Double Trouble Brownies

Four layers of chocolate and peanut butter in a scrumptuous brownie!

….most of us don’t want trouble every day, and this recipe does include several steps, but from time to time we are up for a little trouble and more often than we might admit, the result is worth even double trouble!

FOR THE 1ST LAYER - PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES

1/2 cup peanut butter 1/3 cup half soft butter and half vegetable shortening 2/3 cup white sugar 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt

FOR THE 2ND LAYER - CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

1/2 cup softened butter 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs 1/2 cup flour 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt

FOR 3RD LAYER - PEANUT BUTTER CREAM

6 tablespoons softened butter 1 cup smooth peanut butter 3/4 cups powdered sugar

FOR 4TH LAYER - CHOCOLATE GANACHE

1/2 cup heavy cream 3/4 cup semi-sweet or 60% chocolate bar 1/2 cup roughly chopped salted peanuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C ). Grease a 9×9 inch baking pan.

FOR THE FIRST LAYER: In a medium bowl, cream together peanut butter, butter and shortening. Gradually blend in the brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix until fluffy. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the peanut butter mixture until well blended. Press dough into the bottom of the baking pan and set aside.

FOR THE SECOND LAYER: Blend butter, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer on high speed until smooth and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Blend in flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Spread batter evenly over the first layer (peanut butter batter) baking powder and salt. Bake brownies for about 25 minutes or just until a knife inserted into the brownies comes out clean (Don’t overbake…underbaking just a bit is okay if you prefer a fudgy texture.)

FOR THE THIRD LAYER: In a large mixing bowl, combine butter, peanut butter and powdered sugar until very smooth, on high speed, about 2 minutes.

FOR THE FOURTH LAYER: Heat cream in small saucepan over medium heat until cream comes to a simmer. Add chocolate chips and without stirring, allow cream and chocolate to sit, off the heat for about 10 minutes. Then stir chocolate into cream with a wooden spoon or whisk until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside and allow to cool for about 30 minutes until slightly thickened. Pour ganache over the peanut butter cream layer. Then sprinkle roughly chopped peanuts over the top.

Chill brownies for at least 30 minutes before cutting into squares. Makes 16 large brownies.

Press peanut butter brownie dough in bottom of 8 X 8 baking pan.

Cover first layer with chocolate brownie dough.

Spread the peanut butter cream over the cooled brownies as the 3rd layer.

Cover baked & cooled brownies with layer of peanut butter cream and then with cooled, thickened chocolate ganache, topped with chopped peanuts.

No trouble working up an appetite for one of these lucious beauties!