Peanut-Butter Chocolate Brownies

This recipe gives your tongue all the different flavors it craves.  Salty, sweet, chocolate and peanut butter.   What else could you want?  I really love the pretzel crust.

PRETZEL-PEANUT BUTTER-CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
(serves 20)

Pretzel Crust Ingredients:

*4 cups pretzels

*3/4 cup butter
*1/2 cup sugar

Brownie Ingredients:
*1/2 cup vegetable oil
*1/2 cup melted butter
*1 teaspoon instant coffee granules
*2 cups white sugar
*4 eggs
*1 cup all-purpose flour
*2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
*1/2 teaspoon baking powder
*1/2 teaspoon salt

Peanut Butter Cream Ingredients:

*1 cup creamy peanut butter

*1/2 cup butter, room temperature

*1-3 tablespoon whole milk

Chocolate Frosting Ingredients:

*1/2 cup heavy cream

*6 ounces semisweet or milk chocolate chips (I use mini, for easier melting)

Pretzel Crust Directions:

~Crush pretzels in a bag or food processor (do not process into a powder).

~Melt butter in microwave.

~Mix the butte & sugar into the crushed pretzels.

~Press the pretzel mixture into a 9x13 inch pan.

~Bake for 10 minutes.

~Remove from oven and let cool.

Brownie Directions:

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

~Mix instant coffee into melted butter, until coffee is dissolved.

~In a medium bowl, mix together oil, coffee-butter, sugar & vanilla.

~Beat in eggs one at a time.

~Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder & salt.

~Slowly stir into the egg mixture until just blended.

~Spread evenly over pretzel crust.

~Bake for 25-30 minutes.

~Cool completely.

Peanut Butter Cream Directions:

~In a medium mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter, butter & powdered sugar until well incorporated & smooth.

~Add enough milk to make it spreadable.

~Spread on top of brownies when they are cooled.

Chocolate Frosting Directions:

~Heat heavy cream in a microwavable bowl, for around 30 seconds, or until it starts to boil.

~Remove from microwave and whisk in chocolate chips, until they are melted and mixture becomes shiny.

~Spread over peanut butter cream.

~Let set for about 1/2, cut and serve.