Autumn in really here now and sometimes I wish that I was a bear so that I could hibernate during winter. Those who know me, know that I’m not kidding. I don’t know if bears eat peanuts, but I do. So I will just take another piece of these rich brownies with salty peanuts and go back to bed with it. And only when I’m finished I’ll maybe reconsider to go outdoors again.

Brownies with salty peanuts

brownies:
170 gram dark chocolate (min. 60 %), chopped
150 gram butter
3 eggs
200 ml sugar (infused with vanilla)
300 ml flour
200 ml salty peanuts, roughly chopped

peanut layer:
200 ml good quality chunky peanut butter (I use Kung Markatta “American Style”, an ecologic one)
50 ml icing sugar
2 tsp vanilla sugar
50 gram butter, melted

topping:
100 gram dark chocolate (min. 60 %), melted

Melt the chocolate together with the butter in the microwave. In the meanwhile beat the eggs and the sugar with an electric beater until white and fluffy. Add chocolate and butter mixture and combine. Add flour and salty peanuts. Combine. Pour the batter in a pan (around 30 cm * 30 cm) lined with greased parchment paper. Bake for 20-25 minutes in 170 degrees C. Let the brownies cool.

Combine peanut butter, icing sugar and vanilla sugar. Add melted butter and mix well. Spread evenly over the brownies. My peanut butter is very hard but if your peanut butter is runny, then reduce the amount of butter.

Pour the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer.

Let the brownies set in the fridge for about 1 hour. Cut into small squares and serve.

If you don’t like chocolate, then close this post immediately as this won’t be of any interest for you. We’re talking heavy and rich brownies with an enormous amount of chocolate, but with the refreshing accompliment of lemon! I have to admit that these brownies were almost too chocolaty for my taste as I’m not especially into chocolate, but everyone else loved these gooey brownies. Thanks to the tangy lemon the brownies don’t cause any chocolate death and adds a nice touch.

I found the recipe on La Mia Cucina by Lis, but it’s originally from Recipezaar. I’ve modified the recipe and changed the amounts, I especially cut down a lot on the sugar as they sounded too sweet. The original name in lemon mousse brownies, but the mousse isn’t really a mousse but a kind of custard.

Lemon brownies
(Adapted from Recipezaar. Recipe converted into metric system and then the amounts were changed).

Brownies:
370 gram semi-sweet chocolate
55 gram butter
230 gram cream cheese
350 gram sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
170 gram flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Lemon layer:
110 gram cream cheese
100 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
50 gram sugar
3 eggs

Topping:
170 gram semi-sweet chocolate
150 ml whipping cream

Melt 370 gram semi-sweet chocolate and butter together in double boiler. Remove from heat.

In mixing bowl, mix together cream cheese, sugar and eggs. Beat until well mixed.

Add vanilla, flour, baking powder and salt. Slowly add the melted chocolate mixture and mix until smooth. Pour into greased 22 cm x 30cm pan (the height must be at least 5 cm).

Lemon layer:
Beat 110 gram cream cheese, lemon juice and sugar until creamy and smooth. Continue beating while adding eggs one at a time. When well blended, pour over first layer. The mixture will be quite thin.

Place 170 gram chocolate and cream together and melt in double boiler. Stir until chocolate melts. Drizzle over lemon layer.

Bake at 175º C for about 45-55 minutes. Serve chilled.