Recipe: Peanut butter & jelly brownies

These brownies were my latest bake and went down an absolute treat so I almost feel obliged to share the recipe, which is from Jamie Oliver's new book Comfort Food (which by the way is bloody excellent!). They're a little naughty but they taste fiendishly good. I might have had a few too many... but will definitely be making them again.

 For the custard:
250ml semi-skimmed milk
1 vanilla pod
2 large egg yolks
50g golden caster sugar
1 heaped tablespoon cornflour
20g unsalted butter (at room room temperature)
2 heaped tablespoons smooth peanut butter (if I were to make these again I would personally use 3 or 4 tablespoons)
For the brownies:
230g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
250g quality dark chocolate
230g golden caster sugar
4 large eggs
150g plain flower
2 tablespoons raspberry jam
75g fresh raspberries

Start by making the custard. Put the milk into a pan, halve the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape out the seeds, then add both pod and seeds to the pan and lightly simmer on the hob, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, in a bowl whisk the egg yolks, sugar, cornflower and soft butter. Whisking constantly, gradually pour the hot milk into the bowl until combined. Then return the custard mixture to the pan, place over a low heat and stir gently for 2-3 mins, or until thickened. Stir in the peanut butter and leave to cool completely.

It should look a bit like this:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C. Then grease and line a deep baking tray or dish (roughly 20cm/30cm). 

Melt the butter in a non stick pan on a low heat, then snap up and add the chocolate. Stir regularly with a spatula until melted and combined, then remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Leave to cool slightly and then and whisk in the eggs, one at a time, until silky. Sift in the flour and mix well. Pour the brownie mix into the prepared tray/dish.

 Then swirl through the chilled nutty custard (discarding the vanilla pod). Erratically distribute little spoonfuls of jam over the surface and poke in the fresh raspberries too. 

Bake in the oven for around 25 mins, until cooked on the outside but still a little gooey on the inside. Leave to cool, cut into squares and serve.

 Who could possibly deny one of these bad boys?!

Kudos to you Jamie Oliver, you've done it again.

Lydia xxx