Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Peanut Butter Brownie Parfaits

It’s a mouthful, I know.

Let me break this down for you.

Chocolate-covered pretzels + peanut butter mousse + brownie chunks = parfait paradise.

And while we’re at it, let’s top it with some fresh whipped cream, just because we can.

There are so many delicious aspects at work here that it’s almost too much for your taste buds to handle. Almost. It’s like that crazy insane party that was so mind-blowing you barely survived, but in the aftermath you’re just like, “…whoa.”

All the flavors come together in a way that equates to sweet and salty wonderment. Salty pretzels, meet sweet chocolate. Salty peanut butter, meet sweet brownies. Oh, preztels, have you met brownies? Chocolate, have you met peanut butter? The flavors are mingling like socialites at a cocktail party, and everybody is friends tonight.

Don’t forget the colorful textural experience you’ll encounter. Creamy peanut butter filling, chewy, fudgy brownies, and crunchy pretzels. Every one of your senses are being catered to. Talk about being pampered.

Between the moist, fudgy brownies, the luscious peanut butter, and those sweet and salty pretzels, there is just too much goodness here to resist. These parfaits boast a pretty presentation, but take no work at all to make. Sounds like a win-win to me.

You’ll be digging deep into this parfait, we’re talking some serious excavating. But your spoon can handle it, trust me.

A Few Tips Before You Get Cooking:

1. You’re welcome to use a boxed mix if you’re short on time. However, this recipe for brownies is so fudgy, moist, and incredible that it really amps up these parfaits. Plus, it’s practically as easy to make as a boxed mix.
2. You could use chunks of devils food cake instead of the brownies.
3. Let’s say you prepare your parfaits ahead of time. How do you store them covered without messing up the pretty presentation? Like this: stick a glass or disposable cup over top.
4. Don’t you dare use store-bought whipped cream. Homemade takes 1 minute to make but tastes a million times better.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Covered Pretzel Brownie Parfaits
By The Smart Cookie Cookie

Yield: 4 parfaits

Ingredients:

• 3 cups heavy cream, chilled
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• ½ cup + 2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp. mascarpone cheese
• ½ batch Fudgy Cocoa Brownies, recipe follows
• 1 5-oz. bag chocolate covered pretzels, chopped
• chocolate sprinkles, for garnish

Directions:

1. Make the Fudgy Cocoa Brownies:
   (Brownies adapted from Allrecipes.com)
   • 1 cup butter, melted (plus more for greasing)
   • 3 cups white sugar
   • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
   • 4 eggs
   • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
   • 1 cup + 2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder (use dark cocoa powder for serious chocolatey-ness)
   • 1 teaspoon salt

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9 by 13 inch pan then line with parchment paper, allowing paper to extend over the sides.
   Combine the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Lightly beat in the eggs, one at a time, just until incorporated. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture until blended. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove, and cool pan on wire rack for 30 minutes. Use parchment papers to lift out brownies like a sling or simply flip them out onto a cutting board and let them cool completely.

2. While the brownies cool, make the peanut butter mousse. In a large bowl, stir together mascarpone and peanut butter until well-combined. Cover and pop in the fridge. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream and powdered sugar on high until stiff peaks form. You should have fluffy whipped cream. Do not over beat.
3. Grab the peanut butter-mascarpone mixture from the fridge and gently fold in 3/4 of the whipped cream until well-combined, reserving the remaining quarter of cream for topping. Cover and store in fridge.
4. Once brownies are completely cooled, Either use a knife to chop them into bite-sized chunks or break them apart with your hands. Set aside (note: if you don’t plan on assembling the parfaits for a while, put them in a plastic bag and seal tightly).
5. When ready to eat, assemble the parfaits. (I don’t recommend assembling more than 4 hours before eating because the pretzels get soggy). Make sure you let the mousse come to room temperature before serving.  Put a generous scoop of mousse into the bottom of a parfait glass so that it’s about 1/4 full. Top with a sprinkle of brownies and pretzels, then repeat once more. Your parfait should be: mousse, brownies, pretzels; mousse, brownies, pretzels. Top with a dollop of fresh whipped cream. You can also add the chocolate sprinkles and an extra pretzel as garnish. Repeat with remaining parfaits. Store leftovers covered in fridge.