Michelle's Peanut Butter Marbled Brownies

  1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 cups white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet or milk chocolate chips

2 (3 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup peanut butter *[up to 3/4 cup]
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9x13 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1 egg, and milk until smooth. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together melted butter, 2 cups white sugar, and vanilla. Mix in the remaining 3 eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; mix into the batter. Stir in chocolate chips.
4. Remove 1 cup of the chocolate batter. Spread the remaining batter into the prepared pan. Spread the peanut butter filling over the top. Drop the reserved chocolate batter by teaspoonful over the filling. Using a knife, gently swirl through the top layers for a marbled effect.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out almost clean. Cool completely, then cut into bars.

Marbled Peanut Butter Brownies

Brownies:

1/3 cup butter

2 squares unsweetened chocolate

2/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs 

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

1/3 cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons butter, softened

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon flour

1 egg

Brownies:

Melt butter and chocolate together. Set aside to cool.
In a small bowl mix flour, baking powder and salt together.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together until light. Add the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture, and the cooled chocolate mixture.
Pour into a greased 8 inch square pan.

Topping:

Beat all ingredients together until smooth.
Drop spoonfuls of peanut butter mixture over the brownie layer. Run a knife through the cake to marble.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool, and cut in squares.

Marbled Peanut Butter & Nutella Brownies

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy)

2 large eggs

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Swirl Mixture:

1 1/2 oz dark or dark chocolate with hazelnuts, chopped

1/2 teaspoon butter

1/4 cup Nutella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8 inch square metal pan with non-stick foil.
In a mixing bowl, using medium speed and high speed of an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until soft. Beat in vanilla and peanut butter, then add eggs and beat just until mixed in. Scrape sides of bowl and beat in baking powder and salt, making sure they are evenly distributed; Add flour and stir until it is mixed in. Spread peanut butter batter in pan.
Make swirl mixture. Melt chocolate and butter in a small microwave-safe bowl at 50% power. Alternatively, you may use a double boiler or bowl set over a pot of barely simmer water. Remove melted chocolate from heat and stir in Nutella. Drop spoonfuls of Nutella mixture over peanut butter brownie batter and drag a knife through to make a marbled pattern.
Bake on center rack for 30 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the side of the pan and center seems set. Cool pan on a wire rack. When brownies hit room temperature, chill them for an hour or so. Lift from pan and cut into squares.