Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Brownies
For brownies:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar (1 ½ c. white + ¼ c. brown)
1-1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour (1 ½ c. flour + ½ c. PB powder, sifted)
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet); can use mini PB cups, if desired (PB cups + salted caramel truffles)
1/2 teaspoon salt
For ganache:
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
Make brownies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in middle. Butter a 13- by
9- by 2-inch baking pan, then line bottom of pan with parchment paper and butter
parchment.
Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until
mixture is light and fluffy, then add peanut butter and beat until incorporated. Beat in
eggs and vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low, then mix in flour until just combined. Mix in
chocolate chips then spread batter in baking pan, smoothing top. It will be thick, almost
like cookie dough.
Bake until brownies are deep golden, puffed on top and a wooden pick inserted in
center come out with some crumbs adhering, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan
on a rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
Make ganache: Put chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups) in a heatproof bowl. Bring cream to a
boil in a small saucepan, then pour over chocolate chips and let mixture stand for one
minute. Gently whisk in butter until it is incorporated, chocolate is melted, and a smooth
mixture forms. Spread ganache on cooled brownies and let stand until set, about 15
minutes.
For ½ batch of brownies:
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
⅞ c. sugar (¾ c. + 2 T.)
¾ c. creamy peanut butter
1 large egg + 1 yolk
1 t. pure vanilla extract
1 cups all-purpose flour (alt. ¾ c. + 1 T. flour + 2 T. peanut butter powder + 1 T. cocoa)
¾ c. chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet); can use mini PB cups, if desired
¼ t. salt
For ganache:
¾ c. chocolate chips (semisweet or bittersweet)
¼ c. heavy cream
½ T. unsalted butter, softened
Prepare as directed above.