Honey-Roasted Peanut Butter & Chocolate Tart

  • Honey-Roasted PB & Chocolate Tart

    “This dessert is definitely a top 5”, said The Husband when this was served the other night.

    I have to tell you: that was a meaningful statement.  (The Husband is very supportive of the plethora of baking that goes on in our place, which is surprising since he’s my official guinea pig and has been subjected to his share of disasters [seriously, I make him eat my mistakes- even the really bad ones]… but he’s well restrained when it comes to spewing out grandiose compliments.  He’s not a gusher.  I know if something is good if he says “good shit, Jo”, nodding as he eats my stuff.  He’ll tell me if he doesn’t like something.  But he rarely says something as bold as “top 5″… so in light of that, I am anointing this dessert as a total and utter winner.)

    Oh- you might think this is very close to the Incredible Peanut Butter Ganache Pie that I made last year, and you’d be right- but this one IS different enough.  It has the most amazing fudge brownie base, and a creamier center.  Just in case you thought I was a recipe recycler :)

    Lastly- cheers to Jon, for his bday!

    Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens’ recipe and my World’s Greatest Fudge Brownie recipe…

    BROWNIE BASE:

    4 ounces chopped unsweetened chocolate

    3/4 cup unsalted butter

    2 cups sugar

    2 1/2 teaspoons real vanilla

    3 lightly beaten eggs

    1 cup flour

    1 1/2 teaspoons salt

    Optional: 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder

    PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:

    3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

    3/4 cup honey-roasted peanut butter

    2 teaspoons vanilla

    1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

    2 tablespoons whipping cream

    3/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts, chopped*

    GANACHE TOPPING:

    1/2 cup whipping cream

    1 (11 1/2 oz.) package semisweet chocolate pieces

    1. BROWNIE BASE:
      1. Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease a 9 or 10″ springform pan (with removable bottom) and set aside.
      2. In a large bowl, melt chocolate & butter in microwave for 2:15 minutes and stir.
      3. Stir in sugar, then vanilla, then eggs, then salt, espresso powder (optional) & flour.
      4. Spread 1/2 of brownie batter onto bottom of the prepared pan**.  Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes (until just set in center).  Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
    2. PB FILLING:
      1. In a large bowl, combine 3/4 cup softened butter, peanut butter, and vanilla.  Beat at medium speed for 30 seconds.
      2. Add confectioners’ sugar and beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally.  Beat in the 2 tablespoons of whipping cream.  Stir in the chopped honey-roasted peanuts (save a handful to sprinkle over the top of the tart).
      3. Spread mixture evenly over the cooled brownie base***.  Chill in fridge while preparing the ganache.
    3. GANACHE TOPPING:
      1. In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat.  Remove from heat and add chocolate chips (do not stir).  Let stand 5 minutes, then stir until smooth.  Cool 15 minutes, then gently pour ganache over bars (spreading to edges of bars with a spatula).  Chill for 1 – 2 hours or until set, then cut into bars.

    Tips:

    • *PROMISE ME you will use honey-roasted peanuts.  The recipe is seriously taken up a notch because the peanuts are honey roasted.  You really must trust me.
    • **Wondering what to do with the other 1/2 of the brownie batter?  Bake the batter in mini muffin cups for 15 minutes, or scoop onto a parchment-lined baking sheet (about 2″ apart) and make cookies.  Feel free to add any chopped chocolate bar to the top of the brownie batter before baking for flavor excitement.
    • ***You might save some PB filling on the side for you to eat on your own- you’ll have more than enough to do so.  Yum.  (Really, I ate this out of a bowl on its own.)
    • Enjoy!

     

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    April 5th, 2014 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: , ,

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