Gastroanthropology

Billionaire's Shortbread

So there's this thing here in Britain called Millionaire's Shortbread. It's like the triple threat of bar cookies - rich buttery shortbread base, slathered with sticky caramel, and topped with chocolate. But if your not content with millions, go for billions. And how might one do that? By adding chunky peanut butter to the mix.

Making this bar cookie is multi-step, but quite simple. The first thing to do is to make dulce de leche. This is basically a milky carmel, created by cooking milk and sugar over a low flame for hours. Chez Pim has a lovely homemade recipe or you can do the boil-a-whole-can-of-condensed-milk method. Keep in mind that this method is not recommended as the can could explode if it is not immersed in water the entire time. For me both methods work well, but either way do it a day in advance so it has time to chill. Also, if decide to do the boil-the-can method, let it sit at room temperature for a few hours before you attempt to open the can.

Once the dulce de leche is chilled, make your shortbread. My Scottish Shortbread recipe is found at the end of this post and if you double the recipe it is perfect for and 8x8 inch pan. Instead of cutting the dough into desired shapes as the recipe suggests, just roll it out between two sheets of parchment (its a bit sticky) to cover the 8x8 inch pan. Do not overbake, if anything underbake a touch - it will make cutting this bar at the end so much easier. This shortbread does not spread in the oven so I find it is easier to flip my baking tray over. Then bake the shortbread on the backside of the pan, like a tabletop. Place a cut piece of parchment that will go in between the shortbread and the pan. This keeps you from having to unearth the shortbread out of the pan or deal with any breakage. Once your shortbread is cooked, set aside to cool completely.

At this point take your chilled dulce de leche and put 3/4 cup into a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Paddle for 30 seconds. Then add 1/2 cup of peanut butter - your favorite kind. I went with chunky, but if you prefer smooth, that's fine. Paddle together for 1 minute. Then use a small offset spatula and spread the mixture evenly all over the shortbread. Put in fridge to chill while you make the chocolate top.

For the chocolate layer - melt in a double boiler 8 oz of semi-sweet chocolate with 3 Tbs of heavy cream and 1 Tbs + 1 tsp of butter. Once its smooth and melted together, spread evenly over the dulce de leche + peanut butter layer. Let chill for about an hour. Cut into squares using a hot knife.  

   
 

Peanut Butter Cups for Halloween

Though the first day of winter is weeks away, Halloween marks what feels like the start of winter to me. When I lived in upstate New York the first snow always seemed to happen that night - just as we were returning home from trick-or-treating. My Halloween barometer was a little early in London though as we received our first snow last night. Halloween is one of the best holidays. No presents to give or receive, just candy!

When I was young we lived in a great neighborhood where almost every house had "good" candy. There was always that one house where we got pennies (boo!) and another that had the bright idea to leave a bowl out with a note, "Please just take one!" Those bowls were always empty when I got to them.

As I got older I graduated from the plastic orange pumpkin to the pillowcase + rollerblades which ensured maximum speed to blanket the whole neighborhood for candy collection. Now that I read labels and try not to eat things I can't pronounce or sound like they were created in a lab, most of my former Halloween favorites are out.

After my sister and I returned from our trick-or-treat we'd dump our candy out on the family room carpet and Dad would "inspect". My dad's absolute favorite is peanut butter - he eats it by the spoonful right out of the jar - and the peanut butter cups were always "bad" and we'd have to give them up.

So when its Halloween my favorite candy is the peanut butter cup, and now I make my own. Baby silicone muffin cups are great for these treats. The strength of them allows you to easily maneuver the chocolate and the flexibility of them allows you pop the PB cups right out. Line with baby paper muffin cups if you plan to give some away.

PEANUT BUTTER CUPS

• 1/2 c smooth peanut butter (whatever your favorite is)
• 1/4 c brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla paste (or extract)
• 4 oz. milk chocolate (~34% - 40% cocoa)
• 4 oz. dark chocolate (~72% - 82% cocoa)

METHOD

Mix peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with a whisk. Really whisk to aerate the mixture. Use electric mixer if you have one. Mine is thousands of miles away so my arm muscles will get a work out.

Melt chocolates over a double boiler. Fill each muffin cup 1/4 of the way and turn cups on their side, while rotating, to coat all the edges. Refrigerate to harden for about 30 minutes. Fill with peanut butter mixture.

 

Re-melt remaining chocolate if necessary and cover tops with chocolate. Refrigerate for a second time till the peanut butter cups are hardened. Makes 18 cups.