peanut swirl brownies

These are serious brownies.  Very very serious.  Like really, they start with a pound of chocolate and a pound of butter.  And then you add more chocolate and lots of vanilla.  There are over 2 pounds of chocolate in these brownies.  Granted, they make an entire sheet pan and can serve quite a crowd.  But it makes my heart cringe just a little bit to melt so much chocolate and butter together and have that be the majority of your brownie mix.  But in a good way.

At some point you add some flour, but it’s almost like an afterthought.  Oh yeah, I guess maybe we should add a little flour to all this butter and chocolate.  I  mean really, there’s only about a cup of flour.  For an entire sheet pan of brownies.  I cannot get over the ridiculousness of these.  And then you add some peanut butter.

Oh my gosh.  I obviously can’t seem to form any coherent thought about how good these are except…so. much. chocolate.

I don’t really feel like these need a lot of explaining beyond that above information.  And while I realize it might scare some of you away, please don’t be afraid.  Yes, the amount of richness in here almost seems like it should be illegal.  But remember that it makes enough brownies to serve more people than I will probably ever have over to my house at one time.  I brought half of these brownies to our tailgate the other weekend.  I gave some to Gerrit’s family.  Gerrit and I have been eating some.  I served them for dessert at Sunday family lunch.  And after all of that we still have quite a bit of leftovers in the freezer.  But as usual with freezer desserts, they’ll be a nice surprise when I remember them in a month or two.

Peanut Swirl Brownies
from Ina Garten

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 35 minutes

Makes: 20 large brownies, 30-40 normal sized brownies

1 lb. (4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 lb. semisweet chocolate chips
6 oz. unsweetened chocolate
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules (optional)
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1 1/2 inch sheet pan.
2. In a medium-sized heat proof bowl, combine 1 lb. butter and 1 lb. chocolate chips.  Place over a pot of simmering water and heat until chocolate chips and butter are melted and smooth.  Or, more quickly, heat in the microwave until melted, stirring at 30 second intervals.  Set aside to cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl combine eggs, optional coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar.  Whisk together.
4. Add slightly cooled chocolate to the egg mixture slowly, whisking constantly.  Whisk together until smooth.
5. In a small bowl, sift together 1 cup flour, the baking powder, and salt.  Add to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.
6. In another small bowl, toss together 12 oz. chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour.  Stir into the batter.
7. Pour batter into the prepared sheet pan and use a spatula to spread it out evenly.  Spoon the peanut butter in globs evenly over the batter.  Then use the tip of a knife to swirl the peanut butter into the batter.
8. Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the batter and the baking sheet.  Bake for 10 to 15 more minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the middle comes out clean.  Be very careful not to over bake them.
9. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.  Refrigerate and then cut into squares.  (But in a pinch, they can also be served warm.)