Chocolate and peanut butter gluten free cookie-brownies

Recipe first. I felt it coming when my husband asked me three times if I was going to the supermarket (no, no, and no) and then moved around the kitchen saying that there wasn't anything bad to eat. Our American wwoofer lifted his eyes in surprise, but I knew exactly what it all meant, and replied that the cookie jar is empty on purpose. Yes, that he worked it out too, I am not the type that simply forgets to fill the tins, I simply try to 'regulate' the weekly intake of sugar in this family. But then I felt guilty, with the wwoofer we had an extra mouth to feed, and another thought crossed my mind: I never made peanut butter cookies!

When I told the American he couldn't believe it, they are such a classic US thing, but to be honest I am not really fond of them and I rarely eat peanut butter, which is also the only food that my kids don't like.

But my husband loves it, so I decided to go for peanut butter and chocolate and invent something that would feel more .... decadent?

I used:

200 g smooth peanut butter (with salt)

100 g 72% dark chocolate, melted

100 g sugar

1 egg

more sugar, regular and icing, to dust.

It is great to see that flour is not needed (gluten free, hurrah!!) you realize that as soon as the egg goes in: everything becomes really thick! I rolled the mixture into walnut size balls and then rolled half of them in icing sugar and the other half in regular sugar before baking them. I wanted to see the difference, and regular sugar works better for this recipe, possibly because there is no butter.

Baking flattens the balls into little domes, keep it at 180°C for about 16 minutes, no more than 18 if you like me like the cookies to be soft inside. Let them cool completely outside the oven before removing from the baking tray.

I actually had step by step images but they got lost while a keen helper erased more images that needed to be erased from my phone, but the process is very simple and similar to this one, a method that I often use, with few variations, to make most of my chocolate cookies. Of course I didn't tell this to Jacob, the American wwoofer, since he was so impressed that without having ever made peanut butter cookies I came up with these little beauties in less than 40 minutes, and no recipe!

Of course he loved them, so did my husband, but what about the kids? The came home from school and smelled chocolate. Arantxa was the first, one bite and she looked at me, but her expression wasn't happy.

What did you put in it?

You tell me, use your sense of taste!

Mmmh, some sort of nut... hazelnut?

No.

I thought so, I like hazelnuts... oh... no... you didn't!!! How could you!!!!

Max hadn't taste his yet

What!!! What is it, what did she put in it!!

Shhh don't tell him...

Peanut butter!!! She put peanut butter in!!!

You did?

Yes... but the chocolate is stronger, try...

Yes, they are not bad, you can just taste the peanut butter.

No, this is not good, these are like the cookies that Dad likes...

... And she doesn't. So, feeling guilty, I also made some vanilla cupcakes :-).

And this recipe is for the June 2012 edition of Sweet New Zealand, hosted by Shirleen of Sugar and Spice

Well, happy weekend to all, I leave you with one of Arantxa's art iPhone pieces.

How to make Rose Turkish Delights (Lokum), and Sweet New Zealand

Rose Turkish Delights (Lokum) Before I start I would like to say that I don't have a sugar thermometer, essential if you are really into confectionery, and that I didn't use much sugar for these Turkish delights. Many recipes use much more sugar, and it is not that I wanted to make a low sugar treat here (it is still pretty sweet), it is just that making it at home really makes me realize how much sugar there is already in my diet, and if I can have something with a little less... well, why not! This method is 'home friendly' i.e. these can be made at home with very little effort and equipment, and the recipe comes from my book Sweet As... where I also have the recipe for lavender and orange blossom Turkish Delights. Ingredients 1 l water 300 g sugar 2 tbsp lemon juice 100 g cornflour 1 tbsp frozen raspberries 1 tbsp rose water icing sugar (very little) and cornflour (lots) to dust. In a pot put hal...

Mezze Maniche with Mushroom Cream Sauce

Since I had some left over mushroom sauce from yesterday's dish , today I made some pasta. I heard from other bloggers about the Garofalo pasta brand, in NZ I could only find it in one shop, and it was too expensive even to consider, so I thought that I should try it while I am in Italy. I choose mezze maniche for this dish. Mezze maniche with mushrooms I cooked the mezze maniche al dente. In the meantime I warmed up the pan with the left-over mushrooms and added 250 ml of cream. Then I added some freshly chopped Italian parsley and some freshly ground pepper. I drained the mezze maniche and passed them in the pan with the mushroom and cream sauce. They tasted great! Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©

Paccheri with tomato, parsley and garlic.

Paccheri are hollow pasta tubes that look like rigatoni or tortiglioni, but with a difference: the paccheri tubes flatten once they are cooked. Usually the have very rich sauces, but I am one for 'less is more' these days, and so here I just warmed up a ready made Italian tomato passata ( a good one ). Once the passata was hot I added some salt, extra virgin olive oil and finely chopped Italian parsley with garlic. These days I am chopping a lot of parsley and garlic together, it is too early for basil, and parsley taste really good in Italy! Also, I like the idea of having a cooked sauce but with raw herbs and garlic in it: the taste changes completely. Simple but really effective!!! If you are not vegan you can add some ricotta to this. Photos by Alessandra Zecchini©

Priya SureshJune 29, 2012 at 12:42 AM
Wat a lovely bake, wont mind having rite now.
SwathiJune 29, 2012 at 3:25 AM
I like peanutbutter a lot, sure going to try this cookies.
MyvegfareJuly 2, 2012 at 10:42 PM
what a lovely gluten free bake, I have been trying some gluten free recipes, first time here, I loved your Japanese recipes.., and vegan & vegetarian recipes.., I would love check out some, as my daughter likes anything & everything Japanese!
Healthy RecipesJuly 4, 2012 at 1:18 AM
Wow Yummy ! I am feeling inspired and going to make it tomorrow !
DanaJuly 13, 2012 at 5:56 PM
Devono essere la fine del mondo, da far assaggiare alle mie figlie che amano il burro di arachidi...e il cioccolato!
A presto!
health benefits ofJanuary 1, 2013 at 11:19 PM
Thanks A lot! I have been trying some gluten free recipes, first time here, I loved your Japanese recipes.., and vegan & vegetarian recipes.., I would love check out some, as my daughter likes anything & everything Japanese!

Only Recipes, by Alessandra Zecchini ©

Search This Blog