These brownies took a few trials, but I didn’t hear anyone really complain at home. I now have 4 very round bodies lying lazily on the couch.
Brownies and I have a bit of a complicated relationship, which would sound more like a marriage. We started off very well, but lost some connection midway (split batters were thrown out, burnt results were smashed, half cooked brownies were eaten just to please and some were so dry they needed to be drenched in ice cream). The past year we’ve finally made some peace with the star recipe shining out – Caramel Sea Salt Brownies. So, like what any good woman does, I decided to push some buttons against logic, and go for something a little more adventurous – peanut butter swirl brownies.
I say push buttons because working with peanut butter is rather difficult in baking – it tends to dry out the other ingredients, overpower the chocolate and more often than not, meddle with the baking. I had to try these a few times to get them right and I did have to hear (more than once!) ‘give up!’, but as you all know, once a woman has made up her mind, nothing can stop her.
So here, I have for you the final recipe that works brilliantly, without you having to go through two jars of peanut butter and a kilo of dark chocolate (sorry Mum!). May you swirl through these brownies deliciously well!
- Recipe Ingredients
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp cocoa powder, unsweetened
1/2 cup butter, soft
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tbsp vanilla
200g dark chocolate, melted
2 tbsp instant coffee
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/8 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp sea salt
- Recipe Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line an 8 × 8 baking tin.
Whisk the flour, salt and cocoa powder and set aside.
In a mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar together for at least 5 minutes – the mixture will turn white.
Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for another 5 minutes.
Add the coffee and melted chocolate and whisk until combined.
With a spatula, fold in the dry ingredients, without over-mixing.
Pour the batter into the baking tin.
Drop the peanut butter mixture all over the tin, and swirl into the batter using a slim knife or long bamboo stick.
Bake for 25 minutes or until the toothpick inserted comes out clean with just a few crumbs.
Remove from oven and let the brownie cool within the tin for at least 10 minutes.
Remove and cool completely before slicing.
Store in an airtight container.
