Peanut Butter Brownie with Chocolate Ganache

For those who love chocolate and peanut butter, this will be a temptation.  There’s a peanut butter “blondie” on the bottom, filled with chocolate chips, and then a chocolate ganache on top.  It is a two-step recipe, but the second step is so easy. For the chocolate ganache I used half bittersweet chocolate and half  semi-sweet.  I thought it was a great balance of sweetness to the base layer that is slightly sweeter, and my staff at work who sampled this on goodie day agreed.  If you’ve got a real sweet tooth you may want to use only semi-sweet chocolate.

I got the recipe from Smitten Kitchen (love her site and cookbook), and she got it from Gourmet Magazine’s recipe from Butterwood Desserts.

What you need for the brownie/blondie:

• 1 cup or 1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 & 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used a natural peanut butter with no sugar or salt added – if you use this you’ll want to add extra salt to the batter)
• 2 large eggs plus one yolk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 & 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or more if you’re using natural peanut butter

What you need for the ganache:

• 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon butter

What you do:

1. Begin by rolling out enough parchment paper to line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan.  Spread some butter on the parchment, then line the pan with it.
2. Preheat the oven to 350F with the rack in the middle of the oven.
3. Beat the butter and sugar at medium-high speed until the  mixture is light and fluffy, then beat in the peanut butter. Beat in whole eggs, egg yolk, and vanilla. With the mixer sped on low, mix in the flour until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips,  then spread thick batter into the parchment-lined baking pan, smoothing the  top.
4. Bake the brownies for about 40-45 minutes, until deep golden and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. (I used two 9×9 pans, so mine was done early)
5. Cool completely on a rack before topping with the ganache.
6. To make the ganache put the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler or in a bowl that fits on top of a small pot of water.  Add the cream and butter, then turn the heat up on the double boiler until it reaches a low simmer.  Stir with a spatula until the chocolate is melted and glossy.  Spread the ganache over top of the brownie, then let it stand until set.
7. To cut the brownie remove it from the pan, then run a large knife under hot water, dry it off, and slice the brownie.