Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle
Ingredients:
- bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped - 4 ounces
- butter, cut into cubes - 3/4 cup
- sugar - 1 cup
- eggs, lightly beaten - 3 large
- pure vanilla extract - 1 tsp
- salt - 1/4 tsp
- flour - 1 cup
- peanut butter cups - 9
- Mousse --
- cream cheese, softened - 4 ounces
- creamy peanut butter - 1/2 cup
- powdered sugar - 1/2 cup plus 1 T
- pure vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
- heavy cream - 2 - 3 T
- Ganache
- heavy cream - 6 ounces
- bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped - 4 ounces
- Garnish --
- whipped cream -
- peanut butter cups, chopped -
Instructions:
Line an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
Prepare brownies -- melt together chocolate and butter, stir until smooth.
Whisk sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt into the chocolate mixture. With a rubber spatula, gradually fold in flour just until combined.
Spread half of the batter into prepared pan. Place peanut butter cups evenly over the batter, evenly spread remaining batter over the peanut butter cups.
Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Place pan on cooling rack to cool completely.
Remove cooled brownies from pan, using a round biscuit cutter, cut brownies into 9 circles, slice each brownie in half horizontally.
Prepare mousse -- using whisk attachment on electric mixer, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and heavy cream until thoroughly combined and fluffy; about 3 minutes.
Prepare ganache -- place chocolate in a bowl. In a saucepan, over medium heat, bring cream to a simmer. Immediately remove from heat and pour hot cream over the chocolate, let stand for 3 - 5 minutes. Whisk ganache until smooth. Let ganache cool at room temperature for 10 - 15 minutes before assembling.
Assemble -- place a brownie half in the bottom of each trifle dish or small glass. Evenly spoon a layer of mousse onto each brownie, a layer of ganache, a layer of whipped cream. Repeats layers.
Garnish with additional whipped cream and chopped peanut butter cups. Place in refrigerator for a few hours or serve immediately. Yield 9 servings.
