Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes

So, I bought a new muffin scoop.  And I'm an emotional brownie batter-eater.  And it's been a draining week.  AKA it's time for PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIE CUPCAKES!

Cupcakes:

1 stick of butter

3 squares Baker’s chocolate

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F.

Melt butter and baking sqaures in a double boiler. Add in sugar and vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add in eggs, beating one at a time. Add flour and cocoa powder and stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Fill a muffin tin with muffin liners and fill each liner using a #20 scoop. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until brownie is set. The top with be a bit crunchy and the insides will be fudgey.

Peanut Butter Ganache:

1/2 cup heavy cream

5 oz (1/2 package) Reese's peanut butter chips

Heat heavy cream to a simmer.  Pour over chips.  Let sit for a few minutes, then stir until smooth.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

4 ounces  unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/3 cups powdered sugar sugar, sifted

1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Melt chocolate in a double boiler; cool to room temperature.  Beat butter until creamy; add in vanilla extract.  Beat in powdered sugar, a little at a time.  Add in melted chocolate and stir until combined. 

Cupcake Assembly:

Core cupcakes using a cupcake corer or paring knife.  Fill with peanut butter ganache.  Decorate using fudge frosting, sprinkles, peanut butter chips, peanut butter cups, and/or chocolate chips.   

Inspiration:

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2011/01/fudgey-brownie-cupcakes/  

http://www.joyofbaking.com/BrownieCupcakes.html#ixzz222y3trYJ

Cashew Thumbprint Cookies (Happy Birthday, Tyke!)

 Cashew, our "oops, we got a third" cat, turns one this July.  He was a street kitten back in the day, and he certainly still has an appetite like he's eating from restaurant dumpsters.  Happy 1st Birthday to our little Tyke!

Cashew Thumbprint Cookies

AKA "these are like the best cookies ever" cookies

(adapted from The Ultimate Peanut Butter Book by Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough)

1 stick (8 Tbs) cool unsalted butter, cut into chunks
6 Tbs creamy cashew butter
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour (or GF flour)
1/4 tsp salt, optional
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten in a small bowl
1 1/2 cups finely ground, roasted cashews, placed on a large plate
1/2 cup jelly, flavor of choice

Preheat oven to 375F.  Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.

Beat the butter and cashew butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until light and creamy, about 1 minute.  Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar; continue beating until light and pale brown, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.  Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla until smooth.  Add the flour and salt, if using, until combined.

Scoop cookie dough (I use a #40 scooper), dip it fully in the beaten egg whites, then roll in the ground cashews.  Place on the prepared baking sheet.  Continue making the cookies, spacing them about 2" apart.

Bake for 10 minutes, then take the tray out of the oven.  Use the handle of a wooden spoon to make a small indentation in each cookie without pressing to the baking sheet underneath.  Place 1 tsp jelly in each indentation.  Return the baking sheet to the oven and continue taking until the cookies have dry, firm edges, are lightly browned, and the jelly has melted, about 10 more minutes.  Cook the cookies on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  The cookies can be stored in an airtight container, between sheets of wax paper, for up to 3 days.  Makes 1.5 dozen.