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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   Related Stories • Plunge into unknown waters 3/17/08   CONTACT THE HERALD Melanie Munk, Features Editor munk@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, March 17, 2008 Satisfy your craving for peanut butter, chocolate By Judyrae Kruse Herald columnist A nice slice of cake might put the perfect finishing touch on dinner tonight. Or any night, for that matter. Working on this assumption, then, here's the last of the peanut butter possibilities. Frequent helper-outer Carol Wilson of Everett shares the how-to and says, "Here's a recipe from busycooks.about.com for a peanut butter bundt cake that sure looks good to me.'' Or, if the idea of something peanut butter and chocolatey revs you up, but the thought of making a cake doesn't, Sultan cook Anita Esser gives us her favorite recipe for chocolate-covered peanut butter balls. "Use a tablespoon to measure,'' she says, "and put a little butter on your hands to form them.'' Peanut butter bundt cake 21/4 cups flour 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup milk 11/2 teaspoons vanilla 3 eggs 1 cup chocolate chips Frosting (recipe follows) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 10-cup bundt pan (even nonstick pan) and set aside. For streusel cake: In large bowl, combine flour, sugars, peanut butter and butter and mix at low speed with electric mixer until crumbly. Reserve 1 cup of this streusel mixture and set aside. Add baking powder, baking soda, milk, vanilla and eggs to remaining mixture; blend at low speed until combined, then beat 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour half of batter into prepared pan. Stir the chips into streusel mixture; sprinkle over batter in pan. Spoon and spread remaining batter over streusel mixture. Bake at 350 degrees 55 to 65 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then loosen edges and turn pan onto serving plate. Cool completely, then frost. Makes 1 bundt cake, 16 servings. For chocolate chip cake: In large bowl, combine flour, sugars, peanut butter, butter, baking powder, baking soda, milk, vanilla and eggs; beat on low speed until combined, then beat 3 minutes at medium speed. By hand, stir in chocolate chips. Spoon batter into pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes until set, brown, and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (except some chocolate might stick to the toothpick). Cool in pan 10 minutes, then loosen edges and turn pan onto serving plate. Cool completely, then frost. Makes 1 bundt cake, 16 servings. Frosting 1 cup chocolate chips 1/3 cup peanut butter In small saucepan, melt chips and peanut butter. (You can also melt these two ingredients in a small bowl in the microwave for 2 minutes at 50 percent power, stirring until smooth.) Spoon frosting over cake. Peanut butter balls 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (5 cracker rectangles, or 10 cracker squares) 2 cups powdered sugar 1 cup chunky peanut butter 1/2 cup chopped nuts (walnuts are good) 1/2 cup margarine, melted 1 cup chocolate chips 1/4 bar paraffin wax In mixing bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, powdered sugar, peanut butter, chopped nuts and margarine, mixing thoroughly. Butter your hands and shape mixture into balls, using about a tablespoon per ball. Set aside. In top of double boiler, melt together the chips and wax; dip balls into mixture and place on waxed paper. Pour some chocolate over the balls to cover completely. Makes 30 balls. The next Forum will appear in Wednesday's Food section.

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