Bully Boy Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8x8-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper leaving a 1-inch overhang to lift the bars out after baking.

Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium bowl combine the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, and fine salt. Whisk until evenly distributed.

Combine wet ingredients: In a separate large bowl whisk the eggs until slightly frothy. Add the whole milk, melted unsalted butter and vanilla extract; whisk until smooth.

Make batter: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and fold with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix — a few small lumps are fine. Batter will be thick but pourable.

Transfer batter: Spoon or pour about two-thirds of the batter into the prepared 8x8 pan and spread gently into an even layer using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.

Make peanut butter filling: In a small bowl combine the creamy peanut butter, brown sugar, honey, and 1/8 tsp salt. Stir with a spoon until smooth and slightly glossy. If mixture seems very stiff, microwave 8–10 seconds and stir to loosen.

Add filling: Drop spoonfuls (about 1 tablespoon each) of the peanut butter mixture over the batter already in the pan, spacing them evenly.

Top with remaining batter and swirl: Dollop the remaining batter over the peanut butter spots to cover. Using a butter knife or skewer, swirl through the batter in a figure-eight motion to create a marbled peanut-butter swirl; avoid completely blending so you keep visible streaks.

Bake: Place pan in the preheated oven and bake for 22–28 minutes, or until the edges are set and a toothpick inserted into the center (avoiding large peanut butter pockets) comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.

Cool: Remove pan from oven and set on a wire rack. Let cool completely in the pan (about 1 hour) so the bars set and cut cleanly.

Make optional chocolate topping: If using topping, place dark chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 15-second bursts, stirring between bursts, until melted and smooth (about 30–45 seconds total). Stir smooth and spoon the ganache over the cooled bars, spreading to the edges. Sprinkle chopped roasted peanuts over the ganache while still wet.

Slice and serve: Use the parchment overhang to lift the slab from the pan. Transfer to a cutting board and slice into 9 equal squares or 12 smaller bars. Serve at room temperature; store in an airtight container up to 3 days at room temp or up to 5 days refrigerated.