The Baked Brownie with a Swirl of Peanut Butter

I have been wanting to try "The Baked Brownie" forever. Every time I went on tastespotting or foodgawker, I saw yet another photo of the alluring Baked Brownie. Having an urge to bake something and use of the bag of chocolate chips in my freezer, I decided this would be the best option. While looking for recipes all over the internet, I swear, no Baked Brownie recipe was the same. Some recommended using three different types of chocolate, some used specific types of cocoa powder....etc. I being a poor college student, I used plain old Hersey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa, Trader Joe's Chocolate Chips, and I made a little bit of some REALLY strong coffee in my french press.... and I think they turned out just fine. Just ask my neighbors and housemates... they didn't seem to complain too much (or at all) when eating them. Oh yeah, and I also added some Peanut Butter!

THE BAKED BROWNIE

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers In Baking

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• One bag of dark chocolate chips (I used Trader Joe's)
• 8 ounces butter (2 sticks), cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 tsp of REALLY strong coffee
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Peanut Butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light colored metal pan 9x13x2 pan.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the salt, and cocoa powder.
4. Configure a large sized double boiler. Place the chocolate, the butter, and the STRONG coffee in the bowl of the double boiler and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler and add both sugars. Whisk the sugars until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan. Mixture should be room temperature.
5. Add three eggs to the chocolate/butter mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not over beat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
6. Sprinkle the flour/cocoa/salt mix over the chocolate. Using a spatula (DO NOT USE A WHISK) fold the dry into the wet until there is just a trace amount of the flour/cocoa mix visible.
7. Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth the top with your spatula. Spoon on some natural peanut butter and "marble" in with a knife.
8. Bake the brownies for 33 minutes (rotate the pan half-way through baking) and check to make sure the brownies are completely done by sticking a toothpick into the center of the pan. The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
9. Cool the brownies completely before cutting and serving. (This step wasn't so strictly followed...)

Grasshopper Brownies

Layered To Devour.

This recipe technically consists of three recipes, but it is so worth it. Imagine... mint chocolate chip ice cream but in a brownie form. Thought such magical things didn't exist? Well, they do! And let me lead you down a path of enlightenment towards grasshopper brownies!

Ingredients for Brownie Layer:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Ingredients for Mint Ganache Layer:

• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 10 oz fine-quality white chocolate, chopped
• 2.5 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Green food coloring (optional)

Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache Layer:

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 10 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), finely chopped

Brownie Assembly:

1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. Melt the butter in a microwave in 30 second increments on full power until butter is fully melted. Transfer melted butter to a large bowl and beat in sugar with a fork until fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time until well combined, then beat in vanilla extract.
4. Beat/Stir in cocoa powder, flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan...and give the batter bowl and spatula to a loyal follower and allow them to lick them bowl. They'll be so generous they'll repay you somehow later.
5. Bake for about 27 minutes. Let the brownies cool on the counter for approx an hour, then put them in the freeze so they can 'firm up'

Mint Ganache Assembly:

Bring cream to a simmer in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan and remove from heat. Pour over white chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Stir in peppermint extract (and some green food coloring if you want it to look 'minty') and chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 1 hour.

Chocolate Ganache Assembly:

Bring cream to a simmer in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan and remove from heat. Pour over bittersweet chocolate in a bowl. Let stand 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Chill, covered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 30 minutes.

Now.... ASSEMBLE THE LAYERS!

Spread mint ganache over top of cooled brownie in a thin even layer using offset spatula, then chill until firm but still slightly sticky, about 30 minutes.

Spread chocolate ganache over mint and chill until firm, about 2 hours. Cut into squares and sucumb to the magic of mint and chocolate.