Gooey Peanut Butter Chocolate Brownies

This musical and culinary pairing comes courtesy of one of my team members at work, Helena.

There's absolutely nothing healthy about these brownies but it around Easter so we deserve an indulgent treat. 

275g dark chocolate (minimum 60% cocoa solids, chopped into pieces)

100g butter

200g chunky peanut butter

275g caster sugar

4 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

120g gluten free flour

75g icing (or powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 160°C / 325°F / Gas Mark 3.   Line a 23cm x 23cm (9" x 9") square baking tin with greaseproof paper.

2. Melt the butter, 200g of the chocolate, and 100g of the peanut butter in a saucepan, or in a large mixing bowl in a microwave. Stir at regular intervals. Remove from heat or microwave when the chocolate is almost melted, stir well, and leave to sit for a few minutes until the chocolate is completely melted. 

3. Add the sugar to the chocolate mixture and mix well. 

4. Add eggs one by one, incorporating each egg completely into the mixture before adding the next. Add vanilla extract and mix until incorporated.

5. Add flour to the mixture and stir until completely incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin.

6. Mix the remaining peanut butter and icing sugar together. If the peanut butter is quite firm, just use your fingers to mix it with the icing sugar. You may want to soften the peanut butter in a microwave or over a bowl of boiling water. Add the remaining chopped chocolate to the peanut butter and icing sugar mixture.

7.Pour or spread the peanut butter & chopped chocolate mixture over the brownie batter, distributing it more or less evenly. It won't cover the batter completely - instead you should have little pockets of it. 

8. Bake for approximately 40 minutes, but check after 35. The brownie should be risen and nicely cracked on top. If you smell chocolate, it's probably done. Leave to cool and cut into pieces.