Hey guys! So...I realize it's been a while -- okay, a long while since you've last heard from me, and I have to apologize because life has been really hectic lately and it's been virtually impossible for me to bake at all over winter break even though my heart and soul cried, "cookie!" and "brownie!" with all their might. Luckily, Caroline has been a baking goddess as per usual and made some absolutely to-die-for desserts, from what I've seen. Said desserts may include a birthday chocolate sour cream cake, yuzu panna cotta, and wow so many more my taste buds are exploding.
But at long last, I can happily announce to y'all that I am done with the MCAT! And to celebrate, I have gathered a few ingredients and made a brownie for you (and me).
Buckeye Brownies, to be exact.
The buckeye to these brownies came from a homemade peanut butter sauce I made using Planters peanuts (I used the salted caramel flavor). Amazing! If you haven't tried making your own homemade peanut butter before, I can't emphasize enough how great it is to make your own peanut butter from scratch. Literally, just throw some peanuts into a food processor or blender. Give it a whirl for 3-4 minutes, and voila! Fresh peanut butter. (I might do a post on it if you guys are interested?)
Imagine what you can do with your own homemade peanut butter. You could make Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse Cups. Or Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cakes. Or this brownie pie. The possibilities are endless. And the results are infinitely delicious.
Anyway, these buckeye brownies are the bomb. Soft, chewy, and covered with a sheet of chocolate peanut butter glaze. The salted caramel flavor of the peanuts was a nice highlight, giving the glaze a slightly butterscotch feel. I hope you enjoy it!
As a side note on my future presence on Pass the Cocoa, I will be honest and tell you that I will not be able to contribute posts for the next couple months, most likely until June. As some of you may know, I am currently applying to medical schools and will need these next months to prepare my personal statement and other components of my application. It's a pretty long arduous process, and I'm torn because obviously I don't want to drop baking or blogging -- the things I love -- but I promise after these couple of months I'll be back. In the meantime, be sure to enjoy Caroline's beautiful and delicious sweet creations!
Love,
Monica
Disclaimer: I was provided a free sample by Planters to review. All opinions are my own.
Buckeye Brownies
Adapted from Culinary Couture Blog and Deliciously Yum
Yield: 12 servings | Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup + 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 1/4 cup powdered sugar
4 - 6 tablespoons milk
9 ounces dark chocolate
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 8 x 8 inch baking pan.
Combine flour, cocoa, powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. Then add the eggs one by one, stirring in between each. Slowly add in the dry ingredients. Bake for 30 - 40 minutes, or until toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and milk. Add more or less powdered sugar and milk until reached the right consistency.
Melt chocolate and pour over peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for 1 hour before slicing and serving. Enjoy!