Family Favorites...Chocolate Peanut Brownies

This is a triple-peanutty triple-layer brownie from “Better Homes and Gardens Holiday Baking 2006", with peanuts, peanut butter chips and peanut butter in the frosting!    It seems a little fussy, but it went together easily.   I have to admit I buy graham cracker crumbs for recipes like this to speed up the process.  The layered bars are really pretty on a cookie tray.
Chocolate Peanut Brownies                          
Crust
  1 1/2     Cups  Graham Cracker -- finely crushed (4 ½ ounces)
     1/4     Cup  Sugar
     1/4     Cup  Peanuts -- finely chopped
     1/2     Cup  Butter -- melted
                        Brownie Filling
     1/2     Cup  Butter
  2            Ounces  Unsweetened Chocolate -- cut up
  1            Cup  Sugar (7 ounces)
  2            Large  Eggs
  1            Teaspoon  Vanilla
     2/3     Cup  Flour, All-purpose (3 ounces)
     1/2     Cup  Peanut Butter Chips (3 ounces)
                        Peanut Butter Frosting
     1/4     Cup  Butter
  2            Tablespoons  Peanut Butter
  2            Cups  Powdered Sugar – divided (8 ounces)
  1            Tablespoon  Milk – plus additional 2-3 Tbsp.
     1/2     Teaspoon  Vanilla Extract
Preheat oven to 350°.  For crust:  Combine graham crackers, 1/4 cup sugar and chopped peanuts.  Stir in the melted butter.  Press into an ungreased 11 x 7 x 1 12" baking pan.  Bake for 5 minutes; cool.
For filling; in a heavy large saucepan, (I used a  quart glass measuring cup and the microwave), combine the butter and chocolate; heat and stir over low heat until melted.  remove from heat.  Add the remaining 1 cup of sugar, the eggs, and vanilla; stir just until combined.  Stir in flour and peanut butter chips.  Spread evenly over crust.  Bake for 20 minutes.
Cool in pan on a wire rack.  Spread with Frosting.  Cut into 20-21 bars.  Garnish with peanut halves.
Frosting:  In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup butter and 2 tabalspoons peanut butter; beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds.  Gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, beating well.  Beat in 1 tablespoon milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.  Gradually beat in remaining powdered suar and enough milk to make a frosting that spreads easily.

2 comments:

  1. Oh, Yum.
    Besides using the graham cracker crumbs a person could easily use the chocolate crumbs in place of; of which I buy and use the most of.
    Using a mini peanut butter cup for the top makes for a cute presentation. I always try to have them on hand as well just for decoration purpose. :}

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