PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE

the first daffodil, maybe spring isn't too far away!

This post is for Emmaline

Continuing on with the chocolate theme, we have this peanut butter brownie which has become a very firm favourite with my offspring and their friends.  My friends also but we can't eat as much as the 'kids' without the  impact being felt on our waistlines and other various parts of the body.

As with so many of my recipes, this starts out from a Women's Weekly cookbook, this one titled 'Biscuits, Brownies and BIscotti' .  It's a great little book, with the page for these brownies well decorated with splodges of chocolate.  From the moment I first baked it there were constant requests for it from all directions.

Is there anything more decadent than the mix of  chocolate, butter, peanut butter and more chocolate?  Possibly, but it comes pretty high on the list.  

The only changes I make to this recipe depend on the type of peanut butter I have in the cupboard, smooth or crunchy, or the swapping of the extra chocolate for white chocolate, depending again on the cupboard or my mood.

PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES

*180 gms chopped butter
*150 gms dark chocolate- eating or cooking I've used both
*1 3/4 cups caster sugar- actually I often use brown sugar
*4 lightly beaten eggs
*1 teaspoon vanilla essence
*3/ 4 cup plain flour
*2 talbespoons self raising flour
*1/3 cup cocoa powder
*50 gms dark chocolate chopped
*1/3 cup crunchy peanut butter
* I have at times, added a handful of chopped unsalted peanuts as I like the crunch

*Heat oven to moderately slow
*grease a 20cm x 30cm pan, lining the base and ends with baking paper, extending the paper over the ends in order to use these to help lift the brownie out when cold
*melt butter and chocolate over low heart till mix is smooth, do not boil
*cool a little
*stir in sugar, eggs and essence till well incorporated
*continue stirring in sifted flours and cocoa
*pour half mixture into pan smoothing into corners
*drop teaspoonfuls of peanut butter and scatter with extra chocolate then gently swirl with a knife
*layer the remaining mixture over the top smoothing to the corners
*bake till firm, about 45-50 minutes, cool in pan

look at those luscious bits of chocolate

yummy chunks of peanut butter

This bold fellow was perched on the clothesline.  He stayed still, watching me whilst I took his photo from different angles, then flew off when he'd had enough.  Luckily I had enough photos as well.











Enjoy

Jo