Mint Infused Fudge Brownies with Frosting Using the LEVO® II Infuser
This post is sponsored by LĒVO® Oil. They have provided equipment and monetary compensation. All thoughts and opinions expressed remain my own.
This summer we have had a bountiful herb harvest. On our farm, we grow a large mixture of various culinary and medicinal herbs for use in our home. Some of these include rosemary, lavender, chamomile, lemon balm, sage, thyme, chives, calendula, basil, oregano, dill, cilantro, nettle, and various varieties of mint. As they grow, we cut them back and dry them inside of the house in our bulk pantry. Once dried, we grind and chop them up, storing them in canning jars on our pantry shelves and using them in our daily cooking, herbal home remedies, tea, homemade bath and beauty products, and more. It is a slow and methodical process, but it is one that we absolutely love going through every year.
In the past, I have written about making infused herbal oils in a simple and slow way. This article was also featured in Willow and Sage Magazine! To make an infused oil, you simply place dried herbs in a jar, cover them completely with oil, and let them steep in the oil for several weeks. It helps to continually shake the jar a couple of times per day to allow the oil to pass through the plant. You can also make infused oils by letting the jar steep in the sunshine or cooking them over the stove. All of these methods work great, but they always left me questioning if I was truly getting the most out of my infusions.
Then I heard about the LĒVO® II Oil Infuser. This is a countertop appliance that infuses oil, butter, honey, vegetable glycerin, and more. I was intrigued!
what is the LĒVO® II?
So what does the LĒVO® II do? First and foremost, it makes gourmet infusions. An infusion is a liquid ingredient that has been permeated or macerated with one or more flavors or scents usually from herbs, vegetables, or flowers. This brings about an even deeper amount of flavor to what would otherwise be simple dishes, and it truly helps in creating professional grade handmade beauty products likes soaps and lotions, aromatherapy products, and massage oils. I wish that I had had this machine when I was selling handmade beauty/medicinal products in our store!
Here are some of the features of the LĒVO® II, according to their website:
Includes DRY and ACTIVATE (AKA decarboxylation) modes to prep your herbs for infusion, extending both shelf life and potency
100% dishwasher safe and non-toxic parts
By infusing at home, you’ll pay a fraction of what you would purchasing pre-made infused oils and foods and have full control over the quality of your ingredients
Precise time and temperature controls let you tailor settings to your preference and replicate your favorites, again and again!
Ceramic coated liquid reservoir with 16 oz capacity
Power Pod included holds 8 grams (1/4 ounce) of herbs (PRO TIP: double up!)
Commercial grade time and temperature controls
Use the LĒVO app for recipes, calculators and more
Non-stick ceramic coated basin with 16oz capacity. Teflon free.
All dishwasher safe parts
When the appliance arrived in the mail, I am not sure who was more excited to try it out, me or Jill! Jill loves making herbal bath and beauty products, so she was immediately ready to give it a try. We put in some of the LĒVO® MCT coconut oil and some of our homegrown dried lavender to give it a try. The final product was a lightly tinted and highly scented oil that was seriously impressive! It smelled so amazing, and it only took the click of a button.
While I love doing things the old-fashioned way, I knew that this product would be a total game changer not only to our cooking at home but also to any small business that relies on making homemade infused oils. The infusion was finished in about 2 hours and ready to use!
One of the most impressive parts of the LĒVO® II is that it is the only appliance that allows you to infuse any herb into just about any liquid!
how to make infused mint oil:
After playing around with the LĒVO® II, we decided to create our own recipe to go along with an infused oil. It was not difficult to decide on which herb to use. We have an abundance of mint growing on our farm right now that we have been drying. One of the varieties of mint that we grow is called Chocolate Mint, and it literally smells like chocolate! We thought it would be fun to play around with that…
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS OF MINT INFUSED OIL:
2 cups LĒVO® MCT Coconut Oil or other neutral carrier oil for cooking (sunflower, grapeseed, avocado, vegetable, etc)
8 grams dried Chocolate Mint or other mint variety
DIRECTIONS:
Open the lid of the LĒVO® II. Remove the pod and open the lid. Add the dried mint to the pod and fill to the top. Make sure not to pack the herbs too tightly to allow the oil to flow through the leaves more easily.
Place the closed pod back into the reservoir. Set the machine to Dry herbs.
Pour the coconut oil into the reservoir, submerging the herbs in the pod completely and filling to the maximum fill line. Close the lid of the LĒVO® II.
Turn on the LĒVO® II and select Infusion from the options. Press start and let the herbs infuse for 2 hours at 150° F.
When the infusion is finished, place a container underneath the dispenser and press the Dispense button. Continue to press down the button until oil no longer comes out of the dispenser. Allow the oil to cool completely and cover the container with an airtight lid. Store in a cool, dark place like a pantry cabinet until ready to use. You can also store your finished oil in the LĒVO® Herb Block Tray.
Infused oils will last up to a year or more if you are using an herb that is fully dried. For fresh herbs, the shelf life is much shorter and should be stored in the refrigerator.
mint infused fudge brownies recipe:
MINT FUDGE BROWNIES:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp fine sea salt
1 cup Infused Mint Oil
1 tbsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs + 2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup melted semisweet or dark chocolate
MINT FUDGE FROSTING:
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup Infused Mint Oil
2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1-2 tbsp heavy cream
Fresh mint and mint flowers, for garnish
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a 9x13-inch pan and set aside.
Begin by making the brownies. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk until well blended. Add the infused mint oil, vanilla, eggs, egg yolks, and melted chocolate. Mix together with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth and there are no longer any dry bits in the bowl.
Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Rap the baking dish on the counter one or two times to remove air bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out a bit dirty with brownies crumbles. The center should not be soupy, but fudgey looking. Place the pan on a wire cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature.
While the brownies are baking, make the frosting. In a small saucepan, combine the maple syrup, Infused Mint Oil, cocoa powder, and chocolate chips. Heat over medium-low heat until the chocolate is melted, whisking everything together as it melts. Remove from heat.
Pour the chocolate oil mixture into a medium sized bowl. Add the powdered sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream. Whisk until thickened to the consistency of creamy peanut butter. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let sit on the counter while the brownies finish cooling.
Once the brownies have fully cooled, spread the finished frosting evenly over the top of the brownies. Place the pan the in the refrigerator for about 1 hour or until the frosting has set. Slice the brownies into 9 slices and serve garnished with fresh mint leaves and flowers.
The finished brownies completely blew our minds. We were honestly not expecting them to taste that good. Would could an infused oil really do to a baked good?
I will be completely honest with you… It is intense!!! The flavor of mint came out so beautifully. There is absolutely nothing artificial about the flavoring; it tastes organic and delightful without being overly earthy. These brownies taste like your favorite Girl Scout cookie. You know the one! It is so delicious and incredible. We could not stop talking about these brownies!
If you want to give this recipe a try, I highly recommend you check out the LEVO® II. It truly makes an incredible product!
CLICK HERE TO SHOP THE LEVO® II AND THEIR OTHER APPLIANCES.
xoxo Kayla
