Culinary in the Country: Peanut Butter and Nutella Brownies

I was in desperate need of sugar and chocolate this evening, so I pulled out my "to-bake-later" binder and ran through my options. I settled on brownies. Because when you need baked chocolate goodness, brownies are your fastest answer.  I originally ran across this recipe while viewing food porn on Foodgawker. Delicious, with subtle nutty flavors. And I couldn't resist using up my Ghirardelli chocolate chips, making them polka dot brownies.

Peanut Butter and Nutella Brownies
From Culinary in the Country blog

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
⅛ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup Nutella
½ cup smooth peanut butter

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Prepare a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Melt the butter over very low heat; when melted remove from heat and gently pour into a large bowl. With a wooden spoon stir in the sugar and vanilla. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and whisk together. Combine the flour mixture slowly to the butter, sugar, and egg mixture and mix well.

Mix the peanut butter and Nutella in a small microwave safe bowl, and heat until it reaches a runny consistency. Stir the mixture into the batter; then pour it into the baking dish.

Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool completely before cutting.