Chocolate and Peanut Butter Ghost Brownies – Halloween Baking Championship ep 1 main challenge

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So the first round is over (spider cupcakes, see here) and now it’s time for the main heat of the first episode of Halloween Baking Championship. I loved my ghost, the hairy barefoot legs reminded me of my husband (pale and hairy, with creepy long toes) so I knew I’d have fun recreating those legs.

I was a little nervous that because a ghost is such a simple thing that I’d have to really knock their socks off to impress the judges. So I decided to create a 3D effect by building up the frosting/fondant so that when I draped the final piece of white fondant over the top it would look like it was really coming out at you. Then I HAND PAINTED every single line, copying the amazing artwork on the card, down to a T. I felt like I nailed it, and am still really pleased with how he came out

SO in recreating him for you I really didn’t change much at all! I crushed the fleur de sel before adding it the batter to better disperse it, and I DIDN’T add any salt to the frosting, also I added LESS powdered sugar to keep the frosting lighter, but still stiff. All simple things, so really not much to change!

Equipment you might need
small flat tip
Fondant – about the size of a baseball
ivory gel coloring
fondant tools
chocolate sprinkles
black gel and vodka (or black airbrush coloring)
Pasta roller (with motor)

Print

Ghost Peanut Butter Brownies

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Total Time

1 hr 15 mins

 

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: brownies, chocolate brownies, food network, halloween baking championship

Servings: 24 servings

Calories: 346 kcal

Author: Ashlee Marie

Ingredients

Brownie

• 8 oz dark chocolate chopped
• 8 oz semi sweet chocolate chopped
• 1/2 C butter
• 1/3 C packed light brown sugar lightly packed
• 1 1/3 C granulated sugar
• 4 lrg eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp fleur de sel lightly crushed
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Frosting

• 1 C peanut butter
• 1/2 C butter room temp
• 1 C powdered sugar

Instructions

Brownie

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (convection 325).
2. Prepare your 9x13 pan with parchment paper or Bakers Joy.
3. In a double broiler gently melt the butter and chocolates together
4. As soon as the mixture is melted, take off the heat and allow to cool.
5. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and Cocoa in a bowl.
6. Beat the eggs with the sugar on high speed, until the mixture is very pale and thick, and ribbony.
7. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.
8. Gently mix in the cooled chocolate mixture into the eggs and sugar
9. Then mix in the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time.
10. Bake at 350 degrees until the top surface is slightly puffed and uniformly dry, and the batter no longer jiggles when you shake the pan gently - about 25-30 minutes depending on how thick they are. They will sink a bit as they cool.

Frosting

1. Beat the peanut butter and butter until smooth
2. Add the choco and a pinch of salt and beat again
3. Add the powdered sugar 1 C at a time to get out clumps into the mixture and beat until smooth
4. pipe or spread onto your brownie

Recipe Video

I will say I still feel ROBBED of this one. I really felt I rocked it, but I noticed it was hard to really see the details and depth on screen, boo. I mean the challenge was to recreate the COSTUME on the card, Jason (whom I adore) just did the face which I felt should have counted against him, but at the end of the day the goal is to please the judges so I just have to try harder in episode 2. The best part of THAT sentence is THAT I MADE IT TO EPISODE TWO! YAY! Don’t forget to tune in next Monday 9/8c and cheer me on in social media!!!

All the Halloween Baking Championship recreations