6:30am.
Yes, 6:30am is what time I voluntarily got myself out of bed on Friday morning. Why? I was too excited about the full day of baking I had ahead of me, I couldn't sleep. Although I had all day long to do this, and I had help from my sister, for some reason I felt that 6:30a was the right time to begin. (I can be considered somewhat of an anxious person.)
In light of taking on a task of preparing food for 30 people, there was a slight bit of pressure to do well, and hopefully please lots of taste buds. Being that I am more prone to baking than cooking, I couldn't help but hope that what I was about to prepare turned out. I do recall my sister reminding me to "chill out" or "they are going to taste awesome" numerous times that day. I made her taste test EVERYTHING. Isn't she a doll?
I wish I could say that my favorite dish wasn't a dessert, since that is an area I am most comfortable in, but these brownies won my heart. Although these brownies can be considered to be in my 'safe zone', my chocolate and peanut butter safe zone, they really weren't safe at all. With 3 different desserts in mind, my decision to put it all into one was risky, however this was… this was like a present on Christmas morning; surprising and absolutely lovely.
With a dark chocolate fudge-y brownie bottom, and a homemade peanut butter fudge layer topped with sea salt, these brownies will be my new favorite food. Yes, food. Not the healthiest of the bit, I suggest cutting them into bite size so the guilt isn't too heavy on your shoulders when you have 5+. I'm kidding. Not kidding about the 5+, but kidding about the guilt. These are too good to feel guilty about. :)
Peanut Butter Fudge-Layered Brownies with Sea Salt
1 1/4 stick butter (10 tablespoons)
1 cup organic sugar
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Double-Dutch dark cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
1/2 cup almond flour
Preheat oven to 325F. Line a 13 by 9-in baking pan with parchment, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides. Spray the parchment with just a small amount of pan spray.
Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a double broiler (using the glass bowl over pan of simmering water method). *Be sure the bottom of bowl does not touch the water.
Stirring occasionally, when butter is just about melted, remove from sauce pan and let residual heat continue to melt the butter. Stir until smooth. Touch to check for temperature. It should feel warm, if HOT, wait until warm to add the eggs. Then, proceed to add eggs one at a time. Make sure that each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Once mixed and looks shiny, stir in the flour. Stir until flour is incorporated, but do not over stir.
Spread the batter evenly in prepared baking dish. The key is to bake this for only 20-25 minutes, allowing there to be few moist crumbs on the toothpick after a toothpick test. You want your brownies to be fudge-y. Let the brownies cool completely on a wire rack, removing by gripping parchment edges. (let it sit on parchment on top of wire rack)
Once cool you can layer the peanut butter.
Peanut Butter fudge layer
6 tablespoons butter (3/4 stick)
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup confectioners sugar
pinch of salt
Sea Salt for sprinkling
Cream butter and peanut butter until combined. Slowly stir/fold in the confectioner's sugar until incorporated. The fudge should be thick, and will get a little arm work out mixing in the sugar. This is GOOD! It should be of a fudge consistency. Spread the peanut butter fudge layer evenly over the COOL brownies with your hands. Sprinkle with sea salt.
