Comments on: The Peanut Butter Bar: Beginnings http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html In LA, but Still Exploring Desserts Thu, 08 Jan 2009 22:09:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: Weekly BonBonBar Photo: My Chocolate Melter - Sweet Napa http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-21466 Weekly BonBonBar Photo: My Chocolate Melter - Sweet Napa Fri, 04 Apr 2008 07:45:37 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-21466 [...] I could go on and on about the topic of tempered chocolate, but I’ll save it for future posts.  And I’ve already talked about the issue of keeping a good temper at the end of this post. [...] [...] I could go on and on about the topic of tempered chocolate, but I’ll save it for future posts.  And I’ve already talked about the issue of keeping a good temper at the end of this post. [...]

]]> By: lola http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-20672 lola Sat, 15 Dec 2007 18:38:25 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-20672 its really simple and also the sunflower seed butter-based candy bar im also going to look into that=) its really simple and also the sunflower seed butter-based candy bar im also going to look into that=)

]]> By: Nina http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8892 Nina Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:04:14 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8892 Yeah, I think it'll be okay for my two week freshness goal. Salt and sugar (from the milk choc) are very good preservatives, and the filling doesn't have all that much water activity, and it's pretty much sealed airtight within the chocolate coating. And wow, a sunflower seed butter-based candy bar... I'm going to look into that. Yeah, I think it’ll be okay for my two week freshness goal. Salt and sugar (from the milk choc) are very good preservatives, and the filling doesn’t have all that much water activity, and it’s pretty much sealed airtight within the chocolate coating.

And wow, a sunflower seed butter-based candy bar… I’m going to look into that.

]]> By: Doug Cress http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8821 Doug Cress Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:44:31 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8821 Never thought about the possible spoilage of nut butter - its tough b/c you're taking the all natural route = no preservatives. Keep an eye out for sunflower seed butter from Trader Joe's if you can. It is unbelievable and has a flavor off the beaten path. Never thought about the possible spoilage of nut butter - its tough b/c you’re taking the all natural route = no preservatives.

Keep an eye out for sunflower seed butter from Trader Joe’s if you can. It is unbelievable and has a flavor off the beaten path.

]]> By: Sweet Napa » Blog Archive » Another Peanut Butter Bar http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8809 Sweet Napa » Blog Archive » Another Peanut Butter Bar Wed, 18 Apr 2007 08:46:17 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8809 [...] « The Peanut Butter Bar: Beginnings [...] [...] « The Peanut Butter Bar: Beginnings [...]

]]> By: Nina http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8798 Nina Wed, 18 Apr 2007 01:18:01 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8798 Gary - Thanks for the leads! :) I do have a "chocolate bar" mulling in my mind, so this is helpful. I also want to improve on the rather monotonous/dense/large "truffle bars" that I see around.... I don't want to spoil any surprises or raise expectations if I end up making changes... but, in essence, the bar that I have in mind involves cocoa nibs, 70% choc, 58% choc, and cocoa powder... and I agree that a degree of lightness in texture is key, but not to the sacrifice of depth of flavor. Doug - Thank you. :) I am always my own harshest critic -- I actually only almost published this post without saying anything about the taste! It's funny -- in culinary school, I always had a "taste first" mantra, and was annoyed by some of the silly decor stuff we had to do... but it stuck with me more than I expected. At least my aesthetic is more minimalist than baroque so I have relatively less to fret about. And I've thought about diff't nut butters. Since I like peanut butter, I wanted to have it as its own bar... but I also want to develop other bars based around almond butter and cashew butter. Nut butters are slightly wily in candy bars b/c they're so oily/high in fat and not easily classified as solid or liquid, so I'll see how the PB acts as a test run for the others. Brian - haha I hadn't noticed the similarity btw the pic's before! And yeah, I researched recipes with peanut butter in prep for this bar, and most of them just had so much conf sugar. Since conf sugar is another thing that I don't really like, I didn't try them and went more with this European nut praline idea instead. If you have a strong food processor, the best way to really do it is to caramelize nuts, grind them until liquidy but with some crunch left, and then mix that with chocolate. Although surprisingly scrappy, my Mini Prep isn't quite up to the task. :) Lucette - Thanks for the feedback! Yeah, it's really a pretty simple and flexible method. You can use whatever proportion of choc to peanut butter that you like, keeping in mind that it will firm up a little more by the following day (b/c of the cocoa butter); I've seen ratios of .25% chocolate to 1.25% choc in relation to peanut butter. You can taste and adjust as you go. And you can easily trim down muffin liners to use as the cups, or use other paper or foil liners. In one test version, I added a little extra butter, and I really liked the extra flavor boost and creaminess. It just seemed like too much richness for this bar... but suitable for other incarnations. :) Helen - Thank you! Glad that I'm not the only one. Gary - Thanks for the leads! :) I do have a “chocolate bar” mulling in my mind, so this is helpful. I also want to improve on the rather monotonous/dense/large “truffle bars” that I see around…. I don’t want to spoil any surprises or raise expectations if I end up making changes… but, in essence, the bar that I have in mind involves cocoa nibs, 70% choc, 58% choc, and cocoa powder… and I agree that a degree of lightness in texture is key, but not to the sacrifice of depth of flavor.

Doug - Thank you. :) I am always my own harshest critic — I actually only almost published this post without saying anything about the taste! It’s funny — in culinary school, I always had a “taste first” mantra, and was annoyed by some of the silly decor stuff we had to do… but it stuck with me more than I expected. At least my aesthetic is more minimalist than baroque so I have relatively less to fret about.

And I’ve thought about diff’t nut butters. Since I like peanut butter, I wanted to have it as its own bar… but I also want to develop other bars based around almond butter and cashew butter. Nut butters are slightly wily in candy bars b/c they’re so oily/high in fat and not easily classified as solid or liquid, so I’ll see how the PB acts as a test run for the others.

Brian - haha I hadn’t noticed the similarity btw the pic’s before! And yeah, I researched recipes with peanut butter in prep for this bar, and most of them just had so much conf sugar. Since conf sugar is another thing that I don’t really like, I didn’t try them and went more with this European nut praline idea instead. If you have a strong food processor, the best way to really do it is to caramelize nuts, grind them until liquidy but with some crunch left, and then mix that with chocolate. Although surprisingly scrappy, my Mini Prep isn’t quite up to the task. :)

Lucette - Thanks for the feedback! Yeah, it’s really a pretty simple and flexible method. You can use whatever proportion of choc to peanut butter that you like, keeping in mind that it will firm up a little more by the following day (b/c of the cocoa butter); I’ve seen ratios of .25% chocolate to 1.25% choc in relation to peanut butter. You can taste and adjust as you go. And you can easily trim down muffin liners to use as the cups, or use other paper or foil liners. In one test version, I added a little extra butter, and I really liked the extra flavor boost and creaminess. It just seemed like too much richness for this bar… but suitable for other incarnations. :)

Helen - Thank you! Glad that I’m not the only one.

]]> By: Helen http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8787 Helen Tue, 17 Apr 2007 17:12:18 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8787 Every time I come here I end up with a huge chocolate candy craving. I am not a big fan of Reeses so I really like your adaptation. Every time I come here I end up with a huge chocolate candy craving. I am not a big fan of Reeses so I really like your adaptation.

]]> By: lucette http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8785 lucette Tue, 17 Apr 2007 15:49:02 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8785 This made my mouth water--I used to love Reeses, but lost my taste for them when I started to like darker and better chocolate. I now sometimes eat Paul Newman's dark chocolate peanut butter cups, which are pretty good, but can't hold a candle to these. Caramel: brilliant addition; the rice krispies I'm not as sure of, but I do like the idea of added texture/crunch. Maybe I'll try an amateur version of these when I have company the next time. This made my mouth water–I used to love Reeses, but lost my taste for them when I started to like darker and better chocolate. I now sometimes eat Paul Newman’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups, which are pretty good, but can’t hold a candle to these. Caramel: brilliant addition; the rice krispies I’m not as sure of, but I do like the idea of added texture/crunch.
Maybe I’ll try an amateur version of these when I have company the next time.

]]> By: brian http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8784 brian Tue, 17 Apr 2007 14:45:14 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8784 The top picture almost looks like a square version of your banner logo. Looks delicious. I experimented a little with peanut butter fillings last year without much luck. Too dry or too sweet from powdered sugar since I was trying to make something similar to Reese's. I'd love to see some pix of the construction process. Yum! The top picture almost looks like a square version of your banner logo. Looks delicious. I experimented a little with peanut butter fillings last year without much luck. Too dry or too sweet from powdered sugar since I was trying to make something similar to Reese’s. I’d love to see some pix of the construction process. Yum!

]]> By: Doug Cress http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8781 Doug Cress Tue, 17 Apr 2007 13:10:50 +0000 http://www.sweetnapa.com/2007/04/17/the-peanut-butter-bar-beginnings.html#comment-8781 In spite of the imperfections, which you're all too quick to point out, it still looks like a fabulous candy bar. Its good to see you incorporating nut butters into the chocolate. I would again point you towards using some other nut butters - I think almond butter would pair very well with the honey, choc and rice krispies - its a bit milder than pb. Trader Joe's makes a crunchy version which is awesome. In spite of the imperfections, which you’re all too quick to point out, it still looks like a fabulous candy bar. Its good to see you incorporating nut butters into the chocolate.

I would again point you towards using some other nut butters - I think almond butter would pair very well with the honey, choc and rice krispies - its a bit milder than pb. Trader Joe’s makes a crunchy version which is awesome.

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