People who love peanut butter will put it in practically anything, and diehard fans know that there’s nothing better than the natural stuff when it comes to your morning toast or a post-workout smoothie. However, if you are in the business of making desserts with peanut butter, the one mistake you never want to make is swapping shelf-stable brands for the natural variety.
Cakes, pies, cupcakes, and macaroons all level up significantly with the addition of ganache, and peanut butter ganache in particular adds a rich, robust flavor that make desserts memorable. So why is shelf-stable peanut butter considered the go to for ganache? Ever noticed how when a bottle of natural peanut butter is left to sit, the oil will separate, requiring a strong stir to make the butter consistent before using? Shelf-stable peanut butter on the other hand, maintains its consistency, making it a much better choice for baking. The last thing you want after spending hours making a perfect cake is to find the ganache-filled layers losing form and leaking out the sides of your creation.
How to make perfect peanut butter ganache
So, how do you make sure your ganache reaches the perfect, creamy yet stable consistency? The answer is to keep things simple. An ideal ganache is possible with just three ingredients: peanut butter (tried and true shelf stable brands like JIF or Skippy work best), white chocolate, and heavy cream.
It takes about two hours for peanut butter ganache to set, so we recommend making it ahead of time to avoid last minute stress in the kitchen. To begin, combine 175 grams of white chocolate and 125 grams of peanut butter in a medium-sized bowl. Use a kitchen scale to measure out the peanut butter for the most accurate results. Heat 160 grams of heavy cream on medium heat until it begins to simmer. Remove the cream from heat, add it to the peanut butter and white chocolate mixture, and leave it for a few minutes. Next, mix the ingredients together. An immersion blender is not essential, but it will help make sure the ganache turns out as velvety smooth as possible. Otherwise, a vigorous stir with a spoon will suffice. For a thicker ganache that can be used as filling, cover the mixture with plastic wrap and put the bowl in the fridge to chill for at least two hours. For a drizzle ganache, the mixture should be used while still warm.
