Peanut Butter Bar

There are few dessert items that get people excited as much as peanut butter. But what about when you add peanuts to pretty much every layer of a dessert and throw in some chocolate?

We got this crowd pleaser recipe from Oceana's Colleen Grapes - and its worth the layers!

Recipe:

Peanut Cake
1lb. 4oz. peanuts, toasted and cooled 2 cups sugar
12 eggs, separate yolks from whites 4 tbsp. potato flour
2 tbsp. baking powder 1⁄2 tsp salt
1⁄4 tsp cream of tartar 1 full sheet tray
1 Silpat

Process peanuts with 1⁄2 cup sugar, potato flour, baking powder, and salt
In one bowl, combine egg yolks with remaining sugar, to 3 times the volume, and fold into nut mixture. Set aside.
In another bowl, combine egg whites with cream of tartar, forming soft peaks. Fold 1⁄4 of the whites into the yolks and gradually add the rest
Pour onto Silpat lined tray, evenly spreading the mixture
Bake at 325 degrees for 12-15 minutes

Honey Ganache
12oz. 63% chocolate
4 tbsp. and 1 1⁄2 tsp. honey 1 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
3⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
Melt chocolate and honey together over a double boiler. Heat heavy cream, add salt.
Add heavy cream mixture into the chocolate mixture.
Candied Peanuts
16oz peanuts, halved 2tbsp. vanilla extract 1⁄4 tsp. salt
1⁄4 cup sugar

Mix together all ingredients
Pour onto Silpat lined tray, evenly spreading the mixture
Bake 325 degrees for seven minutes Break apart mixture while still warm

Peanut Butter Mousse
1 quart heavy cream 1⁄2 tsp. salt
Whisk heavy cream and salt for form very soft peaks. Leave at room temperature.
7oz sugar
4.5oz yolks
1⁄2 cup water
1⁄2 tsp. lemon juice
1lb. peanut butter, melted

Whisk egg yolks in a KitchenAid bowl, set aside
Add water and lemon to sugar (until it reaches the consistency of very wet sand)
Bring sugar mixture to soft ball (235 F)
Pour sugar mixture into egg yolks
Whisk to room temperature
Pour egg mixture in warm peanut butter. Mix until mixture is halfway incorporated
Pour 1/3 of heavy cream mixture into peanut butter and egg yolk mixture. Whisk quickly, but not fully incorporated
Fold in remaining heavy cream

Assembly
Run a knife along the outside of the peanut cake, and put a piece of parchment paper on top of the cake. Place another sheet tray on top of that and flip over. Peel off Silpat. Invert the cake back to the original plan.

Take mold and press into cake. Without removing mold, place on flat sheet tray and put into the freezer for a few minutes. Remove from freezer. Pour ganache into the mold, about 1⁄4 of an inch high. Return back to the freezer until set. Remove from freezer. Add one layer of candied peanuts. Pipe peanut butter mousse on top of candied peanuts. Flatten mouse with an offset spatula. Freeze for three hours. Remove. Wrap hot towel around the mold, remove the mold.