Recipe Station

In case it's not obvious, creating this brownies is a little more involved than spooning some batter into a pan and waiting. But the end result is much, much more satisfying.

Here's everything you'll need for each of the three layers:

Ingredients To Gather: 

For the Brownies:

⅓ cup Dutch-processed cocoa

1½ teaspoons instant espresso (optional)

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons boiling water

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped

4 tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, melted

½ cup plus 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2½ cups granulated sugar

1¾ cups all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon salt

For the Peanut Butter Filling:

¾ cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup unsalted butter

Pinch salt

2¼ cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze:

1½ cups milk chocolate chips

⅓ cup creamy peanut butter

As the oven preheats to 350 degrees,

Whisk cocoa, espresso powder, and boiling water together in large bowl until smooth. Add unsweetened chocolate and whisk until chocolate is melted. Whisk in melted butter and oil. (Mixture may look curdled.) Add eggs, yolks, and vanilla and continue to whisk until smooth and homogeneous. Whisk in sugar until fully incorporated. Add flour and salt and mix with rubber spatula until combined.

After allowing the mixture to bake for around 30-35 minutes, remove it from the oven and let it sit for about 90 more minutes (told you it was a process!). Then:

Make the Peanut Butter Filling: Beat together the peanut butter, butter and salt on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and alternate adding the powdered sugar and the milk, mixing to combine after each addition. Add the vanilla extract, beat to combine, then increase the speed to medium-high and beat until completely smooth and creamy. If it seems a little bit too dry to spread, add another splash or two of milk to get it the right consistency (this could vary based on humidity levels). Using an offset spatula, spread the peanut butter mixture in an even layer over the top of the brownies.

Make the topping by doing the following:

Melt together the chocolate chips and peanut butter in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely smooth and melted. Pour the mixture over the peanut butter layer and spread into an even layer with a spatula. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until set.

The recipe states it yields 24-32 brownies depending on how you cut the pieces. But let's be serious, you just made one giant brownie that you'll be picking at for the next couple days!

Article Source: Brown Eyed Baker