My camera charger has been MIA for over a week now, so I haven’t been able to post/photograph the limited amount of baking and cooking I’ve done recently. I don’t know what Johnny’s excuse is, except that he’s a busy boy. I’m a busy gal too, but I don’t spend my extra time playing video games. What can I say, I’m just the dedicated LAFS poster.
Anyways…
I got the recipe for these off of Anna’s site, and made them for a party on Friday night. I made a few minor changes to make due with what I had on hand, and more importantly because I don’t like nuts getting in the way of my brownies. I don’t like nuts getting in the way of my chocolate, for that matter. I also used reduced fat peanut butter, which means these officially qualify as diet food. I’ll post the recipe as I made it. Next time I think I might throw about a 1/2c of peanut butter chips into the brownie portion, just to make the peanut butter flavor more pronounced. Then again, if you used the peanuts that I didn’t have in my house, they would probably make the flavor stronger.
For the brownie base:
3/4 cup unsalted butter
7 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
For the frosting and ganache:
1 cup Reduced Fat Jif creamy peanut butter (do not use natural or old-fashioned)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon whole milk (I used skim and it seemed totally fine to me)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped*
Preparation
For brownies:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Line 13×9x2-inch metal baking pan with foil, leaving more overhang than I did. Butter or spray with cooking spray.
Place 3/4 cup butter in heavy large saucepan. Add both chocolates; stir over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat. Whisk in sugar, vanilla, and salt, then eggs, 1 at a time. Fold in flour. Spread in prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 30 minutes. Place pan on rack; cool.
For frosting and ganache:
Using electric mixer, beat peanut butter and 1/4 cup butter in medium bowl to blend. Beat in powdered sugar, and salt, then milk and vanilla. Spread frosting over brownies.
Look in your pantry for semi-sweet chocolate, only to find one ounce left. Grab 3 ounces of unsweetened chocolate, 3 ounces of Baker’s “German Sweet Chocolate”, and the ounce of semi-sweet and say a little prayer. Chop. Drop half an ounce of semi sweet onto the floor, say a swear word or two, then throw in a big handful of semi-sweet chocolate chips and call it even.*
Melt chocolate assortment and 1/4 cup butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until smooth. Drop ganache all over frosting; spread to cover. Chill until set, about 1 1/2 hours. Cover and keep chilled until about 2 hours before you want to serve.
Using foil as aid, transfer brownie cake to work surface; cut into squares. Bring to room temperature; serve.
*The ganache turned out just great this way. :).
I suggest cutting these small, as they’re very dense and rich. Plus, once you have one you will immediately reach for another one..then another one…and then another one. This may cause tummy aches.
-Mel
