Monday, May 16, 2011

Bessie's Chocolate Fudge Squares Stuffed with Peanut Butter Cups


I was at the grocery store recently shopping for basics like milk, eggs, and bananas. I had no intention of veering off the path. And then I struck gold. I approached the Easter candy sale section and my eyeballs almost flew out of their sockets. First of all, I thought I had missed my chance to get Easter candy on sale because it was already several days after the holiday. In fact, I had already mourned that lost opportunity and moved on with my life. Second, giant bags could be mine for just $1.20 per bag. I gave in and put several bags in my cart - a few Cadbury mini eggs, Reese's, and some other stuff.

I wish I could tell you it was a tough decision and my brain was fighting my hand not to pick up any candy. But that's not how this experience played out. I don't think my hand-reaching could have been any speedier or more certain. There was no pause, no trembling, just one beautiful straight grab and it was over.


I don't view this at all as lack of will power. I view it as investment, because Reese's Peanut Butter Cups shaped in the form of Easter eggs are still just Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. The ingredients are the same. I can buy these and use them in baking as if there were no difference. And I knew when I bought this giant bag of Reese's exactly what I was going to do with the eggs. They were going in brownies.


The only thing left to do was decide on a brownie recipe. I pulled out my family cookbook and found a recipe my aunt had submitted for Bessie's Chocolate Fudge Squares. Bessie was the housekeeper that many of my relatives on my mom's dad's side shared back in the 1950s and 60s in Youngstown, Ohio. The brownies are more on the cakey side than the fudgy side, and I'm more of a fudgy girl, but they work really well with a stuffing of peanut butter cups. I'm quite pleased with my $1.20 purchase.


Bessie's Chocolate Fudge Squares Stuffed with Peanut Butter Cups
Adapted from a recipe by Bessie Anglun, a housekeeper that worked for my mom's paternal family in Youngstown, Ohio, that was submitted by my aunt Linda to our family cookbook

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 to 1 cup toasted nuts, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla
12 Reese's Peanut Butter Easter Eggs or Cups

Melt butter and chocolate together in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and add sugar. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in flour, baking powder, nuts, and vanilla. Place in greased and floured (or sprayed with nonstick cooking spray) 9-inch or 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-25 minutes.


Step-by-Step in Pictures
Melt the chocolate and butter...

Remove from heat and add the sugar...
Add the eggs, one at a time...
Add the dry ingredients...

Add the vanilla...
Spread about half the brownie batter in the bottom of the prepared pan, then evenly distribute the Reese's Peanut Butter cups/Easter eggs on top...

Spread the remaining batter on top of the Reese's Peanut Butter cups...
Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 to 25 minutes...

Cut into squares and serve...

3 comments:

Mom said...

Bessie was a wonderful lady I remember fondly from my childhood. She was a great cook and baker, too. I recall eating her fudge squares and would love to try your variation. It looks so yummy!

JanAlyssa said...

I want these SO MUCH right now!!

Carolyn Jung said...

These are beyond decadent. But I like the frugal nature of them, too -- in using sale Easter candy. That makes these brownies EVEN sweeter. ;)

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