Chocolate & Peanut Butter Lover's Brownies

    Well......the obsession continues!!  The combo of chocolate and peanut butter, especially in the form of "Reeses Peanut Butter Cups", is always a winner around here.  So, when I saw this brownie recipe, containing semi-sweet chocolate, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, peanut butter, milk chocolate, Aaaand peanut butter cups........well, the Valentine's Day treat for this year was obvious!!


     These brownies have a great chocolatey base, speckled with semi-sweet chocolate chips, a sweet peanut butter filling, a gooey milk chocolate ganache, and chopped peanut butter cups covering the top!  I mean....really.....was there any other choice to be made?? 

    If you love chocolate and peanut butter, as much as my bunch, try these out (and just go ahead and thank me now).  They'll put a smile on your face!

Chocolate & Peanut Butter Lover's Brownies

Brownies:
12 tblsp. unsalted butter
3 1/2 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 lg. eggs plus 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup chocolate chips

Place the butter and chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until semi-melted, 30-60 seconds. Stir constantly to finish melting, then cool for about 5 minutes.

  Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking, powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

Now, whisk the sugar into the melted chocolate/butter mixture.  Then, add the eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and stir until it's smooth.

                            

Mix in the dry ingredients with a large spoon.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Add the batter to a 9x13" baking pan that's been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until set and no longer jiggly in the center, 25-30 minutes.  Allow them to cool for 30 minutes.

(*Note: If using a glass baking dish or a dark coated pan, bake at 325 degrees)

Peanut Butter Filling:

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tblsp. coconut oil

Melt the peanut butter over low heat.  Add the powdered sugar and coconut oil and stir until smooth.  Now, pour the filling over the brownies and spread it out to cover the top.

 

Let the filling cool completely and firm up, about 20 minutes.

Ganache Topping:

8 oz. milk chocolate chopped (I used milk choc. chips)

1/2 cup heavy cream

Place the milk chocolate in a small bowl.  Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat, just until you see bubbles around the edges.  Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let

it stand for about 30 seconds.  Stir until the chocolate melts and it's nice and smooth.

 

Pour the ganache over the peanut butter layer and, then, sprinkle 1 1/2 cups chopped peanut butter cups all over the top!

Look, it's a sea of peanut butter cups!!!

Now comes the hard part........Let the brownies sit for 30 minutes before cutting!  (I put the pan in the fridge to speed up the process!)  Enjoy, friends!!

For printable recipe, click here.

Recipe from Seriously Delish by Jessica Merchant.