Brownies and Variations

I made two batches of brownies for a Moon Festival bbq at a friend's house. The regular brownies were a smashing hit (5 stars), but the peanut butter ones were a little off (3 stars).

Brownies *****

• 2 oz dark/bitter chocolate (half a Carrefour bar)
  
• 1/2 c butter
• cocoa powder (to taste, about a tsp or two)
  
• 1 c sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 t vanilla
• 1/4 c flour
• 1/4 t salt

1. Butter and flour/cocoa an 8x8 or 9" round pan.
   
2. In a medium bowl, break chocolate into coarse pieces.
3. Melt the butter. Pour over the chocolate. Stir until chocolate is melted.
4. Mix in cocoa.
5. Stir in sugar, followed by eggs and vanilla.
6. Add flour and salt. Do not overstir.
7. Pour into pan.
8. Bake at 165C for 30-35 min. Do not overbake.
9. Let cool.
   
10. Serve warm or chilled. Freezes well.

Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies ***
They were undercooked and because I'd ran out of regular sugar used a coarse grain one and it was definitely noticeable. The recipe is still fixable though...just bake longer next time and use a finer sugar.

• 1/2 c peanut butter
• 1/6 c sugar (the finer the better)
• 2 T butter, softened
• 1 T flour
• 1/2 t vanilla

1. Prepare brownie batter as above. Pour into pan.
   
2. Combine all filling ingredients.
3. Drop by spoonfuls into pan.
4. Gently swirl with knife.

Variations

• Add in chopped nuts.
• Infuse sugar water with flavor from mint leaves.
• Cocoa powder (less fat) vs chocolate
• Stir in chocolate chips.
• Use a cream cheese-peanut butter filling.

Related
Looking for something

• with a little less of a chocolate hit? Try Brunette Brownies.
• without vanilla or baking powder? Try Cocoa Brownies.