Peanut Butter Chocolate Dessert – 3 ways

I came across this recipe for Peanut Butter Chocolate Parfaits in the Everyday Food magazine years ago. I love this dessert for its simplicity, taste and the number of ways you can vary it. The same base recipe can make the parfaits, be frozen for peanut butter chocolate ice cream, or layered in a graham cracker pie shell chilled and topped decoratively with whipped cream for peanut butter chocolate pie. Any way you try it, this classic combination is delicious. Double or triple the recipe and try it a few ways.

RECIPE: Peanut Butter -Chocolate Parfaits
recipe adapted from Everyday Food Magazine, March/April 2003

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cream

• 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips, semi-sweet
• 3/4 cup Heavy Cream

Peanut Butter Cream

• 3/4 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 Tbs Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 cup Peanut Butter, creamy

Topping

• 1/4 cup roughly chopped salted peanuts

Directions:

1. Chocolate Cream: Pour chocolate chips into a metal or pyrex bowl. Heat the cream in a saucepan until it just comes to a simmer (do not let it boil). Pour cream over chips and let it sit 5 minutes to soften the chips. Stir the chocolate – cream mixture until smooth. Place in the fridge to chill for 10-15 minutes. Using an electric mixer, whip up the chocolate cream until it is smooth and fluffy.
2. Peanut Butter Cream: Using an electric mixer, whip up the cream until stiff peaks have formed. Add in the sugar and whisk to combine. Gently fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter.
3. If you are making parfaits: Place equal amounts of peanut butter cream into 4 glasses and top with the chocolate cream and garnish with the peanuts. Cover each with plastic wrap and chill until ready to serve.

For more recipes or entertaining tips from Zareen, visit her blog Cooking With Z.