The Perfect Brownie

I need not make any other brownie ever again: this is the one.  Superwoman Martha does it again, this time in the form of the best combination of peanut butter and chocolate and cakey soft brownie-ness with just a touch of salt to make it all amazingly yum.  The first batch of brownies I whipped up for a friend's baby shower was devoured with nary a picture (woops!) so of course the solution was to make a second batch later in the week.  ;)  A big benefit of this recipe is that it lends itself to making two batches in the same week very easily!  Mostly pantry staples are used, and just half of a baker's chocolate bar (meaning you can use the other half when you HAVE to have another batch!).

Ingredients

    Chocolate batter

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for pan
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

   Peanut butter mixture

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325°.  Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and cut a sheet of parchment paper to fit, leaving a couple inches to hang over the handles (to make the brownies easier to lift out later).  Butter the parchment paper, too.
2. Set a pot of water to simmer.  Place the butter and both types of chocolate in a large glass bowl that will fit over the pot.  Set the bowl over the simmering water, and stir mixture until melted and smooth.  Lift bowl off of pot (using dish cloth or pot holders) and set on counter to cool slightly.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Whisk the granulated sugar into the chocolate mixture.  Add the eggs, and whisk until smooth.  Whisk in vanilla, then the flour mixture, mixing until well combined.
5. Stir the peanut butter mixture ingredients together in a medium bowl until smooth.
6. Pour one third of the chocolate batter into the prepared pan, spreading and/or tilting the pan to evenly coat the bottom.  Drop dollops of the peanut butter mixture on top of the batter, about 1 inch apart.  Drizzle the remaining chocolate batter on top, and gently spread to fill the pan.  Drop dollops of remaining peanut butter mixture on top, filling in between the spaces of the bottom dollops.  Gently swirl peanut butter and chocolate portions together by running a butter knife lengthwise and crosswise through the layers, touching the tip of the knife to the pan as you drag so that you reach through all the layers.
7. Bake about 45 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted into the brownies comes out with a few crumbs, but is not wet.  Let cool in pan about 15 minutes.  Lift out and let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.  Store in an airtight container.

Look how beautiful these are!

Homemade Friendly's Wattamelon Roll: Sherbert Shaped Like a Watermelon

When I was growing up, my family visited with our extended family in Sandusky, Ohio every summer.  One of our favorite parts of that trip was getting a Wattamelon Roll from Friendly's.  For whatever reason, we never indulged in this at home (maybe because this excellent dessert isn't offered in Maryland).  It was this mix of different flavors of sherbert, with chocolate chip "seeds" mixed in with the pink middle part.  LOVED it.  Because I can't find it in my area, I took a Pinterest pit stop to indulge this childhood nostalgia.
This recipe proved to be a success!  Or at least, gave me the confidence and technique to make one myself.  I can't wait to give it to my little brother as a birthday surprise tonight.  :)

Ingredients

• 1 pint lime sherbert, softened
• 1 pint lemon sherbert, softened
• 1 pint berry sherbert (really, anything pink or swirled with pink will do for the center), softened
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Use a springform pan or pie pan to assemble your dessert.  Springform is nice because you can simply remove the ring when ready to serve, but you can make do with a pie plate just fine.  Scoop enough lime ice cream to create an outer ring about 1 inch thick (mine is too big- oops!).  Shape a bit into a ring, but don't worry about perfecting because your sherbert will be sliding all around the dish.
2. Freeze for 10 minutes, or until sherbert is firm.  Remove from freezer, and smooth outer lime ring.  I cut the middle away to create a nice ring shape, and put the excess back in the container.  Then I smoothed the top of the ring.
3. Scoop enough lemon sherbert to form a smaller ring, about 1/2 inch thick (mine is a nice proportion).  Freeze for 10 minutes or until firm, then shape and smooth as you did with the lime layer.
4. Mix pink sherbert with chocolate chips until evenly incorporated.  Spoon into center of dessert, and spread evenly.  Freeze for 10 minutes or until set.  Cover with saran wrap and keep frozen until ready to serve.
5. Serve cut into wedges, just like watermelon slices!