Name: Peanut butter “baklava”
Prep time: 60 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 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

Peanut butter “baklava”

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for peanut butter “baklava” by Shane Delia from Melbourne's Maha restaurant.

Serves 8

Prep

Cook

40M

Total

1H 40M

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

Ingredients

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

Method

Main

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.

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
.
Drink Suggestion: 2010 Yering Station Cold Pressed Pinot Gris.
Notes