Peanut Butter Brownies
Our kitchen designer, S, for our renovation project was AMAZING. Granted, we had to “break up” with two designers before finding her, but boy are we glad we did! She had so much patience with us me and my indecisiveness. And she tackled our kitchen with all it’s funky angles and obstacles as a challenge not a burden. It was her last minute idea to put a countertop over our radiator to almost double our counter space in the room. We owe her. Big time. But how do you thank someone for all their hard work and patience? In an attempt to show our gratitude, I did what I do best. I baked for her.
The day we went to deliver these brownies, S said she was so glad we love the kitchen and that this is what makes her day. Happy customers coming in smiling say they love the design she came up with. If anyone in the Boston area is looking for a kitchen designer, let me know, because she was awesome.
And now, on to the brownies. I had some leftover frosting from the Chocolate Peanut Butter cupcakes and I wanted to incorporate that frosting into the treat for S. Then I decided that I’d stick with the chocolate-peanut-butter theme but make brownies. Now ever since I made these Oreo Brownies, an Ina Garten recipe, I’ve been in love with the brownies. I also made them into Brownie Pops for Hubby’s mom’s surprise birthday party. The brownies are delicious. But I decided I’d try a new brownie recipe just to mix things up.
I asked around and decided on this recipe from What’s Cooking in the Orange Kitchen. These brownies do not disappoint! They’ve got a great texture. Be sure to follow the tip in the recipe to get the nice shiny top to your brownies. I mixed some chocolate-peanut-butter swirled chips into the brownie batter prior to cooking.
Once the brownies were fully cooled, I spread about a 1/2 cup of the leftover frosting onto the brownies. I also had some leftover ganache in the fridge, so I decided to slather that over the peanut butter frosting.
These brownies are very rich and tasty. The peanut butter flavor was not overwhelming, but more of a subtle flavor mixed with the delicious chocolateness of the brownies. Hubby didn’t want to actually deliver these to S because he wanted to eat the entire batch himself.
Don’t forget to enter in my 2nd blogiversary giveaway by midnight on August 13th!
Perfect Brownies
Yield: 16 brownies
Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp Dutch-process cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp espresso powder, optional
1/2 Tbsp vanilla
2 large eggs
3/4 cups flour
1 cups chocolate chips - I used chocolate-peanut-butter swirl chips
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 8x8 pan
In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat briefly, just until it's hot, but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.
Transfer the sugar mixture to a medium-sized mixing bowl, if you've heated it in a saucepan. Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, espresso powder, and vanilla.
Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth.
Add the flour and chips, again stirring until smooth.
Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 8x8 pan.
Bake the brownies for about 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges, and the center should look very moist, but not uncooked. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.
Recipe from What's Cooking in the Orange Kitchen originally from King Arthur Flour
I am Jen the Beantown Baker. Engineer by day and baking maven by night. Hubby serves as my #1 fan and official taste tester. We got hitched back in 2006. Barefoot. In the sand. With the waves crashing behind us. It was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. 
These look and sounds great! Also thanks for the link to the cupcake carrier! I’ve been wanting to buy one for awhile now but didn’t like that Wilton’s only held 12.
Those paper cupcake liners are so pretty! I keep seeing recipes from that book and I really want to get myself a copy!
Do you think you could add a few extra ounces of chocolate to the frosting without messing up the texture?
I just posted cupcakes from that book today too! And I also have the Wilton cupcake carrier. Not to thrilled with it either, but I got it because I needed something to carry a huge sheet cake in. I would love a double decker.
Your cupcakes look great, as always! I need to work on my frosting skills. (Hence the reason I posted a recipe that could be frosted in a “rustic” style!)
Jessica – Definitely check out that carrier. Not sure if you guys have a Container Store, but I think BB&B carries it now too.
Cate – I’m not sure if more chocolate would ruin the texture… Possibly. I was underwhelmed when I tasted the frosting by itself, but when it was on the cupcake, it was really good. The subtle flavor paired really well with this cupcake. I just really prefer my chocolate frosting to be really chocolatey!
Erin – Thanks! I’m always try to improve my skills. This was the first time I’ve tried the rosette. I usually pipe from the outside in.
Yay, for packages in the mail and new kitchens!
I like how you frosted the cupcakes, very pretty. I haven’t made SMBC yet but I’m gonna soon. Sounds good!
Happy Friday!
~ingrid
I need that cupcake carrier!! Thanks for the link to it!! Ive been on the out look for a great one for a while!
These are great cupcakes! Well done!!
These look awesome! What icing tip did you use, if you don’t mind me asking?
I used my trusty old 1M tip for the frosting.
Awesome, thank you!
The frosting is so delicate looking. Just the way Martha Stewart would like it.
love the recioes and will definately try them but as i live in the uk please could you give me imperial measures rather than cupa and sticks thanks:)
Fiona
when I make chocolate SMBC I actually use cocoa powder. I think it gives it a stronger chocolate flavor without messing with the texture. Maybe you could try adding some cocoa powder if the melted chocolate doesn’t taste bold enough.
also, I saw those snap n’ stack cupcake carriers at my local Meijer and bought 2. they weren’t cheap so as I was driving home I was deciding if I was going to regret spending nearly $50 on the 2 of them, but I couldn’t be happier with them. they’re come in *so* handy.