Equipment
Ingredients
Brownie Batter
- 150 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 115 g unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 200 g caster sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 85 g all-purpose flour
- 20 g cocoa powder, sifted
- 3 g salt
Peanut Butter Swirl
- 120 g creamy peanut butter
- 30 g powdered sugar, sifted
- 15 g unsalted butter, melted
- 2 ml vanilla extract
- 1 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 242 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 27 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 19 g
- Sodium
- 142 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 4 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 42 mg
- Potassium
- 110 mg
- Calcium
- 21 mg
- Iron
- 0.7 mg
- Magnesium
- 31 mg
- Phosphorus
- 67 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 66 mcg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.0 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.02 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.08 mg
- Niacin
- 1.1 mg
- Folate
- 12 mcg
- Water
- 7 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 82 mg
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F. Line a 20cm square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving excess paper hanging over the edges to easily lift the brownies out later.
In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix thoroughly until smooth and completely homogenous. Set aside.
Place the chopped dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Melt gently, either over a saucepan of barely simmering water or in the microwave in 20-second increments, stirring until completely smooth.
Remove the melted chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in the caster sugar. The warmth of the chocolate will help the sugar dissolve slightly.
Add the eggs to the warm chocolate batter one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition. Whisk in the vanilla extract. Continue whisking for about 1 minute until the batter transforms from grainy to thick, smooth, and glossy.
Add the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Stop folding exactly when no dry flour streaks remain.
Pour the brownie batter into the prepared baking pan, using the spatula to spread it into an even layer.
Drop spoonfuls of the peanut butter mixture randomly over the surface of the brownie batter.
Using a butter knife, drag through the dollops of peanut butter and brownie batter in continuous figure-eight motions to create a marbled pattern. Do not over-swirl, or the colors will muddle.
Bake in the center of the oven at 175°C/350°F for 30 to 35 minutes. The edges should appear set and slightly puffed, while the center may still wobble slightly when the pan is tapped.
Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow the brownies to cool completely for at least 2 hours before using the parchment overhang to lift them out and slice.
Chef's Notes
- Vigorously whipping the eggs into the sugar and warm chocolate mixture is the secret to achieving that coveted papery, crinkly crust on top of the brownie.
- Do not overbake these. The center should still look slightly underdone and gooey when you pull the pan from the oven. Carryover cooking will finish the job as they cool in the hot pan.
- For the cleanest slices, wipe your knife with a warm, damp paper towel between every single cut. Chilling the brownies in the refrigerator for an hour before slicing also ensures sharp edges.
- Using a mix of both melted chocolate and cocoa powder gives you the best of both worlds: the fat from the chocolate provides fudgy density, while the cocoa powder offers pure, intense flavor.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 week — Store in an airtight container. They become delightfully dense and chewy when chilled.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap individual slices in parchment paper, then place in an airtight freezer bag.
Reheating: Microwave a chilled brownie for 15 seconds to restore its gooey texture.
Troubleshooting
Brownies are tough, cakey, or dry.
Cause: Overmixing the batter after adding the flour, or baking for too long.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or a splash of milk to provide extra moisture.
Prevention: Fold dry ingredients very gently and stop as soon as incorporated. Check the oven at the minimum baking time.
Peanut butter swirl looks greasy and fails to set.
Cause: Using natural peanut butter that has separated, introducing excess oil to the batter.
Fix: Cannot be fixed, but chilling the brownies thoroughly in the refrigerator will firm up the oils.
Prevention: Use a commercial emulsified peanut butter brand. If using natural, ensure it is stirred until entirely uniform with no oil floating on top before measuring.
Cultural Context
Brownies are a quintessential American baked confection, originating in the late nineteenth century at the Palmer House Hotel in Chicago. The combination of chocolate and peanut butter became a defining American flavor profile in the 1920s, heavily popularized by mass-market candies. This swirl technique elevates those nostalgic, comforting flavors into an artisanal, visually striking dessert.
