Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

By Madison Stettler, Schnecksville,

Brownies

2-4 oz. Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bars

2 cups brown sugar, packed

4 PA Preferred large eggs

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, cut into pieces

2 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 cups plus 4 T. flour

2/3 cup Ghiradelli Semi-Sweet Chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch by 13-inch pan. In a saucepan melt chocolate bar and butter over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove pan from heat, let cool. Stir in brown sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, mix well. In bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly fold in flour mixture; mix well. Stir in chips. Pour batter in pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let brownies cool.

You could also use a brownie mix. Bake brownies in a 13-inch by 9-inch pan lined with aluminum foil overlapping edges of pan. Grease bottom with Pam for baking. Cool brownies completely.

Peanut Butter Filling

3/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup peanut butter

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 T. PA Preferred® milk

3/4 cup finely chopped honey roasted peanuts

Cream butter, peanut butter and vanilla. Add powdered sugar a little at a time and beat well after each addition. Beat in 2 tablespoons of milk. Stir in chopped peanuts. Spread mixture carefully over cooled brownies. Place in refrigerator while preparing chocolate ganache.

Ganache

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

11.5 oz. bag of milk chocolate chips

Heat whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium high heat just until it almost boils. Remove from heat and add chocolate chips. DO NOT STIR! Let stand 5 minutes then stir until smooth. Cool about 10 minutes and then spread carefully over peanut butter. Spread to edge of pan. Chill for several hours. Remove to large cutting board using aluminum foil to lift out of pan. Cut into bars or small squares. Store in refrigerator, but serve at room temperature.