Brownie & Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

     Sometimes, all I need to say is... pour a big glass of milk, sit down, and enjoy!  That is definitely the case with these Brownie & Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies.  There... enough said.

                                              

                                           adapted recipe by Donna Hay

FOR THE BROWNIE COOKIES:
• 350 grams bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 40 grams unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 80 grams unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup light cream

TO MAKE THE BROWNIE COOKIES:
1.  Preheat oven to 350˚F.  Place 200 grams of bittersweet chocolate and the 40 grams of butter in a small saucepan over low heat.  Stir until melted and smooth; set aside. 
2.  Place the eggs, sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer and whisk until pale and creamy.  Stir in the flour, baking powder, butter-chocolate mixture, and the remaining 150 grams of chopped chocolate.  Set the mixture aside for 10 minutes.
3.  Meanwhile, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Spoon the brownie mixture onto the baking sheets making 10 evenly spaced mounds on each sheet. 
4.  Bake the brownies on the center rack of the oven for 10 minutes.  (I baked one sheet at a time.  Not necessary if you have a convection oven.  Or, bake both sheets at the same time on different oven racks and switch out their locations half way through baking).

TO MAKE THE PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:
1.  In a large bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients until smooth.

TO ASSEMBLE:
     Spread peanut butter filling onto the bottom of one brownie cookie and top filling with another cookie.  Repeat.  Recipe makes 10 large Brownie & Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies.

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