Peanut Butter Semifreddo Food

PEANUT BUTTER-BANANA SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Prepare the crust: Spray a 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan with cooking spray and line with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; spray the plastic wrap. Finely grind the peanuts and graham crackers in a food processor. Add the melted butter and pulse until combined. Press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan and refrigerate.
• Make the ice cream: Bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Fill a bowl with ice water. Whisk the egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, the banana puree, hazelnut liqueur and salt in a large metal bowl. Place the bowl over the pot of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and whisk until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pot and put in the ice water to cool.
• Beat the heavy cream and the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with a mixer until the cream just holds stiff peaks (do not overbeat). Gently fold the cream into the banana custard.
• Heat the peanut butter in the microwave until soft, about 20 seconds; let cool slightly.
• Drop spoonfuls of the peanut butter into the banana cream and fold until swirled.
• Spread the mixture over the crust in the pan, cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 9 hours. Lift out of the pan using the plastic wrap and cut into 1-inch slices.
• Photograpy by Kate Sears

PEANUT BUTTER SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Line an 8x4-inch (2 L) loaf pan with a large piece of plastic wrap, making sure it generously hangs over the sides. Warm 3 tbsp (45 mL) whipping cream with peanut butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool.
• Meanwhile in a large bowl, beat egg whites with salt until frothy. Gradually add granulated sugar, increasing speed to medium-high. Beat until whites hold stiff peaks. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, beat remaining whipping cream with vanilla until soft peaks form. Fold cooled peanut butter mixture into egg whites, then fold in whipping cream. Scrape into loaf pan, smoothing surface. Cover surface with overhanging plastic wrap, then cover with foil. Freeze overnight.
• Just before serving, unmold onto a cutting board and discard plastic wrap. For each serving, cut a 1-inch (2.5 cm) thick slice, then slice diagonally into 2 triangles. To serve, stand one triangle upright against the other. Sprinkle with toasted peanuts. Excellent with a tropical fruit salad, such as mango, pineapple and papaya. Rewrap and freeze any leftovers for up to a month.

PEANUT BUTTER-CHOCOLATE SEMIFREDDO

Steps:

• Line a 5-by-10-inch jumbo loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving a 4-inch overhang on all sides. In a medium saucepan, combine milk and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium-high, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add peanut butter, and whisk until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.
• In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to a boil over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add chocolate, and stir until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature.
• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, whisk cream and vanilla until soft peaks form. Add half the peanut butter mixture and whisk until combined. With a rubber spatula, add half the remaining peanut butter mixture and gently fold 3 times (mixture will be rippled).
• Transfer half the cream mixture to loaf pan. Top with half the peanut butter mixture and 1/4 cup chocolate mixture. Top with remaining cream mixture, then drizzle with remaining peanut butter mixture and 1/4 cup chocolate mixture. With a skewer or thin-bladed knife, swirl mixtures together. Freeze until firm, about 5 hours (or up to 3 days). Let sit 20 minutes at room temperature before serving with extra chocolate sauce.

PEANUT BUTTER PARFAIT WITH CHERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• Line a 1.2-litre loaf tin with cling film. Whisk together the peanut butter, liqueur and double cream to a smooth paste.
• To make a sabayon, put 150g of the sugar, the whole eggs and egg yolks in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk with an electric hand whisk for 5-7 mins or until the mixture is light and mousse-like, then remove from the heat and continue to whisk for 5 mins until cool. Set aside.
• Put the remaining sugar in a small saucepan with 3 tbsp water, heat gently to dissolve, then boil for 2 mins until the temperature reaches 115C on a sugar thermometer. Meanwhile, in a large clean bowl, beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, stream in the sugar syrup and continue to beat until the egg white mixture is just stiff and shiny. (It is important that the sugar syrup goes into the egg white at the right temperature, so you may need an extra pair of hands for this.)
• Fold the egg white mixture into the peanut butter mixture, then fold in the whipping cream and finally the sabayon. Pour into the tin and freeze for 6 hrs or until solid, or up to 2 weeks. Pour any leftover parfait into individual ramekins or dariole moulds and keep in the freezer.
• To make the cherry compote, put the cherries in a large frying pan, add 100ml water, cook for 10 mins to soften, then add the sugar, Armagnac or brandy and lemon juice. Cook for a further 8-10 mins until syrupy, then allow to cool. Can be made up to 2 days ahead.
• Take the parfait from the freezer 10 mins before you wish to serve, remove the cling film and cut into slices. Carefully place 1 slice of parfait on each of 6 dessert plates and serve with the cherry compote.

CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER SEMIFREDDO WITH CARAMEL CORN

Steps:

• Caramel Corn: Preheat oven to 225 degrees. In a large heatproof bowl, sprinkle peanuts over popcorn.
• In a saucepan, bring brown sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring, until smooth and combined. Cook until darkened slightly and fragrant, about 3 minutes more. Remove from heat; immediately stir in baking soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn mixture, stirring to evenly coat. Transfer to a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet.
• Bake 1 hour. Let cool completely. Break into bite-size pieces and serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days. (Makes 10 cups.)
• Semifreddo: Line the bottom and sides of a standard 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on long sides. In a large heatproof bowl, combine chocolate, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In another large heatproof bowl, combine peanut butter and remaining 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon salt. In a saucepan, bring cream to a boil. Remove from heat; immediately divide cream evenly between bowls. Let stand 5 minutes, then stir each mixture until smooth. Let cool until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.
• Combine egg whites and sugar in the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over (not in) a pot of simmering water. Beat constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture is warm to the touch (it should feel smooth when rubbed between fingers), 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat, then transfer to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on low speed until foamy. Increase speed to high; continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form and bowl no longer feels warm to the touch, 7 to 9 minutes.
• Divide meringue evenly between chocolate and peanut-butter mixtures; gently fold into each until thoroughly combined and no white streaks remain. Transfer half of chocolate mixture to prepared loaf pan; smooth top with an offset spatula. (Refrigerate peanut-butter mixture and remaining chocolate mixture until ready to use.) Freeze until thickened slightly, about 15 minutes. Pour peanut-butter mixture into pan, smoothing top; freeze 15 minutes. Pour remaining chocolate mixture over peanut-butter mixture and smooth top. Gently fold plastic-wrap overhangs over semifreddo to cover. Freeze until firm, at least 12 hours and up to 3 days.
• Remove semifreddo from freezer 10 minutes before serving. Remove plastic from top, flip pan onto a chilled serving platter or cutting board, and lift pan from plastic. Remove plastic and slice semifreddo crosswise into 1-inch pieces. Serve, with caramel corn. Semifreddo can be stored, covered, in freezer up to 3 days.