no wrong way to eat a rhesus

I had to say it. Those critters are some of the eeriest animals I've ever seen.

I think something about their eyes makes them look disturbingly human. I don't know. Regardless, I have no interest in eating them, I just love a good pun. I am interested, however, in eating any combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Reese really struck gold with that duo, and we are all the benefactors.

These brownies are fantastic for anyone who likes the aforementioned combination. The brownie portion is a little bit fudgy and a little bit cakey, while the peanut butter filling would be delightful in any application. I was most keen on the glaze--that mixture of milk chocolate and peanut butter is simply incredible, and most akin to the beloved Reese's cup. Forget ganache--that may become my go-to chocolate cake covering.

The filling and glaze would actually be quite outstanding atop a batch of blondies as well. Heck, even a shortbread crust would be sufficient. Nosh on!

Rhesus Brownies*
Makes 12 huge brownies, 15 reasonably-sized ones, or 20 stingy servings
Ingredients:
Brownies:

• 6 ounces butter
• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Filling:

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 ounces butter, softened
• Pinch salt
• 2-1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Glaze:

• 1=1/2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

Directions:
First, make the brownies. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 13x9" pan. In a medium saucepan (or in the microwave), melt together the butter and unsweetened chocolate. Whisk until smooth, then let cool for a few minutes. Whisk in the sugars and blend well. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Fold in the flour and salt, then pour into prepared pan and bake 40-45 minutes, or until edges are beginning to harden. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
To make the filling, beat together the peanut butter, butter, and salt on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the powdered sugar. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time, until the right consistency is reached. Add the vanilla extract and beat to combine. Once the brownies have cooled, spread the filling over them evenly.
To make the glaze, simply melt the butter and chocolate chips together and blend well, then pour the glaze over the brownies and fillings. Tilt the pan so the glaze coats everything evenly. Refrigerate for a couple of hours until set, then slice and serve!


*No animals were harmed in the making of these brownies.