Peanut butter parfait with brownie salt
When going on holiday, I usually suffer from separation anxiety from the creature comforts I love in life. Occasionally I wonder why I even go on holiday at all, when the things I enjoy most, do not require travelling across continents for. My favourite cushion, a large mug of tea, peanut butter smeared on warm toast and watching movies with B on the sofa.
Mind you, I used to have to cross continents to spend time with B, and it was through these interludes every year that we got to know even more about each other. We both love horror movies. He likes eating the same thing for breakfast every day. I don’t completely understand his obsession with potatoes. He dislikes peanut butter.
It is despite these flaws that we are still together, eyeing each other’s breakfast with amusement each Sunday morning. Peanut butter to me, is what foie gras is to most other people, albeit packaged in a plastic jar and easily obtained at considerably less expense.
One Sunday morning several weeks ago I started day dreaming about a peanut butter and jelly sandwich-inspired dessert, involving a frozen peanut component and some chocolate brioche. I never got round to completing it, but at least I now have a parfait recipe to use as my starting point.
A chance encounter with some leftover brownies also had me wondering about what would happen if you took a brownie, compressed, froze, grated and dried it, then combined it with some flaky salt. Turns out, you get what I like to call, brownie salt.
Sometimes dessert components, like random words, fit together unexpectedly well to form a sentence. Some of these sentences develop further to become ground breaking novels or classics. Peanut butter parfait with brownie salt is not one of those sentences, but I hope it serves as a nice interlude while I set off for a few weeks on holiday 🙂
Peanut butter parfait :
(from The French Cafe Cookbook by Simon Wright)
200g caster sugar
40ml water
10 yolks
800ml cream
300g peanut butter
Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, place over a high heat and boil until the sugar reaches 118’C. Meanwhile place egg yolks in an electric mixer and beat together at a high speed. Slowly add the sugar syrup in a steady stream and continue beating until the yolks have increased in volume and are thick in consistency. Place this mixture into a clean bowl. Wash out the mixing bowl and dry well, then add the cream and beat until the cream just starts to thicken. Add peanut butter and continue to beat until the cream is semi-whipped. Gently fold in the egg yolk mixture and pour into your mould. Allow to freeze overnight.
[Note: I like using an organic, natural peanut butter which doesn’t contain any additives like sugar or salt.]
Tags: brownie, chocolate, parfait, peanut butter, sea salt
Rosa said,
November 7, 2010 @ 1:47 am
Those look terrific! A mouthwatering dessert.
Cheers,
Rosa
pigflyin said,
November 7, 2010 @ 1:50 am
what a lovely no fuzz decadent dessert! Perfect movie snuggle on couch kind-a-dessert. Love it. Thanks for showing us how to do parfait… seems so much easier than ice cream 🙂
Have a great holiday…. I usually have separation anxiety over all the nice and new things that was discovered during the trip…. but as soon as I came home, i know this is where the heart is.
Wei-Wei said,
November 7, 2010 @ 2:09 am
Brownie salt. WHAT IS THIS GENIUS?
sale e pepe said,
November 7, 2010 @ 5:43 am
Brownie salt is just the beginning…think of all the possibilities: cupcake salt, blueberry muffin salt, apple pie salt, chocolate chip cookie salt…a pandora’s box has been opened!
Bravo!! Brilliant!
Stephanie
Shirley@kokken69 said,
November 7, 2010 @ 11:20 am
I have to be honest with you… I am more intrigued by the brownie salt than the parfait..:) how clever!
shaz said,
November 7, 2010 @ 11:50 am
Viva la peanut butter! Peanut butter on toast is what I have when I actually eat breakfast. And oh my goodness that brownie salt sounds so good. I’m guessing you’d be a fan of a certain peanut butter brownie then? ;P (hopefully you know the one I mean)
Elizabeth said,
November 7, 2010 @ 12:00 pm
Ummmm….I think I am stunned into silence, disbelief and utter fascination. That brownie salt has me more than intrigued! I can almost taste it, but I bet it’s a million times better than I imagine and with the peanut butter parfait? A dream combo for sure.
penny aka jeroxie said,
November 7, 2010 @ 1:20 pm
OMG! You are my goddess… BROWNIE salt!
Trix said,
November 7, 2010 @ 1:23 pm
I saw this thanks to jeroxie’s tweet. brownie salt!!! brownie salt brownie salt. i can’t say it enough. wow.
Helen (grabyourfork) said,
November 7, 2010 @ 2:30 pm
Whaddya mean? Peanut butter parfait with brownie salt is my kinda language!
Have a fantastic holiday. And here’s to it involving peanut butter in many glorious forms 🙂
Val said,
November 7, 2010 @ 3:14 pm
BROWNIE SALT, you had me with that. This is genius and inspirational as always, Y. Happy holidays!
Phuoc'n Delicious said,
November 7, 2010 @ 3:34 pm
What a great dessert! Hmmmm peanut butter… What an ingenious way of using leftover brownies.
I hope you have a great time over in the states.
Cakelaw said,
November 7, 2010 @ 7:12 pm
This looks fabulous – peanut butter and chocolate is a great combination.
Chele said,
November 7, 2010 @ 7:44 pm
Flippin heck! YUM doesn’t even start to begin to describe this … and I only just tolerate peanut butter!! Will have to give this a try, Hubby will forgive me any sin with a peanut butter frozen treat, he loves the stuff!
Jessica said,
November 7, 2010 @ 11:49 pm
Love the brownie salt idea!
Sophie said,
November 8, 2010 @ 12:19 am
Waw, What an a amzing dessert!! So rich, decadent & special too!
Yummie & lovely dessert!
chocolatesuze said,
November 8, 2010 @ 12:29 am
um brownie salt has got to be the most incredible idea evah! love the combo of pb and brownie!
Lucie said,
November 8, 2010 @ 6:27 am
When I saw the title I know I would love this–brownie salt is such a great idea! I can just taste the great pairing with the parfait…it sure does sound perfect!
Ellie (Almost Bourdain) said,
November 8, 2010 @ 9:48 am
totally intrigued with the brownie salt. Have a great holiday, Y!!
S @ extremebalance.net/blog said,
November 8, 2010 @ 10:12 am
I’m imagining the possibilities for this being made into a parfait-sandwich, with actual thin brownie “wafers” as the “bread”… ooh!
Brownie salt looks like it would be a good part of breakfast, too…
Cookie said,
November 8, 2010 @ 11:28 am
There will never be a rival to the true and utter perfection that is the condiment…peanut butter.
InTolerantChef said,
November 8, 2010 @ 4:45 pm
Delicious! If you like peanut butter check out my last post on peanut butter cookies. They are like magic.
faithy said,
November 8, 2010 @ 5:59 pm
Looks so good! Go and enjoy your holiday and have a great time!
LimeCake said,
November 8, 2010 @ 7:24 pm
wow brownie salt? that is ingenius! this looks delicious!
the caked crusader said,
November 8, 2010 @ 7:49 pm
I’m not keen on peanut butter when it’s peanut butter. If it’s used in things for flavouring then I like it a lot. This looks beautiful and the brownie crumbs look addictive!
Nik said,
November 9, 2010 @ 5:08 am
These look fantastic! I’ll make it tonight! THANK YOU!
Juliana said,
November 9, 2010 @ 3:05 pm
Such a nice dessert…love the idea of brownie salt 🙂
jas @ gluten free scallywag said,
November 9, 2010 @ 6:01 pm
ooo – this looks divine, love the frozen grates add salt brownie idea!
Alissa said,
November 9, 2010 @ 6:03 pm
Awesome! Can’t wait to make these!
Sweets By Vicky said,
November 9, 2010 @ 10:08 pm
Judging by this recipe alone, I had a feeling we’ll get along just great! How magnificent is the combination of peanut butter and brownie salt? 🙂
Jamie said,
November 10, 2010 @ 2:03 am
Yes! Yes! Yes! Gorgeous! What could be better? Nothing! And I have some espresso sea salt that would work with some chopped chocolate added. Brilliant dessert. And I so agree: why leave home when everything we love is here?
anna said,
November 10, 2010 @ 12:33 pm
Brownie salt is BRILLIANT. It would be amazing on anything caramelly.
lisaiscooking said,
November 11, 2010 @ 1:36 am
Brownie salt is genius! Sounds delicious with the peanut butter parfait too. Now, I’m thinking of all kinds of crumbs and crumbles to mix with salt for various toppings.
Zita said,
November 12, 2010 @ 5:46 am
Yeay…2 new post, must be my lucky day… my kind of dessert too…hope you had a great holidays 🙂
Linda V said,
November 12, 2010 @ 9:13 pm
I love peanut butter too, and yes that peanut butter is great for cooking and bonus for me the kids don’t like the taste so it actually stays in the pantry. How imaginative is your brownie salt.
Marysol said,
November 13, 2010 @ 4:29 am
Peanut Butter Parfait with Brownie Salt?
How does one utter those words without cracking a smile?
You’re not just an average, everyday genius, you’re a super genius!
Arwen from Hoglet K said,
November 13, 2010 @ 10:09 am
I like the way the parfait doesn’t have to be churned, but simply put in the freezer. Have a great trip!
grace said,
November 13, 2010 @ 5:24 pm
as far as i know, you’ve just invented the next big thing. this brownie salt notion is simply stupendous–well done! be sure you get the credit you deserve. 🙂
diva said,
November 14, 2010 @ 6:00 pm
This is just heaven. You dream about PBJ too? Love that 😀 I’m going through your recipes now for some inspiration. Y, thank you for all these amazing recipes!
Monica said,
November 16, 2010 @ 1:15 am
I *need* to have this dessert…
Helene said,
November 18, 2010 @ 3:22 am
Peanut butter is one of my top ingredients. You did such a delicious parfait.
Emma said,
November 18, 2010 @ 10:50 am
This is rather genius I must say, love salty and sweet together. I too am a peanut butter addict, have been since I was a kid:)
GourmetGetaways said,
November 26, 2010 @ 6:50 am
Yum!! Looks just the thing for cuddling up on the lounge and watching a movie.
Matthew (Masterchef) said,
November 26, 2010 @ 2:54 pm
I just stumbled upon your blog Lemonpi and I am hooked. You have some amazing desserts on this little puppy! Keep up the good work
Brittany said,
November 29, 2010 @ 11:30 am
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one that loves to dig into the peanut butter jar, all curled up with a steaming mug, now and then! Fabulous treat here. You’re recipes are so great!
Sophie said,
December 7, 2010 @ 12:53 am
Waw!! What a great & grand dessert!! Very festive & special in flavours too!
diva said,
December 9, 2010 @ 7:47 pm
You got me at brownie salt! WHAT A FAB IDEA. You are too creative. I might try this out. always good to recycle leftovers and make something even more amazing. This looks so delish Y. x
Gastronomy Gal said,
December 12, 2010 @ 9:07 am
Hope you had a great holiday. Sounds well earned after all your work in the kitchen!
Kasey said,
September 24, 2011 @ 9:22 am
This is genius. Must try it asap. Hope you had a wonderful holiday.