Better than Brownie Cookie Peanut Butter Sandwiches

Posted on July 24, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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Yum, yum, yum, yum!  The classic combination of chocolate and peanut butter is successful yet again!  These cookie sandwiches are chewy, rich, and delicious.  Be wary of the urge to overfill–just a thin layer of peanut butter filling will do.  Overfill and you run the risk of (1) a treat that is too sweet and (2) the frosting squeezing out the sides. 

Enjoy!

Some notes:

–This cookie  recipe made about 55 small cookies (about 1/2 tablespoon of dough each), which I sandwiched together to make about 27 sandwich cookies.  (To make about 25 large cookies use about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough for each.)

–Parchment paper or a silpat (a non-stick baking mat) are a must here. 

–I used a combination of dark chocolate and milk chocolate (about half and half) to yield a rich, yet not overpowering chocolaty flavor.

–I used a bit less baking powder than the recipe below indicates so that my cookies would be a little thinner and less poofy.

–I doubled the peanut butter filling recipe and ended up with some leftover. 

Better than Brownie Cookie Peanut Butter Sandwiches:

 Better than Brownie Cookies

  • 2 2/3 cups (466g) dark chocolate, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.  Line two large baking sheets with baking paper.

Melt the chopped chocolate with the butter in a small saucepan over low heat – stir constantly until smooth. Mix eggs, vanilla and sugar in a medium bowl. Combine thoroughly. Set aside.

Sift flour and baking powder together in a small bowl.

Add melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and slowly add dry ingredients. When combined, add the cup of chocolate chips and stir.

Scoop dough (more like batter!) onto prepared sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are firm on the outside (dough loses its sheen). Leave to cool completely on sheets.

Peanut Butter Filling

  • 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

In a stand mixer (or using a hand mixer) cream 3 tablespoons butter  with the confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter, and the cream. Fill the filling into a pastry bag and squeeze  filling onto half of the cooled cookies, then top with the other half to form sandwiches.

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Cookie recipe adapted from Culinography.  Peanut butter filling adapted from Savory Sweet Life.

Filed under: brownies, chocolate, cookies, Dessert, frosting, Peanut Butter | 16 Comments »

Peanut Butter Candy Bar Brownies

Posted on May 31, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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As far as desserts go, I enjoy making cakes and cupcakes most.  However, not all situations are cake and cupcake friendly.  When I need a sweet treat that must travel well I turn to bars.  Bars are usually pretty easy to make and they are very easy to  transport.  So when you have an occasion that calls for a no fuss (yet delicious!) dessert–say a picnic, a potluck, or an event to which you are going straight from work, I suggest you consider bars!

Let this be your warning: these Peanut Butter Candy Bar Brownie bars are addictive!  If you have a sweet tooth, these bars are definitely for you!  They are peanut buttery, chocolaty, chewy, and crunchy all at once! 

Peanut Butter Candy Bar Brownies:

  • 1  16 oz. package peanut-shaped peanut butter sandwich cookies (Nutter Butters), coarsely chopped
  • 1/2 cup butter, melted
  • 1  14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 /2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 5  1.5 oz. packages Reese’s peanut butter cups, coarsely chopped
  • 2  2.1 oz. Butterfinger candy bars
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
  • 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts

Combine crushed cookies and butter in a medium bowl.  Press crumb mixture into bottom of a greased aluminum foil lined 9 x 13 glass dish.  Allow foil to extend beyond ends of pan.  Bake at 350 F for 6-8 minutes.

Combine condensed milk, peanut butter, and vanilla in a medium bowl.  Stir until smooth.

Sprinkle chopped candy bars, chocolate morsels, and peanuts over crust.  Drizzle condensed milk mixture on top.

Bake at 350 F for 27 minutes or until lightly brown.  Remove dish and place on a wire rack to cool.  Lift foil from pan and pull foil away from uncut brownies.  Let cool completely then cut into bars.

Recipe adapted from myrecipes.com.

Filed under: brownies, candy, chocolate, Dessert, Peanut Butter | Leave a comment »

Soba Noodle Salad

Posted on April 20, 2009 by kitchenbelle

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Have you seen the “Going Going Gone” episode of Barefoot Contessa?  In it she makes Crunchy Noodle Salad, Asian Grilled Salmon, and Lemon Yogurt Cake with Blueberry Sauce.   This episode really makes me want to jump into her kitchen.  (She is my favorite—isn’t her kitchen such a peaceful place?)  I have had this episode saved on my DVR for weeks now because I have been dying to make the Crunchy Noodle Salad.  It is just so appealing! Well I finally made it!

I made some adjustments:

  • Instead of spaghetti, as Ina suggests, I used soba noodles.  Soba noodles are Japanese noodles made of buckwheat flour.  The texture of these noodles is fantastic!
  • I had some black sesame seeds on hand so I used those instead of white sesame seeds.
  • I only used one red bell pepper instead of two.
  • I contemplated replacing the vegetable oil with olive oil.  I don’t like cooking with vegetable oil but I feared the olive oil flavor would be too powerful and offset the wonderful flavors of salad so I stuck with the vegetable oil.
  • One adjustment I didn’t make this time but that I will make next time is to use crunchy peanut butter instead of smooth.  I think the crunch of the peanut butter will add to the great textures of this dish.
  • I think julienned carrots would be an excellent addition to boost the crunch factor.

The verdict: FANTASTIC!  

I am not kidding. This is one of the best dishes! It is ABSOLUTELY delicious.   The fresh flavors and combination of textures really make this dish wonderful.  I served it with teriyaki-seared scallops; however, it would be a perfect accompaniment to steaks, salmon, or any other grilled protein.  Furthermore, this is a perfect dish to bring to a picnic, cookout, or potluck.  I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Barefoot Contessa’s Crunchy Soba Noodle Salad:

  • 1/2 pound soba noodles
  • 1 pound sugar snap peas
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/3 cup soy sauce
  • 3 tablespoons dark sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
  • 3 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds, divided
  • 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded, and thinly sliced
  • 4 scallions (with and green parts), sliced diagonally

    • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

    Meanwhile, bring another large pot of salted water to a boil, add the sugar snap peas, return to a boil, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until crisp tender. Lift the sugar snap peas from the water with a slotted spoon and immerse them in a bowl of ice water. Drain.

    For the dressing, whisk together the vegetable oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, honey, garlic, ginger, 2 tablespoons sesame seeds and peanut butter in a medium bowl.

    Combine the noodles, sugar snap peas, peppers and scallions in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the spaghetti mixture. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds and toss together.

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    Adapted from Barefoot Contessa’s Crunchy Noodle Salad.

    Filed under: Main Dish, pasta, Peanut Butter, peppers, salad, Side, VEGETARIAN | 11 Comments »

    Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

    Posted on July 23, 2008 by kitchenbelle

      

    I was assigned to make a dessert for a potluck picnic, and while I love making cupcakes,  I needed something that would travel well.  These bars are delicious!  And who can resist PB&J?  I considered going “old school” by using the tradtional PB counterpart grape jelly, but instead trusted Ina’s suggestion of raspberry jam and it worked out really well.  That said, I don’t think you could go wrong by using different types of jams or jellies, seedless or with seeds.

    Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars:

    • 2 sticks unsalted butter (at room temp)
    • 1 1/2 cups sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 eggs, at room temperature
    • 2 cups creamy peanut butter
    • 3 cups flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 1/2 cups raspberry jam (or any flavored jam or jelly)

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  

    Grease and flour a 9 by 13 glass pan.

    In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar using an electric mixer on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined.

    In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture.

    Spread and press 2/3 of the dough into the prepared pan. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam.  (This is what will give you the nice crumbly topping!)  Sprinkle with sugar.*

    Cool entirely before cutting into squares.

    *The recipe calls for sprinkling with coarsely chopped peanuts.  I omitted peanuts and sprinkled with sugar instead.

    Recipe adapted from Ina Garten’s recipe found here on foodnetwork.com

    Filed under: Dessert, jam/jelly, Peanut Butter | 5 Comments »

    Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Milk Chocolate Glaze

    Posted on June 24, 2008 by kitchenbelle

     

    I am bringing these to a coookout tomorrow night.  They look and smell delicious–my only complaint is the recipe only makes 12!  I wish I had realized this before I began baking because 12 turns into 11 mighty quickly with a husband in the house.  He “tested” one pre-glaze and said it was good–nice and peanutbuttery.  I hope the glaze holds up until tomorrow, as it is warm out.  I may even toss them in the fridge! Even if it does melt a bit, the combination of PB and chocolate (melted or not) is a classic that few don’t appreciate! 

    Peanut Butter Cupcakes:

    •  1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 6 tablespoons butter (recipe calls for unsalted, I used salted)
    • 3/4 cups smooth peanut butter at room temp.
    • 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1/2 cup milk

    Preheat the oven to 350.

    Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  In a large bowl on medium speed beat butter, peaut butter, and brown sugar until smooth–about 1 minute.  Mix in the egg.  Add the vanilla and beat for another minute.  On low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 parts and the milk in 2 parts.  Start and finish with the flour mixture.  Make sure the flour is incorporated and the batter is smooth.  It will stay the color of peanut butter as below. 

    Line 12 muffin tin cups with liners.  I used foil liners because I like the look of them.  Fill each liner with about 1/4 cup of batter.  I use an ice cream scoop (I got this idea from Ina Garten).  It makes distributing the batter easier and you are more likely to distribute evenly. I also find it helpful to place the muffin tin on top of a cookie sheet before placing in the oven.   

    Bake about 22-27 minutes.  The tops will be firm, light brown, and there are a few small cracks on the top.  As usual, a toothpick inserted to the middle should come out clean. 

     

    Cool for 10 minutes in the pan set upon a wire rack.  Then remove the cupcakes from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. 

     Milk Chocolate Glaze:

    • 1/4 cup whipping cream
    • 1 tablespoon salted butter (recipe calls for unsalted, I used salted)
    • 1 cup milk chocolate chips
    • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

    In a medium sauce pan heat the cream and better over low heat until the cream is hot and the butter melts.  Do not boil.  Remove from heat add the milk chocolate chips and let sit in the cream for about 30 seconds.  Add the vanilla and whisk until smooth and all chocolate chips have melted. 

    Using a small spatula, spread 1 tablespoon of the glaze over the top of each cupcake.  (Make sure cupcakes are completely cooled or the glaze will simply melt and drip off!)

    The cupcakes can be covered and stored at room temp for up to three days.

    Adapted from Cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans. Chronicle Books.

    Filed under: Dessert, Peanut Butter | 1 Comment »

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