Special Delivery

When I make promises, I keep them. Sometimes it takes a little time, but I always deliver.

When DF, who is one of my favorite people I have never met, won the baked good raffle a few weeks back, I was thrilled. Except, then I got scared. I had a huge case of performance anxiety. I agonized over what to make, weighing what would hold up to shipping and trying to come up with something that would really impress. God dammit, what if my imaginary internet friend came to think me a fraud?

I searched endlessly, and finally had a revelation when I came across these peanut butter brownies. I mean, what kind of crazy pills does a person have to be taking to not want the beautiful harmony of peanut butter and chocolate combined in a delicious cakey treat? Not anyone who would read here, I know that.

And turns out DF liked them. Hooray, Hallelujah and thank Holy Hell! This recipe is so perfect, I knew there was no way he couldn’t. The brownie batter is peanut butter based, making the name brownie a bit of a misnomer, but we will let that slide. The batter was thick and studded with mini-chips, making it almost impossible not to eat the bowl of peanut buttery goodness before it even hits the oven. The ganache on top is perfection, accentuating the peanut butter and adding a a creamy accent to the slight chewy brownies. These are criminally good. Even though I was wrapping them at 2 am to get them in the mail the next morning, every second was worth it. The kitchen was a mess (you can see some batter on the table in the picture), I was exhausted, and it cost $43 to ship them, but it was a success…and really, that is all that matters.

Peanut Butter Brownies
from Smitten Kitchen

For brownies
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs plus 1 large yolk
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (9 ounces) note: i used mini chips….
1/2 teaspoon salt, see note

For ganache
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (9 ounces)
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 whole eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. Reduce mixer sped to low, then mix in flour until just combined.

Mix in chocolate chips (1 1/2 cups) then spread batter in baking pan, smoothing top. (It will be thick, almost like cookie batter.)

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.