Better-Than-Crack Brownies

 Okay, stop licking your computer screen....

...seriously, it can't be healthy!

I have no words.

But, I'll try to convey my love for these to you.

I'm sold on a recipes picture. Aren't we all? We see it, we want to eat it, we make it. Well, I saw these, read the list of ingredients and knew I had to make them. Immediately.

Give me a brownie and I'm happy.

But give me a brownie with pieces of peanut butter cups, topped with Rice Krispies mixed with melted chocolate and peanut butter and I'm in sugar heaven.

Unless your middle name is Will-Power prepare yourself to be seriously addicted. These are sinfully delicious. 

But, like Jessica, from How Sweet It Is says, it's all in the name of chocolate!

Amen.


Better-Than-Crack Brownies
Adapted from: How Sweet It Is

Ingredients

1 batch brownies (boxed mix)
1/2 cup salted peanuts (if don’t have salted, add sea salt)
1 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups
1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon butter
3 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Directions

Mix brownies according to directions, and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Remove from the oven and top with chopped peanuts and peanut butter cups and bake for 4-6 minutes.

While they are finishing baking, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Stir in cereal. Remove brownies from oven and evenly pour chocolate mixture over top. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

These really are as good as they look!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Brownies

Can we talk about these? Just for a minute?

Pumpkin cheesecake and rich, fudgy brownie. Amazing, right?

My first batch was a disaster. I repeat, disaster! I attempted to create mini pumpkin cheesecake brownies using my mini muffin tin. Cute, right? The result? A huge mess! Despite my best efforts these tasty morels did not come out of their tins. I had to use a spoon to scoop the brownie batter out and failed at my attempt to mold them back together.

I then opted to use my muffin top pan to allow more surface area in case the unforgiving scenario was to repeat itself. That, and the fact that I drenched the pan in cooking spray, worked like a charm. They aren’t the most beautiful dessert, and my girlfriends did coin the term “delicious disaster” for them but the pumpkin-chocolate combination with its touch of cinnamon in the brownie batter marries the two flavors beautifully.

I hope you're able to make a batch of these delightful delicious (disasters)!


Pumpkin Cream Cheese Brownies
Adapted from: Bakers Royale

Ingredients

Brownie Portion

8 tablespoons unsalted butter
4oz. unsweetened chocolate (I used semi-sweet)
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ tablespoon salt
2 large eggs
½ cup all-purpose flour

Directions

Place butter and chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl over simmering water. Stir frequently until mixture is melted. Remove chocolate mixture from heat and stir in sugar, vanilla and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring until each is incorporated before adding the next. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon until mixture is glossy (about 1 minute).
      
Pumpkin Mix Portion

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon  vanilla extract
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spices
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup of sugar, plus two tablespoon
2 tablespoon flour

Directions

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and using your electric blender, mix until blended.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease muffin top pan with cooking spray. Fill muffin top pan 2/3 of the way up with brownie mix and gently pour a spoonful of pumpkin mix on top. Using a skewer or a toothpick, lightly swirl brownie and pumpkin mix together.

Bake for about 25 minutes. Allow Pumpkin Swirl Brownie to cool in pan for five minutes on a cooling rack before removing.

Look at that layered beautiful-ness...

This combination of flavors strikes a glorious taste bud...

...Enjoy!

Chewy Brownies

Calling all chocolate lovers! These brownies are for you!

These brownies are cakey, borderline fudgy and have an intense chocolate flavor.

These chewy treats are filled with hidden dark chocolate chunks and will  undoubtedly have you returning for more. Serve the brownies on their own or with ice cream, strawberries and hot fudge sauce.


Chewy Brownies
Adapted from: Cooks Illustrated

1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons instant espresso
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon table salt
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I used dark chocolate)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350° F with the oven rack on the lowest position.  Using a 9 × 13 baking pan, cut two pieces of foil, and fold the edges over so they fit perfectly in the pan.  Place on piece of foil lengthwise, and one width-wise.  This will allow you to lift the brownies easily out of the pan after they are cooked.  Once the foil has been fitted into the pan, spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Whisk cocoa, espresso powder, and boiling water together in a large bowl until smooth.  Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted.  Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled).  Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous.  Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated.  Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined.  Fold in bittersweet chocolate pieces.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached, about 30 to 35 minutes.  Transfer pan to a rack and cool for 1 1/2 hours.

Using foil overhang, lift the brownies from the pan.  Return brownies to a wire rack and let them cool completely, about 1 hour.  Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.