Calling All Chocolate and Peanut Butter Lovers: Buckeye Brownies Await!

Fudgy, cakey, or chewy, studded with nuts or swirled with marshmallow fluff—I like nearly each variation of brownie possible. One among my favourite riffs on a traditional brownie is that this buckeye brownie recipe. They’re impressed by Ohio’s favourite sweet, the buckeye: a traditional deal with made with a creamy peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar filling that’s rolled and portioned into bite-sized balls, then chilled and partially dipped in chocolate. The treats are referred to as buckeyes as a result of they resemble the nut of the Ohio buckeye tree—the state tree of Ohio. (And the tree nuts, which, by the best way, are toxic, are so named as a result of they resemble a deer’s eye.) Buckeye candies are purposefully jaw-clenchingly candy, wealthy, and SO good that we really feel their taste mixture shouldn’t be restricted to only sweet. 

Right here we reimagined buckeye candies right into a dessert bar with a fudgy chocolate brownie base with a thick center layer of a creamy sweetened peanut butter and and a prime layer of darkish chocolate ganache. They’re particular sufficient for nearly any celebration and even your subsequent potluck. To create the perfect model potential, our take a look at kitchen colleague Jasmine Smith whipped up batch after batch of buckeye brownies. Jasmine’s recipe nails each layer: an intense chocolatey brownie base, a clean peanut butter filling, and a darkish chocolate ganache topping. Right here’s learn how to make them.

Suggestions for Making Buckeye Brownies

Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder within the brownies. For probably the most chocolatey and wealthy brownies potential, use a top quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder moderately than pure cocoa powder. In her Dutch-processed cocoa powder style take a look at, Stella Parks explains that cocoa powder is the dry matter left behind after the oily cocoa butter is extracted from cocoa beans which have been fermented and roasted for optimum taste. This powder is of course acidic. Pure cocoa powder is bought as is, whereas Dutched cocoas embody an extra step to neutralize that acidity (a course of developed by a Dutch chemist, therefore the title). Most Dutch-processed cocoas comprise practically twice the fats of pure types, and infrequently come from higher high quality beans. The result’s a barely alkaline cocoa powder that is increased in fats, decrease in starch, and extra fragrant throughout, with a mahogany coloration and a taste profile that emphasizes cocoa’s darker, nuttier, earthier tones. 

The manufacturers Droste and Valrhona Dutch cocoa powders are two glorious decisions. If Dutch-processed cocoa powder is unavailable, most supermarkets will nonetheless carry a darkish unsweetened cocoa powder that may work effective—your brownie layer shall be a bit much less wealthy, however nonetheless scrumptious.

Add espresso to the brownie combine. Jasmine present in her recipe testing that somewhat little bit of strongly brewed espresso (simply three tablespoons) whisked into the brownie batter goes a great distance. You received’t style espresso within the baked brownies, however the bitterness of espresso balances the sweetness of chocolate, protecting the brownies from changing into cloying. On the identical time, espresso enhances the chocolate taste, making it extra advanced and intense. Leftover strongly brewed drip espresso works properly, or 1 1/2 teaspoons on the spot espresso powder with three tablespoons of water additionally works properly right here.

Cream the butter and the peanut butter filling. Adequately creaming the butter with the peanut butter and confectioners’ sugar with an electrical mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment traps tiny air bubbles within the filling—one thing that may be very difficult to realize and require a whole lot of arm power if achieved by hand. With out correct whipping to aerate and lighten the filling, the butter and peanut butter would kind an ultra-dense paste. Butter is greatest crushed when it’s at smooth however cool room temperature—ideally 65ºF or 18ºC. At this temperature, butter is pliable sufficient to beat with the sugar.

Stick to a bittersweet chocolate bar for the perfect taste. When getting ready the brownie and ganache, don’t be tempted to swap in milk chocolate or some other chocolate with lower than 70% cacao otherwise you threat making a dessert that is approach too candy and falls quick on chocolatey taste. The phrases bittersweet and darkish are sometimes used interchangeably on packaging, so be certain to double verify the chocolate is labeled someplace between 70 to 75% cacao. Additionally skip the chocolate chips, which normally have elements to assist them maintain their form that additionally stop them from melting properly right into a ganache.

Refrigerate the brownies earlier than slicing. As soon as layered and assembled, the bars want at the very least one hour within the fridge to realize a agency and sliceable texture. Should you attempt to take away the brownies from the pan with out refrigerating them, the smooth peanut butter filling will ooze out when attempting to slice. I prefer to assemble the brownies and refrigerate them a day earlier than serving them. Sure, it is laborious to attend to eat them, nevertheless it’s value it!