I’m about to tell you the best/worst thing to happen to autumn 2015.
It’s called the Snickers variety pack.
And by worst, I mean best. Obviously. (But worst. You get it.)
Every October I trot out the same stories about trick-or-treating with my brothers: how I’d hoard all the Snickers bars and how my one true childhood favorite was, not-so-secretly, mallo cups. True, but predictable.
Fun fact: I once made homemade Snickers bars. If you have half a day, a little patience and an appetite for overflowing treats, you can make them too. I also made homemade mallo cups, which are outrageously good.
But the Snickers variety pack? It’s like the elevated millennial version of the classic bar — the 2015 Snickers in a bag. It includes original, peanut butter and almond fun-size Snickers bars. Why did I have to see this? Why indeed.
Add it to the mile-long list titled “Reasons to Stay Out of Target.”
Over the years I’ve become such a chocolate snob that most candy bars don’t even register on my radar — you know, the ones at the checkout line of every store. I don’t crave them, I don’t want them, I barely think about them. Then Halloween rolls around and suddenly there’s a bowl of assorted fun-sized candy and I’m like, how did I survive 363 days without this? One extra peanut butter cup won’t hurt, right? I used to eat two at a time as a kid.
Spoiler: in your 30s even one peanut butter cup can make you feel like you’re dying. Life is unfair.
Anyway — this brownie tart comes from Billy of Wit and Vinegar’s cookbook Whip It Up. The book is bright, fun, full of delicious recipes and a fair amount of humor. This brownie tart, even before adding ganache and candy, is exceptional: gooey, fudgy, and full of Nutella flavor. It’s one of those desserts you want to eat every day.
Of course I couldn’t leave it alone, so I dressed it up for the season with a Nutella–peanut butter ganache and a scattering of Halloween candy. It’s a perfect use for leftover candy or a festive showstopper for a Halloween party.
You can top the tart with leftover candy, leave it plain, or serve it as-is for maximum Nutella indulgence. And while we’re on the subject of Halloween treats: candy corn? I’m meh. A few pieces are fine, but more than that tastes like dyed wax. That said, candy corn with salted peanuts is unexpectedly addictive — give it a try.
Peanut butter plus Nutella — do we even need to explain why that works?
Peanut Butter Nutella Candy Bar Brownie
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup Nutella
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, chopped
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Nutella peanut butter ganache
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 4 ounces high-quality dark chocolate, chopped
- 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons Nutella
- assorted candy for topping, if desired
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
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In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter, Nutella and peanut butter together, whisking until smooth. Add the chopped chocolate, let it sit a minute, then whisk until melted. Stir in the sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time until combined, then fold in the flour until just combined. Pour the batter into the prepared tart pan and bake 25–30 minutes. The center may still look slightly underbaked; remove it — you don’t want to overbake. Let cool completely.
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Spread the Nutella–peanut butter ganache over the cooled brownie and top with your favorite Halloween candy, or leave it plain. Slice and enjoy.
Nutella peanut butter ganache
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Place the chopped chocolate, peanut butter and Nutella in a bowl. Warm the cream in a saucepan over low heat until small bubbles form around the edges. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate mixture and let sit 30 seconds, then stir continuously until smooth. Let the ganache cool slightly until thick but still spreadable, then spread over the cooled brownie.
Notes
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