Peanut Butter Cup Proposal Brownies

When my family (specifically, my excellent baker aunts) asked what I wanted this holiday season, I responded I wanted baking equipment. And instead of an incessant stream of mockery, they not only purchased me the things I asked for (oh, hand mixer, how I heart you) they've totally embraced my infatuation with baking are excited to support me.

So it wasn't surprising when I randomly got an email from the Duchess today, out of the blue, informing me of a Peanut Butter Cup brownie recipe that has earned her proposals from happily married men, this sounded like the kind of thing I needed to try.

And here we go.

Ingredients:

• 12 tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons


• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped


• 6 large eggs, room temperature


• 1¾ cups sugar


• 2 tsp vanilla


• 1½ cups flour


• ¼ tsp salt


• 24 miniature peanut butter cups (dark chocolate if you can find them), unwrapped

Start by chopping up the 12 oz of chocolate in a coarse manner. This makes it easier to melt.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees (If you don’t have an oven thermometer, buy or borrow one to check the accuracy of your oven.). Line a 13” x 9” pan with heavy foil; lightly grease the bottom and sides of the foil (you can use the wrapper from the butter).


Melt butter and chocolate (microwave works well). You should consider using a better bowl than I did (make sure it's not metal -- remember, kids, metal in a microwave is a bad thing)



Beat eggs until foamy (wire whisk works well). Add sugar and beat until blended. Add cooled chocolate mixture and mix until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Stir in flour and salt.


Lick the beater.


Scrape half the batter into the pan and smooth top with a rubber spatula. Arrange peanut butter cups evenly over batter, in four rows of six cups each. Press down lightly on each cup. Pour remaining batter into pan, carefully spreading it over peanut butter cups.


One thing to remember about this is that when you pour the rest of the mixture on top, the cups will have a habit of moving around in the mixture. So, if you are slightly ocd about these things like I am, be very careful about pouring the mixture on top. If, however, you don't care -- pour away.



Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (be careful not to insert it into the middle of a peanut butter cup).

Cool completely in pan, then remove, using foil as handles. Refrigerate at least four hours, then cut carefully between peanut butter cups. If you leave this in overnight, or for up to 24 hours, make sure to cover with foil and remove at least 45 minutes before you want to serve.