 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, for filling, in another microwave bowl, combine 36 of the candies and 1 cup of Cool Whip; microwave on HIGH for 30-60 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring after each 30-second interval. In a separate bowl, whisk cream cheese until smooth, ; whisk in chocolate mixture (NOT the ganache), then fold in remaining Cool Whip into filling in two additions.

4. Attach open star tip to the Pampered Chef Easy Accent Decorator; fill with 3/4 cup of the filling. and set aside. To assemble the torte, transfer one brownie to a round platter. Spread remaining filling into brownie well. Place top brownie layer well-side up over filling. Spread reserved ganache over brownie 1/2 inch from edge of well. Pipe a decorative border around ganache inside edge of well with 16 dollops or squirts from the decorator of the filling. For garnish, cut remaining eight candies in half diagonally (to make 16 triangles of Andes) and arrange around border in between each filling mound. Yield: 16 servings