Peace, Love, and Chocolate

Last Thursday I posed with my 5 pound Hershey bar and told you all I'd finally be hacking into it for the sake of making some yummy desserts. I chopped some up to make fondue for my girl's night out. I gave the Limelets all a chunk to gnaw on and then I used a big chunk to make this next recipe. I may have used a wee bit more than suggested by the recipe...

Some time ago I posted about my love of Peanut Butter Tasty Kakes. They are just so good. This recipe is a very good approximation of the ones you can buy. Since they are homemade they are better in some ways. And now, allow me to share my beloved recipe with you....again...new and improved with pictures!



Faux Peanut Butter Tasty Kakes

4 eggs
2 C. sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 C. milk
2 C. flour
2 tsp baking powder
8 oz. Hershey bar or other milk chocolate
1 C. peanut butter


I started out cracking the eggs, at which point I had to pause because it seemed even the kitchen deities were smiling upon me. Well, ok, the eggs were...but that has to be a good omen, right?

The directions say to beat the eggs until they are thick and lemony, then gradually add milk ,sugar, and vanilla. This takes a while. Feel free to dance while you do this. Just keep the beaters in the bowl. I really don't need raw egg splattered all over my kitchen, thank you very much. I might suggest Devo's Whip It but if you have something else you want to shake your groove thang to during this process it's your kitchen. I take no responsibility if your eggs frown at you for it though. Actually, I don't have Whip It on my iPod. I think I was winin' to meh calypso and soca tunes and gettin' on bad. Works for me, and my eggs.

Next you are supposed to blend the dry ingredients and fold them into the egg mixture gently. I didn't take a picture of that. Just be nice and gentle to the eggs ok? After all, they smiled so sweetly at you. Then you pour it all into greased and floured jelly roll pan and bake at 350F 15-20 minutes. Now you're going to have to use your imaginations because I didn't take any pictures of this either. If you can't visualize some batter in a jelly roll pan what hope is there for you or for anyone exhorting you to visualize something as abstract as world peace for that matter? Sad really.

(Insert mental image of sponge cake batter in an old jelly roll pan HERE) Ok, instead of that here's a picture of the chocolate I chopped up to melt for the top of the cake plus some more for fondue later. Notice the lovely new tie dyed dish towel setting off the fabulous chocolate. I do find that when I want to let there be peace on Earth and let it begin with me, chocolate and tie dye are wonderful starting points.




I also forgot to take a picture of the baked sponge cake. I trust you can figure out what it looked like, we already covered this whole using your imagination thing...If you're going to complain about the lack of pictures I will hasten to point out that this recipe, unlike so many of my others, has exact measurements for the ingredients and explicit directions. You can't have it all. This ain't the Food Network, you know. For one thing, I am a whole lot heftier than that Giada DeLaurentis chick (never trust a skinny cook). But I digress. The next step is to spread the peanut butter while the sponge cake is still warm. See? I DID take a picture of that. Just put little blobs of the PB all over the top and let the heat of the cake make it all melty and spreadable. Do be gentle or you'll tear the cake to shreds. Don't say I didn't warn you. Really, I won't take any blame. I'll just shake my head, mutter under my breath about the inability of some folks to follow directions, and go eat chocolate without even the least hint of guilt over your mangled cake.
After you smear on the PB let it cool.


Finally, spread the melted chocolate on top. Of course, I have assumed you already melted the chocolate that you already chopped up. If you didn't do that why are you sitting here reading this? Go do it now! Sheesh, it's not going to melt itself, especially not in February in the northern hemisphere.

After everything has cooled down and firmed up (What? Is this cake a roller coaster with all these ups and downs?) you can cut it and enjoy it. Mmmmm....looks good doesn't it?

You know you want some. Go ahead. It will promote peace...if not on a global scale at least in your own life...as long as you don't step on a scale after indulging.

But I swear, if you try to mess with what's left of my 5 pound Hershey bar there will be blood.