Celebrating life by watching a symphony
with your mother and sister is a joy. So is eating one of these little gems. Listening to the cymbals crash and
then slowly become muted on the black woolen suit coat lapels of the
man playing them is quite sensual. So is eating one of these. You are caught, simply transfixed.
You wait for him to hit the next note, just so you can see him hold the
brass cymbals close to his chest and muffle the vibrations yet again.
The audience holds their noisy a-hems and coughs for the musical
breaks while the conductor takes a moment of rest. Such a good silence too
as you wait for the oboe to play, by itself, while the violins whisper
softly underneath. Smiling at all the beautiful people, and at the one who
catches your eye, more than once. High heels, polished faces, coiffed
hair, loafers and the color of conservative navy floats through the
audience. Not me, I am black silk knit dress with gold speckled nylons, hem
stitched leather pumps and an ebony sequined fitted jacket. Not so quiet
I am, giggling with my sister at the little things, nauseated by the
heady cologne the gentleman next to me is wearing. Worried I will be
thrown out because of my silent and shaky fits of hysteria. We snicker, I
smile and close my eyes, and wait for the silence in between the notes.
It is music. Alive. Breathing. Fast, furious, gentle, cloudy, moody, genuine.
Below is a tangled hot mess of chocolate, cocoa butter, peanut butter, salt, peanuts and marshmallows. yum. enjoy.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Rocky Road Candy Bars - Andrew Garrison Shotts
Peanut Butter Ganache:
9.5 ounces or 1 cup plus 2 tablesppons creamy salted peanut butter
4 and 3/4 ounces, 38% milk chocolate - melted and cooled to 88 degrees F.
1 and 3/4 ounces cocoa butter (melted and cooled to 88 degrees along with the milk chocolate)
Pinch of Kosher Salt
Graham cracker layer:
1 and 1/4 ounce or 1/3 cup peanut butter ganache
1 and 1/4 ounces or 1/3 cup graham cracker crumbs
Peanut butter-marshmallow layer:
7 oz or 4 and 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
5 oz Spanish Peanuts, toasted/roasted
For the foot:
5 and 1/4 ounce, 64% bittersweet chocolate, melted and tempered
1) Line an 8"x8" pan with tinfoil.
2) To make the ganache: Combine the peanut butter and the melted milk chocolate and melted cocoa butter and salt in a small bowl.
3) To make the graham cracker layer: Measure out 1 and 1/4 ounces
or 1/3 cup of peanut butter ganache and mix with the graham cracker crumbs. Stir
well. Pour into prepared pan. Spread evenly into the pan, you can use an
offset spatula or your fingers if needed. Set aside while you prepare
the next layer.
4) To make the peanut butter-marshmallow layer: Combine the
remaining peanut butter ganache, marshmallows and the peanuts. Stir
until all ingredients are incorporated. Pour on the graham cracker
layer. Smooth out, pushing lightly with a spatula to remove any trapped
air bubbles. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to set. Remove from refrigerator and flip the candy slab out onto some parchment paper and peel off the tinfoil.The graham cracker layer should is now bottom side up.
5) Take your melted and tempered chocolate for the foot, spread it over the graham cracker layer using a small offset spatula. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
dreaming of cymbals, the symphony and this hot mess of peanut butter chocolate rocky road bliss...
P.S. It's official, I am heading to Ecuador in June for a month long chocolate internship with
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Oh my goodness me. I'm going to have to do some extra exercise!
ReplyDeleteYes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes.
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Great post ;) Have a nice Tuesday! :)
These bars are amazing and a dream for any peanut butter chocoholic like me, with all of those layers. Oh my!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your internship in Ecaudor!
Oh my goodness, these look incredible! They will definitely satisfy my little ones. Will def have to keep them far from the man of the house, cuz he'd eat em all....if I don't.
ReplyDeleteWhat chewy, crunchy sweetness! Love the marshmellows, peanuts, chocolate - everything! YUM!
ReplyDeleteIt is my 1st time around your blog, and I am really loving it :)
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