CHEFS' RECIPES
Peanut butter “baklava”

Peanut butter “baklava”

“This dessert is fun and a bit cheeky but pays homage to that Middle-Eastern classic sweet, sticky, nutty baklava.” Shane Delia, Maha

Serves 8

Cooking Time Prep time 1 hr, cook 40 mins (plus cooling, freezing, cocoa nib roasting)



250 gm   smooth peanut butter
375 ml   (1½ cups) thickened cream
8   egg yolks
250 gm   caster sugar
35 gm   liquid glucose
To serve:   bitter dark chocolate ice-cream
Baklava crumbs
30 gm   butter, coarsely chopped
120 gm   cocoa nibs, roasted (see note)
80 gm each   pistachios, walnuts and almonds
90 gm   caster sugar
Salted caramel
250 ml   cream
190 ml   milk
140 ml   liquid glucose
185 gm   sugar
150 gm   butter
7 gm   salt


1 Whisk peanut butter and 75ml cream in a bowl to combine. Whisk remaining cream in a separate bowl until soft peaks form (2-3 minutes). Fold into peanut butter mixture and refrigerate. Whisk yolks in an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (3-5 minutes). Stir sugar, glucose and 50ml water in a saucepan over medium heat, bring to the boil and cook until mixture reaches 115C on a sugar thermometer (3-4 minutes). Whisking yolks continuously on low speed, gradually add sugar syrup in a thin steady stream until combined. Increase speed to high and whisk until cool (8-10 minutes). Fold in peanut mixture, pour into a 20cm x 30cm tray lined with baking paper, smooth top and freeze until firm (4-5 hours).
2 For baklava crumbs, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add cocoa nibs and nuts and stir occasionally until coated and warmed through (1-2 minutes). Scatter sugar over, stir until sugar melts and nuts are glazed (1-2 minutes), spread on a tray lined with baking paper and cool, then coarsely crumble. Shake nuts in a fine sieve to remove dust (discard). Place on a tray.
3 Cut rounds of parfait with an 8cm-diameter pastry cutter dipped in hot water, place on a tray lined with baking paper and freeze until firm. Roll edges of parfait rounds in baklava crumbs (reserve some to serve) and freeze.
4 For salted caramel, bring cream to the boil in a saucepan over medium heat, set aside. Combine remaining ingredients in a separate saucepan over medium heat, whisk continuously until mixture reaches 135C on a sugar thermometer (10-15 minutes), remove from heat, whisk in cream and set aside to cool to room temperature.
5 Spread a little salted caramel on chilled serving plates, top with parfait, then top with a scoop of chocolate ice-cream. Scatter with extra baklava crumbs and serve.

Note Cocoa nibs are available from health-food shops. To roast nibs, preheat oven to 180C, place nibs on a tray and roast, shaking tray occasionally, for 5-6 minutes.

This recipe is from the February 2012 issue of Australian Gourmet Traveller.

Drink Suggestion 2010 Yering Station Cold Pressed Pinot Gris.

RECIPE Shane Delia, Maha PHOTOGRAPHY William Meppem STYLING Vanessa Austin & Emma Knowles

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