We’ve been on a brownie kick lately, I think I’ve made 3 different recipes in the past few weeks. They’re one of the few treats I never have to worry about giving away, I can always count on Shane to devour them. This particular batch was one of the last things I baked before the storm and though we had plenty of non-perishable food on hand, these were the most popular snack choice. I hadn’t had a chance to photograph them so we had to save a few, and they definitely teased us from the counter.
They’re super fudgy and decadent with one of my favorite characteristics of brownies, a crackly top. Since I think just about anything with chocolate benefits from the addition of peanut butter, I folded some mini peanut cups into the batter, but you could definitely skip them or substitute nuts if you want. After I’d finally taken a few pictures, Shane decided to see if they’d be even better topped with chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrup. I think the answer was a resounding yes π
In other news, our good friends still don’t have power at their house thanks to Hurricane Irene, so last night we invited them to stay with us. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a slumber party and I was reminded how much fun they can be! Instead of having to work alone in a quiet house this morning, their son, Jude, kept me company. Isn’t he the cutest (even half asleep)?
Someday I’m sure Jude will love brownies but for now he seems pretty content with oatmeal and pureed fruits and veggies.
Peanut Butter Cup Truffle Brownies
from Bake! by Nick Malgieri
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
10 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cup mini peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 13×9 baking pan with aluminum foil, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to lift the brownies out. Spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.
Add the butter to a medium saucepan and set over medium heat. Melt the butter, and continue to heat until the butter sizzles. At that point, add the chocolate to the pan and gently shake the pan to submerge in the butter. Turn off the heat and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the brown sugar, flour and salt just until evenly combined. Add two of the eggs to the mixer and beat just until incorporated then scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining two eggs, again beating just until incorporated. Mix in the vanilla.
Whisk the butter and chocolate mixture until smooth then add to the bowl of the stand mixer. Stir to incorporate with a rubber spatula. Fold in the chopped peanut butter cups.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread in an even layer. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the brownies cool completely in the pan. The brownies will be easiest to cut if you stick them in the fridge overnight.
I’d be pretty much OK with having these brownies for an every day treat. They’re super tasty! Thanks for making them!
Love this recipe Tracey! Gonna make them today! And your baby boy is adorable.
@Audra – Thanks! He’s actually our friends’ son, not mine π
Oh, heavens to Betsy. I am going to pin this so I can make them and bring them to a Labor Day barbecue this weekend! I’ll be the belle of the ball! π
a) Love crackly brownie tops! Totally with you there. π
b) Chocolate brownies, chocolate ice cream, chocolate syrup?! I didn’t think I could find anyone else who could match my love of all things chocolate all the time.
c) Could that child BE any cuter?? Please tell your friends I may steal him. π
These brownies are perfect. Love the ice cream on top.
Jude is adorable, I remember when my daughter was at that stage. Now, she would prefer the brownie and so would I ! YUM!
Just to reiterate after having the rest of these brownies after lunch: these are totally the tastiest things ever!
These look fab! I’ve been wanting to try a Nick Malgieri recipe.
How nice of you to open your home – no power is no fun!!
Wonderful post, as usual. The little guy is a cutie pie.
π
ButterYum
Yum these look great I will for sure be trying these. Love your blog
Ashley
http://www.thedailysmash101.blogspot.com
YUM!!! These look awesome! I’m not a big chocolate person, but I’m definitely having a craving at the sight of these brownies…
These were pretty phenom and well received over here on this end as well. I decided I would take a tiny 1×1-inch piece and just photograph and pack the rest away. I ended up eating the very edge off of one side before I decided these needed to be packed up NOW. I love the thinner-than-paper-thin crust, it just makes simple brownies seem so much more fancy π Glad you and Shane liked them!
Ps. Thanks for baking these with me. I missed you on my day off, it was weird not baking with you π
You are so right…peanut butter is the best addition to chocolate! And a slumber party sounds super fun π
Your ice cream comment cracks me up because that is absolutely something my husband would do π These look delicious!
When i read peanut butter / brownies i went crazy! Have to try those!
I’m definitely making these to take to a BBQ for Labor Day! They look delicious and your little guy is adorable!
Wow! These look amazing! Wish I had peanut butter cups in the house, because I would get up and make them now!!
These look fantastic! Chocolate & peanut butter is my favorite combination. I really enjoy reading your blog and your photos are great π
I really love peanut and chocolate together. The brownie looks so moist and delicious.
I have to agree with you about brownies have a crackly crust. I love that about them! The last picture with the ice cream on top..to die for!
mmm i LOVE PB brownies! fabulous!
Oh my god, these look so awesome! I’ll make them as soon as I get my hands on some peanut butter cups. Not an easy ingredient to find in Norway, but I will hunt them down. Or maybe I’ll just make my own. Either way, those brownies will be mine! xD
Those look so decadent…and then to find out that the recipe is from Bake! (which I own) – even better!
Mmmm…these brownies look so good. But that little Jude! OMG What a cutie! He’s adorable.
Such a great idea to add the peanut butter minis to these brownies! I really liked these when I made them, and will definitely be trying them again. And Jude is such a cutie. =)
Mmm I love brownies with the crackly top and fudgey interior. Those really are the best kinds of brownies.
And yes, Jude is very adorable…I wonder if that’s kind of creepish for me to say, oh well. π
These brownies sound absolutely amazing. I want to rush off and go make them this minute!
PS – Jude is just adorable! π
I need to make these! My kind of brownie!
Mini pb cups sound way better than nuts! I will never get tired of pb and chocolate together. What a cute baby!!
beautiful and original brownies. funny, I have just posted a recipe for brownies, too.
I could eat one of these right now! Added to the “to make” list π
I bought a bag of mini reese’s peanut butter cups and have unfortunately eaten nearly the entire bag and haven’t gotten around to the brownie part yet. I guess I’ll have to buy another bag!
Hi, i found your blog pretty much by accident but when i saw this brownies i just had to make them!
They were perfect! thnks for sharing a great recipe π
These do look like the perfect brownie!
I made these today as I got a new mixer π They werent at all fudgy dense moist goodness I was expecting unfortunately. They tasted almost similar to flourless brownies :/
Yours however look fab.
I’m sorry they didn’t turn out well for you. I might suggest baking them a little less next time – that should keep them more fudgy.
can you still make these without a mixer? Or with just a hand mixer
@Abby – You could definitely make these with a hand mixer. I tend to write all of my recipes with instructions for a stand mixer since that’s what I use, but a majority will work with a hand mixer too π
I really like your recipes. There is a new platform where you can upload them and are seen with a design adapted to iPad. You can also link to your blog, get statistics… It is called cibos.me