The Baked Brownie with a Swirl of Peanut Butter

I have been wanting to try "The Baked Brownie" forever. Every time I went on tastespotting or foodgawker, I saw yet another photo of the alluring Baked Brownie. Having an urge to bake something and use of the bag of chocolate chips in my freezer, I decided this would be the best option. While looking for recipes all over the internet, I swear, no Baked Brownie recipe was the same. Some recommended using three different types of chocolate, some used specific types of cocoa powder....etc. I being a poor college student, I used plain old Hersey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa, Trader Joe's Chocolate Chips, and I made a little bit of some REALLY strong coffee in my french press.... and I think they turned out just fine. Just ask my neighbors and housemates... they didn't seem to complain too much (or at all) when eating them. Oh yeah, and I also added some Peanut Butter!

THE BAKED BROWNIE

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers In Baking

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons dark cocoa powder
• One bag of dark chocolate chips (I used Trader Joe's)
• 8 ounces butter (2 sticks), cut into 1 inch cubes
• 1 tsp of REALLY strong coffee
• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Peanut Butter

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Butter the sides and bottom of a glass or light colored metal pan 9x13x2 pan.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, the salt, and cocoa powder.
4. Configure a large sized double boiler. Place the chocolate, the butter, and the STRONG coffee in the bowl of the double boiler and stir occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and combined. Turn off the heat, but keep the bowl over the water of the double boiler and add both sugars. Whisk the sugars until completely combined and remove the bowl from the pan. Mixture should be room temperature.
5. Add three eggs to the chocolate/butter mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the remaining eggs and whisk until just combined. Add the vanilla and stir until combined. Do not over beat the batter at this stage or your brownies will be cakey.
6. Sprinkle the flour/cocoa/salt mix over the chocolate. Using a spatula (DO NOT USE A WHISK) fold the dry into the wet until there is just a trace amount of the flour/cocoa mix visible.
7. Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth the top with your spatula. Spoon on some natural peanut butter and "marble" in with a knife.
8. Bake the brownies for 33 minutes (rotate the pan half-way through baking) and check to make sure the brownies are completely done by sticking a toothpick into the center of the pan. The brownies are done when the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
9. Cool the brownies completely before cutting and serving. (This step wasn't so strictly followed...)