Peanut Butter Cup Heaven

Some desserts look amazing.  Some desserts taste amazing.  This dessert looks and tastes amazing!  Do you remember the commercial from a few years ago where two people collide and mix up their peanut butter and chocolate? And the result is supposedly the best concoction ever?  Well of course it is.  Peanut butter and chocolate are the go-to comfort food of choice in my world.  Today, I am  posting a recipe that takes some of the all-time favorites: brownies, peanut butter cups, pudding, and whipped cream, and layers them into a beautiful dessert.  An amazing dessert in the summer heat, and you don't have to turn on the oven. The best part of all is that there is nothing difficult in it at all, not one step is difficult.  So invite someone over, put on the coffee and prepare to be praised!

Peanut Butter Brownie Trifle

Ingredients:

(oil and eggs for brownies)

1 (21.4 oz) Pkg. Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Mix

1 (5.1 oz) Pkg. Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix

3 Cups Milk

½ Cup Peanut Butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 Cup Whipping Cream

2/3 Cup sugar

2-1/2 Cups coarsely chopped peanut butter cup candies

Line a 13x9 inch pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan.  Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and bake.  Cool.  Lift foil out of pan.  Invert brownies onto cutting board; remove foil.  Cut into ¼” cubes.

Combine pudding mix and milk in large bowl; beat at low speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes until thick.  Add peanut butter and vanilla; beat smooth.  Prepare whipping cream by beating whipping cream and sugar in separate bowl until stiffening.  Gently fold ½  (1 cup) into pudding mixture.  Set aside remaining 1 cup. 

Into Trifle Bowl begin layering.  In bottom place half of brownies then half of candies.  Spoon half of pudding mixture over brownies and candies.  Layer remaining brownies and candies, then spoon rest of pudding.  On the top finish with final cup of whipped cream.  Garnish with whole peanut butter cups if desired. Refrigerate before serving.