The concept of small batch cooking has been around for awhile. There are cookbooks and blogs completely devoted to everything from small batch meals to small batch desserts. In many instances, these small batch recipes are not simply regular recipes cut in half, they are reconfigured, reimagined ones. Because in some cases, it can be a bit of a challenge to evenly cut some ingredients in half. Like a raw egg for example. Especially if a recipe calls for using the egg white and egg yolk separately. Up until recently I haven't had the inclination to shift from large scale to small scale. But I am finally coming around to all of the compelling advantages to the concept. Particularly when it comes to baking. It can be dangerous to have too many sweets in the house!
Aside from not wanting any delicious or decadent baked good go to waste, it's nice to be able to have recipes perfectly sized to satisfy the sweet tooths of a small household, a small gathering, a friend, or a neighbor. And this fudgy, deeply chocolately, eight inch round Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Tart checks off all of those boxes and more!
The Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Tart can be cut up into 8 wedges and served plain, with freshly whipped cream or ice cream, or it could slathering in whipped cream and garnished with edible flowers, chocolate shavings, or more miniature peanut butter cups! The possibilities are endless!
The deep chocolately flavor in this Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Tart comes from three kinds of chocolate: melted semi-sweet chocolate chips, Dutch Process cocoa, and double dark or black cocoa. The use of both the Dutch Processed cocoa and the double dark or black cocoa not adds great flavor, it deepens the color of the baked brownie, giving it an even richer, more luscious, more irresistible seductive appeal.
The miniature peanut butter cups come from Trader Joe's. If you don't have one near you or if you are not a big fan of peanut butter, replace them with chopped semi-sweet or dark chocolate. Your Brownie Tart will be delicious either way.
The thick brownie batter is a prelude to how fudgy the baked brownie tart will be.
In a preheated 350 degree (F) oven, the brownie tart bakes up in 26-28 minutes. After cooling in the cake pan for ten minutes, the tart is transferred to a cooling rack or serving platter. Enjoy it either slightly warm or at room temperature.
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If you needed the least bit of persuading about the small batch desserts, this Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Tart should more than convince you.
If you are looking for a simple, sweet tooth satisfying, scrumptious, dessert to serve for a small dinner party, the addition of some freshly whipped lightly sweetened heavy cream is the perfect finishing touch.
Who will you make these rich, fudgy, decadent Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Tart for? Or rather how long will you wait before you make them?
Recipe
Peanut Butter Cup Brownie Tart
Makes one 8" round tart (serves 6-8)
Ingredients
1.5 ounces (42g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (70g) light brown sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
1/2 cup (65g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (28g) Dutch-process cocoa
1 1/2 Tablespoons (14g) double dark Dutch-process or black cocoa (see notes)
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
2.7 ounces (75g) miniature peanut butter cups (OR chopped semi-sweet chocolate)
Flaky sea salt
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line an 8" cake pan with parchment paper. Line bottom with a parchment paper round. Butter & flour sides of pan and top of parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a small sauce pan, melt the unsalted butter and semi-sweet chocolate morsels. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl, add in the granulated sugar, brown sugar, one whole egg, one egg yolk, and vanilla. Beat for approximately 3-4 minutes or until the mixture is creamy and has doubled in size.
4. Add in the slightly cooled melted chocolate. Beat on low, just to blend.
5. Fold in the flour, Dutch process cocoa, Kosher salt, and double dark or black cocoa just mostly blended,
6. Finally, fold in the miniature peanut butter cups until they are well distributed in the thick batter.
7. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan. Lightly sprinkle with flaky sea salt.
8. Place on the baking pan on a sheet pan and place in the oven. Bake for 26-28 minutes.
9. Let the brownies cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Then transfer to a serving platter.
10. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature with some freshly whipped lightly sweetened heavy cream or vanilla ice cream. Or serve them plain.
11. Keep any leftovers well wrapped. The tart will be good for up to 3-4 days, if it lasts that long.
Notes: (1) I used the miniature peanut butter cups from Trader Joe's. If you wanted an all chocolate brownie, use chopped semi-sweet chocolate. (2) The double dark cocoa came from King Arthur. But you could use black cocoa instead (found in some grocery stores or gourmet food stores). The brownies made with black cocoa will be even deeper in color! (3) Do not bake in a 9" round cake pan as the brownies will be too thin! If you don't have an 8" cake pan, use a 9"x 5" baking pan. Line the pan with parchment paper so the brownies are easy to remove when done baked. Baking time will range from 27-28 minutes. Cut the brownies into 8 wedges or 8 bars.