Once again in the midst of a dreary Gourmandistan winter, Michelle decided she had to have something sweet. Steve tried to tempt her with a crispy Gold Rush apple, as he has found a local grocery still stocking the locally-grown fruit (though they may not last long now that Steve knows about them). While Michelle did momentarily consider tarte tatin, it wasn’t what she really wanted. A can of salted Virginia peanuts some friends brought over during the holidays gave her an idea, however—and salty peanut brownies with peanut butter icing and bittersweet chocolate ganache were born. Well, not exactly “born,” because a quick Internet search revealed that Dorie Greenspan had the same idea in the January 2007 edition of Bon Appétit Magazine.
Michelle started her version with a brownie recipe she, like her mother, has been making since the 1970s (if not the 1960s) from a Nashville Junior League cookbook. Nearly a half-century of experience (ouch!) has taught that the tasteful Southern ladies’ brownies are a bit too dry and caky when plain, but delicious when iced. Taking things a couple of steps further (par for the course in most things Gourmandistan), Michelle mixed extra-oily Virginia peanuts into the batter, prepared both peanut butter icing and a bittersweet chocolate ganache, and topped it all off with more chopped nuts.
The brownies turned out beautifully, with bold flavors and textures battling for control. The sturdy cake of the brownie, the creamy sweet peanut butter icing, the crack of bittersweet ganache, and of course those salty, salty, salty peanuts. A combination so tasty it made Steve turn away from his apple hoard and overindulge on brownies instead. For Michelle, that simply means that, after the brownies, more apples will be available for tarte tatin when the urge for sweetness strikes again.
(brownies adapted from Nashville Seasons/icing and ganache adapted from Dorie Greenspan on Epicurious.com) Brownies: Preheat oven to 325° F with rack in center of oven. Line a 9″ square pan (bottom and sides) with 2 sheets of aluminum foil, leaving enough foil to fold over the sides of the pan to pull brownies out once done. Melt butter, sugar and chocolate together in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into the same pan. Add eggs and vanilla. Blend with a wooden spoon or spatula (working quickly so that eggs incorporate into batter rather than cook). Then, stir in nuts. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and smooth with a spatula. Bake at 325° for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Peanut Butter Icing: Beat peanut butter and butter in medium bowl with an electric mixer. Beat in powdered sugar, then milk and vanilla. If the icing is too dry, add a touch more milk. Spread frosting over brownies. Refrigerate. Ganache & topping: Melt chocolate and butter in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until melted and fully incorporated. Pour over brownies and spread evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over. Refrigerate for at least an hour before removing brownies from pan and cutting into small squares.SALTED PEANUT BROWNIES
Gourmandistan 
This is the kind of thing that I don’t do well. I have to just make nice with the people who do this well and serve them pork belly tacos and duck pizzas.
See, it’s too bad we live (almost) a whole country away from each other. Think of the progressive dinners we could have…
OMG! That might be reason enough for one epic road trip.
For sure!
Omg. I need this! They look amazing! Totally going to try!
Thanks, Chaya! I just had one and I can assure you it’s worth it.
Look at that beauty, totally stunning. Lovely recipe, bitter, sweet and salted in a bite what more to ask for,
🙂 🙂 🙂
These are beautiful! I actually (shame on me) have never made brownies but I think I’ll a challenge on myself and make these as not only do they look so artistic, the salty peanut layer must give them a twist. Have a great week!
Oh, Sofia, so easy! Probably the first thing I ever made. Or at least close to it.
These look great, chocolate and nuts are perfect mood elevators during winter!
Danke, Sabine. Mood elevators are just the thing to get one through winter! (Though I can’t complain too much. We’ve had it fairly easy so far here.)
Chocolate, peanuts & salt – a killer combination, which always trumps any good intentions I have. Surely, they’ll be around in our house soon. Mmmmmh, Nicole
Thanks so much, Nicole. I never understand the start-the-diet-in-winter people. It’s difficult enough to get through already!
That’s a good looking brownie – it reminds me a bit of Milky Way bars 😉
🙂
You’re killing me with those brownies. Mmmmmmmmm. Stunning photos as usual :).
Aaaaaw, thanks, Jama!
Decadent. It looks like you cut them into the perfect-sized portions—though I can’t say I wouldn’t go back for a second one. You’ve been making good use of holiday presents :).
It’s a challenge! Kind of like when we used to get 2 farm shares in summer. (Not that the peanuts were bad. God knows we’ve eaten plenty of them right out of the can!)
Oh, I’m sure. Virginia peanuts are the best!
O Wow! I want some of these right now, they look delicious
Thank you! And they were. 😉
I want one of these right now! 🙂
I just had one. 😉
May I just say ‘YUM’
You may indeed!
Yum. Sometimes it’s the chocolate peanut butter combo that really tempts you. I’ve been meaning to make a tarte tatin for so long. But this…..THIS! yum. Great photos!
I was thinking today, good lord, we have a lot of peanut butter recipes on here. I know it confounds some Europeans who don’t share our love for it. But, to me, it’s one of the best things in the world!
What are you doing posting this stuff in January? We are attempting to slim ourselves down and get back on the fitness wagon. This is not helping.
Oh well, it’s almost over. January, that is. I’ve always thought that the dead of winter is the worst time to join the fitness wagon anyway!
Now you’re talking – those look like pure indulgence!
🙂
Craving a couple of these brownies right now.. I just love the combination of salty peanuts and sweet chocolate. I can imagine how delicious these must have tasted!
Who can resist PB and chocolate? Thanks for stopping by.
Love salty-sweet … and I especially love Virginia peanuts! Your photographs make me want to reach through the screen to grab a brownie right now … and it’s sunrise down here in the tropics. Wonderful post!
Thanks, Annabel! One of my favorite combinations, too.
Oooooohhhh…! In the middle of snowy Austria those would go down a TREAT, cosied up in my castle hotel room with an espresso. A nice big tray.. *cough* small plate.
Austria?! Can’t wait to see the photos. Have fun! And thanks, Angelica.
Those brownies would definitely fill a different need than tarte tatin! When I think about how simple it is to make ganache, I wonder why I don’t slather it on everything–thanks for the reminder!
You’re welcome. 🙂
These look divine! Am having a girly get together in the country soon. Might have to make these.
Thanks, Misti. And have a great girly get together!
How deliciously anti-abstemious. Apple, schmapple. Life is too short to refrain from brownies, I say, especially when they’ve got all those peanuts and ganache!
Indeed!
There must be some mighty delicious smells coming out of your kitchen right now 😉 Something tells me it’s perfect baking weather there, which naturally equals perfect eating weather too.
Our kitchen is really cold and drafty. So, of course, that means I have to turn the oven on frequently during winter. 😉
Yum yum yum!!!!
OMYGOD. these look so good. there’s an ice cream i always get right before I start a diet (which makes perfect sense) and it’s chocolate-peanut. And it’s to die for. Your brownies look so fun with the layers and topping!
Thanks, Mimi. It’s hard to beat PB and chocolate, isn’t it?
Completely off the hook. 🙂 Rich brownie, creamy icing AND decadent ganache? Salty and sweet? Yes, please!
Wish I still had some!
Wow, these look absolutely amazing! I love Junior League Cookbooks 🙂
Oh, me, too. At least the ones before the era when they started dumping cans of cream of crap soup over everything. 😉
Reblogged this on susamaimily.
Love it, beautiful, pinning