Baker's Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
November 16, 2009
Taste Tester and I were lounging around one night when suddenly I was ready for dessert, only to realize there was nothing around to snack on. How could I let such a thing happen?!
I was tired from being on my feet all day at work, so he kindly offered to make dessert for me. I was happy to let him do the work. So he started looking around for recipes. He looked… and he looked some more. Getting antsy and a little desperate for a sugar high, I jumped up, peaked in the cabinets and found a Baker’s bar of unsweetened chocolate. Inside the box was a recipe for quick and easy brownies. Perfect, I thought - I’d be gobbling up warm, delicious brownies in no time.
He agreed to the recipe (yes!) and said he’d start them as soon as he finished what he was doing (damn!). I tried to sit patiently, but a few minutes went by and he didn’t fly off the couch to begin whipping up the brownies. Wanting to stay out of the kitchen and let him do his thing, but also dying for some brownies, I finally gave in to the latter as I snuck into the kitchen and started pulling ingredients from the cabinets. A few seconds later he realized what I was doing and jumped up saying, “hey I said I would make those!”
“I know…” I guiltily replied.
“Man, you really want some brownies, huh?”
“UH HUH!”
We worked together and a little while later, happily ate some warm tasty peanut butter swirl brownies fresh out of the oven. These brownies are soft, rich and indulgent and come together in a snap. They’re perfect for when you’re in a bind and in need of dessert!
I also loved how well the swirls stayed in tact throughout baking. The surface is almost hypnotizing if you look at it too long. You are getting sleeeepyyy… now eat a broooowwwniiieee… and another one… and another…
Recipe from Baker's
Yields 24 brownies
Ingredients
Brownies
4 squares Unsweetened Chocolate (I actually used a mix of Baker's and Ghirardelli because that's what I had on hand.)
11 Tbsp butter or margarine
2 cups sugar (minus 2 Tbsp, for use in the PB swirl mixture below)
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
Peanut Butter Swirl
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 13x9 inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over the sides of the pan. Grease foil.
2. Microwave chocolate and butter in large microwavable bowl on high 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Add flour and mix well. Spread into prepared pan.
3. Make the peanut butter swirl: Melt the 1 Tbsp butter. Add to reserved sugar (2 Tbsp) with the peanut butter and mix well. Spoon over batter in the pan and swirl. Swirl with a knife several times to marbleize.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake.) Cool in pan on wire rack, remove brownies from pan using foil handles. Cut into squares. Store tightly in covered container.