photo credit: http://www.culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com
Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Torte
original recipe: http://www.culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com/2009/09/11/take-it-outside/
Ingredients:
- 6 brownie rounds (recipe follows)
- peanut butter cream cheese mousse (recipe follows)
- lots and lots of peanut butter cup pieces (I chopped up about 15 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups)
- chocolate ganache (recipe follows)
Brownie Rounds:
- 7 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup cocoa powder ( I used Green and Blacks)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325F.
Butter and flour Six 4 ½ -inch Diameter Spring Form Pans. Set aside.
Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together butter and sugar, about 2 minutes.
Add in egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat another minute.
Pour in cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until fully incorporated.
Fold in chocolate chips until completely distributed throughout the brownie batter.
Using measuring cups, pour a heaping 1/3 of a cup into each of the 6 prepared pans. If there is any batter left over, try to as evenly as possible, add to the prepared pans.
Bake for 20-23 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool.
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Mousse:
- ½ cup whipping cream, chilled
- 5 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup plus 2 TBSP powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup peanut butter
Using a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whisk the whipped cream on high until stiff peaks form.
Place into a bowl and set aside.
Add the cream cheese and peanut butter and whisk on medium speed, until fully incorporated. Add powdered sugar and mix until combined.
Add whipped cream back into bowl and whisk on medium high until peanut butter mixture and whipped cream are fully incorporated and the texture is light and fluffy.
Place into a medium sized bowl and set in fridge while brownies fully cool. At least 30 minutes.
Chocolate Ganache:
- 4 ½ ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped finely
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Place chocolate in a medium bowl.
In a small saucepan bring cream to a boil. Once the boil starts, pour over chocolate.
Let sit 5 minutes.
Whisk until mixture is smooth and glossy.
To Assemble the Torte:
Remove brownie from spring form pans. If still too warm, place in freezer for about 10 minutes.
Place one brownie circle on a plate. Add about a 1/8 cup of peanut butter mousse (I added much more to mine and actually doubled the recipe…but for photo reasons only. That much filling would be too much).
Scatter a handful of peanut butter cups.
Place another brownie round on top of the that. Then add another 1/8 cup peanut butter mousse. Then peanut butter cups.
Place third and final brownie round on top of second layer. Add a ¼ cup for the top layer of peanut butter mousse. And more peanut butter cups.
Pour ½ the ganache over the top of the torte. It might take some peanut butter cup pieces with it down the side. Just add more on top, you know you wanted to anyway.