Have you ever had a dessert that was so rich it was difficult to finish no matter how hard you tried – but ever fiber of your being said take another bite simply because it was so good?!?
Well… look no further – here it is.
Our Chocolate Peanut Butter Pound Cake is a riff on a recipe we found in Bon Appetit magazine 25 or so years ago. It’s sinfully rich, ridiculously indulgent, and something everyone should have at least once in their life.
This is probably only the third time in 25 years we have made it. – and this time, we made it even more ridiculous by adding the white chocolate peanut butter ganache to an already ridiculous recipe. Who says you can’t have too much of a good thing?!?
The premise of the recipe is quite simple – it’s a peanut butter mousse and a chocolate mousse in a loaf pan, frozen, and topped with a chocolate ganache – and, in this case, a white chocolate peanut butter ganache, as well. While the premise may be simple, the end result is anything but…
Every bite is a taste sensation – creamy, crunchy, caramel-like textures with explosive chocolate and peanut butter flavors. A peanut butter cup on steroids times ten.
Even though there are several steps in preparation, it’s quite easy to make – and it can be done over several days…
Chocolate Peanut Butter Pound Cake
Peanut Butter Mousse
- 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 1 cup peanut butter (I like to use chunk-style.)
- 8 oz cream cheese – room temperature
- 3 large egg whites
Chocolate Mousse
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 8 oz good quality bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
- 1 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 3 egg yolks
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 6 tbsp butter
- 8 oz good quality semi sweet chocolate
White Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 4 oz white chocolate
Peanut butter mousse: Line 6 cup loaf pan with plastic wrap. Mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar with peanut butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form, then add remaining powdered sugar and beat till stiff and shiny. Fold whites into peanut butter mixture.
Tilt loaf pan sideways (45º angle) and spoon mousse down pan. Smooth top and place in freezer about an hour to firm. (Prop pan to hold 45º angle.)
Chocolate mousse: Slowly melt chocolate, stirring until smooth. Add egg yolks and stir until slightly thickened. Cool to room temperature.
Beat whipped cream, espresso powder, and sugar to soft peaks. Fold cream into cooled chocolate mixture. Set pan with frozen peanut butter mousse flat onto the counter and fill with chocolate mousse. Smooth top and return to freezer at least hours – best overnight.
Ganache: Heat cream and butter just until cream simmers and butter is melted. Remove from heat and add chocolate, stirring until smooth. Let cool until thickened, but still pourable.
Invert loaf onto rack, removing pan and plastic. Pour ganache over loaf and smooth all sides.
White Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache: Heat cream and peanut butter together until creamy. Stir in white chocolate and mix until all combined.
Pour over top, allowing a bit to run down sides.
Transfer to serving platter and decorate or not, as you see fit.
Enjoy!
For this, I used Lindt 70% chocolate and Lindt white chocolate. If you prefer, you can use a lower-percentage chocolate for a less-intense chocolate flavor. You can also use creamy peanut butter, but I really like the textural differences with the chunky.
On a final note, it’s recommended that you have lots of people over when you make this… This is not something you want left over in the house.