Your Daily Dish: Peanut Butter Brownies

Peanut Butter Brownies

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Peanut butter and chocolate go together like Charlie Brown and Snoopy, and that’s why, on this 63rd anniversary of the first published “Peanuts” comic strip, we’re feasting on layers of creamy peanut butter perched atop a fudgy brownie and drizzled with a chocolate ganache.

Ingredients

Fudgy Brownie Layer

1 cup butter
10 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted
½ tsp kosher salt

Peanut Butter Layer

1 cup smooth peanut butter
¾ cup butter, softened
2 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp kosher salt

Chocolate Ganache

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream

½ cup chopped salted peanuts, for garnish

Directions

1) For the brownie layer, preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a 13×9-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. In a microwave safe bowl, combine butter and chocolate. Melt on high heat for 1 minute, stir and melt 30 seconds more or until the butter and chocolate are melted and smooth. In a large bowl, whisk sugar, brown sugar and eggs. Whisk in melted chocolate mixture. Stir in flour, cocoa powder and salt, mixing just until flour disappears. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 28-30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely before adding peanut butter layer.

2) For the peanut butter layer, using an electric mixer, cream peanut butter and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, add icing sugar, vanilla and salt. Increase speed to medium, mixing until creamy. Spoon over cooled brownies, creating an even and smooth layer on top. Refrigerate while making chocolate ganache.

3) For the ganache, place chocolate in a medium bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan until bubbles form around the edge. Gradually whisk warmed cream into chopped chocolate, continuing to mix until ganache is smooth. Drizzle over peanut butter layer and sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

Yield: 24 pieces