Some kind of crazy

An avid cook bakes her own bread; a passionate one whips up the jams that top her home baked breads. From there on, a fine line separates healthy interest and lunacy. So when I discovered a recipe for Spiced Chocolate Peanut Butter I knew that I had sprinted so fast past that line I probably broke a couple of records.

Spiced chocolate peanut butter adapted from Chocolate & Zucchini

1 cup raw peanuts (peeled makes for less work)
40 grams dark chocolate, softened
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp paprika
Sea salt, to taste

Spread your peanuts on a baking sheet and roast for about 7 minutes at 175C. Watch your peanuts like a hawk, and stir ocassionally. Roast your peanuts until a tantalising aroma wafts from out of your oven. Be careful not to over-roast because burnt peanuts will ruin the taste of your peanut butter, with no possible hope of salvation.

If you bought unpeeled peanuts, wait for them to cool before peeling. Alternatively, dry roast in a pan and peel.

Combine your nuts, chocolate and spice in a food processor, until the mixture turns creamy. You will need to scrape down the sides. This took me about 10 minutes of pulsing. Add salt to taste and mix again; I used 1/4 tsp.

Store in a jar in the fridge, although in my experience it won't last for long. Especially if you stumble across a post inviting you to make peanut butter cookies. Darn that red flag!

These babies are finding their way to:





Exotic spiced chocolate peanut butter cookies
Because this peanut butter has such an unusual flavour - the nuttiness is tempered and perfectly complemented by the fullness of the chocolate, and sealed with a wicked bite - I wanted the flavour to feature prominently in a recipe. This recipe is the simplest flourless peanut butter cookie recipe I own, and the perfect canvas to showcase some pretty outstanding peanut butter.

1 cup spiced chocolate peanut butter*
½ cup jaggery (unrefined cane sugar, available at Indian grocers)
1 large egg
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp sea salt + extra to sprinkle (optional)

Preheat your oven to 175C.
Beat your peanut butter and jaggery until smooth. Beat in the egg, along with the spice, salt and extract. Using a melon baller, scoop the mixture into balls and place on a baking sheet. Flatten each ball slightly with a fork. If you’re using the extra sea salt (please do), now’s the time to sprinkle a few grains on each cookie. Bake for about 7-8 minutes. The cookies will come out soft but firm up nicely when cool.

If you woud like to try this cookie, but haven't quite lost your faculties, you can easily spice up regular peanut butter for a simpler, and only slightly less delicious take on these exoticas.

Cheat's spiced chocolate peanut butter
Combine 3/4 cup of smooth sugar-free peanut butter (softened) with 1/4 cup of melted dark chocolate, 1/8 tsp cinnamon and 1/8 tsp paprika. Mix until smooth.

Store these addictive spiced chocolate peanut butter cookies in someone else's house.