If that picture doesn't make you stop everything that you're doing and bake brownies, I don't know what will! These are the fudgiest, peanut butteriest, chocolatiest brownies you will ever taste.
As I have said before, peanut butter is the most amazing creation that anyone ever discovered. It's perfect as a snack, an addition to meals, or in baked goods. I can't say a single bad thing about it! Now let's add in some chocolate, and what do you have? One of the happiest marriages that I ever did know!
Now come the brownies. Besides chocolate chip cookies, I think that brownies are one of the most nostalgic foods of all time, especially for me. When I was little and my mom would bake either cake or brownies, she would always, always, always let me lick the beaters from the mixer AND have a few spoonfuls of batter. Yes, this goes against the "no eating raw eggs" rule that should have been followed, but hey, I never got sick! I just remember sitting on the counter, chocolate batter all over my face, but I was so lucky because who else's mom was as cool as mine to let them eat the brownies before they were baked? No one's!
So here I am, 20 years later, allowing myself to have a few spoonfuls of this deliciously dark chocolatey batter before I send it off to bake! The flavors of these are so wonderful and distinct. What is so perfect about these brownies is that you can substitute the chocolate that you use! Want to use milk chocolate? Go for it. If you're more of a fan of mixing dark and semi-sweet (like me!), then why not do that. If you weren't one of the lucky ones who was able to eat all of that raw batter or dough, now is your chance! Go get your double boiler going and be prepared for the most rich, fudgy, peanut buttery brownies, pre or post bake!
ingredients
Butter--4 oz, or 1 stick
Chocolate (chopped)--8 oz, or 1 1/2 cups*
Sugar--2 oz, or 1/4 cup
Brown Sugar--5 oz, or 3/4 cup
Eggs--3
Flour--2.3 oz, or 1/2 cup
Cocoa Powder--0.75 oz, or 3 TBL
Salt--0.15 oz, or 1/2 tsp
*For the chocolate, you can really use whatever your tastebuds like best. For this recipe, I used half 85% dark chocolate and half semi-sweet chips. The peanut butter filling that you will be adding, gives it a lot of sweetness, so the dark chocolate goes really nicely.
process
Using a double boiler, melt the butter. Once melted, add in the chopped chocolate. Stir until all is melted and combined. Set aside to cool for about 5 minutes.
In a larger, separate bowl, while the chocolate mixture is cooling, mix together both of your sugars.
Add the melted chocolate/butter to your sugars. Mix until combined.
Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl, and then add to the chocolate/sugar mixture. Whisk until the eggs are fully incorporated.
Doing it in this order is crucial. The melted chocolate starts out very warm, which is then cooled when added to the sugar. You do not want to add the eggs before the chocolate has been added or they may curdle!
Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Add to your chocolate.
Once all of your ingredients are added and fully incorporated, pour into a 9"x13" pan that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Now it is time to make the peanut butter filling!
filling ingredients
Butter (melted)--0.75 oz, or 1 1/3 TBL
Powdered Sugar--0.75 oz, or 1/4 cup
Peanut Butter--2.5 oz, or 1/4 cup + 1 TBL
Salt--0.05 oz, or 1/4 tsp
filling process
In the bowl of your mixer, cream together the peanut butter and powdered sugar.
Once smooth, stream in the melted butter.
Add the salt.
Once the filling is smooth, take big spoonfuls and place them around the top of your brownie batter.
When all of the peanut butter filling has been used, take an offset spatula or knife and drag it through the batter, making a marbling effect.
When you've had enough fun and are satisfied with the beauty of your PB marbling, put your brownies in the oven.
Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
The peanut butter will fool you with the baking time! It will still look ooey when you peak into the oven after 30 minutes, even when you toothpick check it. Make sure to find a spot, most likely around the edges, that doesn't have much, or any, filling on it, and check there!
Bon Appétit!