Sponsored by Woolworths
When I was in New York a few years ago, we stayed right next door to a Wholefoods. They had this amazing machine that crushed whole bags of peanuts and made fresh peanut butter. It was like my mouth had met the love of it’s life. When I came back to Australia I was a bit grossed out by all the gunk that was in most peanut butter brands. Then I discovered macro organic peanut butter and it only had one ingredient. Organic roasted peanuts. Score. We generally always have a jar around the house but last week there was a huge sale and I got a BUCKET of macro organic peanut butter for $7. Bargain. Then I went on a crazy peanut butter baking bender and it’s officially my new favourite dessert ingredient. First it was salted caramel, then burnt fig. I’m making 2014 the Year of Peanut Butter Flavoured Desserts. Join me won’t you?
5 Peanut Butter Recipes for Total Peanut Butter Nuts
Peanut Butter and Vanilla Choc Pops
These are dead easy to make and you don’t even need to turn on the oven. Bonza.
What You Need
2/3 cup of macro organic peanut butter
1 1/2 cups of full cream milk
1 cup of vanilla bean thick cream (I used Wicked Sister vanilla bean and it is orgasmic. You may want to eat it by the spoon.)
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
(makes about 10 popsicles depending on the size of your mould)
What You Do
1. Throw all the ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. (Note: Don’t lick your finger if you get vanilla bean paste on it. So gross.)
2. Pour mixture into popsicle moulds. I made my own using mini plastic containers that I got from Woolies. I melted a choc melt down the bottom and stuck a stripey straw in to keep it in place. Once you’ve filled your moulds, pop them in the freezer for at least four hours.
3. Remove the popsicles from their moulds by running them under warm water. Dip them in melted chocolate, then roll them in nuts (if you want to, no pressure) and pop them back in the freezer until you’re ready to eat them.
Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Bark
Another easy to make treat that tastes a lot fancier than it actually is.
What You Need
350gms of good quality white cooking chocolate
1/2 cup of macro organic peanut butter
100 gms of good quality milk cooking chocolate
A handful of pretzel sticks (or plain potato chips if you want to make a gluten free version, I used the Macro potato chips because I was taking the bark to a party where the host is gluten free. Most normal chips are gluten free but when cooking for others I like to use certified gluten free products.)
What You Do
1. Slooooowly melt the white chocolate and peanut butter together over low heat in a saucepan. Really take your time on this because burning chocolate is so frustrating.
2. Pour it onto a sheet of baking paper placed on your kitchen bench.
3. Melt the milk chocolate and place it in spoonfulls on the white peanut mixture. Using a straw or a knife, drag the milk chocolate through the white chocolate to make a swirly design. Then sprinkle with pretzels or potato chips and pop in the fringe to set.
4. Once it’s set, take it out of the fridge and chop it into pieces.
PB and J Croissant
A naughty twist on a sandwich classic.
What You Need
Some awesome jam, some delicious peanut butter and a giant mofo criossant.
What You Do
1. Pop the croissant in the oven for a few minutes until it’s a bit crispy.
2. Slather it in peanut butter and jam. Insert in face hole.
Home Made Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups
Nothing better than whipping up a classic treat in your own kitchen.
What You Need
700 gms good quality milk cooking chocolate
1/2 cup of macro organic peanut butter
1/4 cup icing sugar
2 tablespoons of softened butter
What You Do
1. Place 12 mini paper muffin cases in a mini muffin tin.
2. Slooooowly melt half the milk chocolate. I did mine in the microwave. I zap it for 20 seconds, then stir and repeat until chocolate is smooth.
3. Place teaspoon fulls of chocolate in each muffin case, filling them up about a third of the way. Bang the tray flat against the bench top to get the chocolate to settle flat in the muffin case. Pop in the freezer for 15 minutes.
4. Using electric beaters, mix peanut butter, icing sugar and butter until smooth and creamy.
5. Remove muffin cases from freezer. Place a teaspoon full of peanut butter mixture into each muffin case. Bang the tray flat against the bench top to get the peanut butter mixture to settle flat in the muffin case. Return tray to the freezer.
6. Melt the remaining chocolate. Being super speedy, (the hot chocolate will melt the peanut butter mixture if you aren’t quick enough!) place teaspoon fulls of chocolate in each muffin case. Fill to the top and pop them back in the freezer.
Recipe from The Comfort of Cooking but most Reece’s peanut butter cup recipes are similar if not identical.
Chocolate and Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies
These are delightfully sinful. Just remember to make them with small cookies. They end up on the bad side of epic if you make them with big ones.
What You Need
Chocolate Cookies
125gms chopped butter
200 gms of dark chocolate
3 beaten eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
3/4 cups of macro gluten free plain flour
3/4 cups of macro gluten free self raising flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
*you only need to use GF flour if you want your cookies to be gluten free. Otherwise just use regular flour.
Peanut Butter Filling
1/2 cup of icing sugar
1 cup macro peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
What You Do
1. Melt butter and chocolate on very low heat in a saucepan on the stove. Once melted, transfer to a bowl.
2. Stir in sugar, vanilla bean paste, eggs and mix well. Sift in flours and cocoa and mix well. Refridgerate for 1 hour.
3. Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees. Take heaped teaspoons of mixture and roll into balls. Place balls on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Bake for about 10 minutes or until surface of the cookies have cracked. Allow to cool.
4. Using en electric mixer, beat the icing sugar, peanut butter and vanilla bean paste until fluffy and creamy.
5. Place a teaspoon size dollop of peanut butter mixture between two cookies and sandwich together.
Are you a peanut butter fan? Do you have any peanut butter based recipes to share?
The first ten commenters will be sent a few of the Home Made Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups (made by me!) to try. Just email me with your address once you’ve left a comment. Be quick!