The Big Debate: Milk Chocolate, Peanut & Banana Bars

On wednesday morning i saw President Bush's motorcade driving down Park Avenue (I couldn't cross Park and was late to work. I even twittered about it. Thanks Mr President!). So i watched the long line of cars driving full speed in direction of the U.N thinking: 'Damn! I want 20 cops on motorcycle to open the road for me too!' So i decided on the spot to launch my own Presidential campaign, but for deeply selfish reasons. No more traffic jams for me! Whoever votes for me on November 4th gets free chocolate. Thanks peeps!

This is a recipe from Pichet Ong i found in The Sweet Spot, his interpretation of a Reese Peanut butter cups. For me, it was screaming for banana.. So heck! I added a brulee banana on top. There aren't enough bruleed bananas in this world anyway. You'll get that too if you vote for me.

Don't listen to politicians, listen to your stomach instead. Vote Zen!

Milk Chocolate, Peanut & Banana Bars

(makes 8 servings)

Peanut chocolate base:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup peanuts, toasted and chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Peanut Butter Chocolate filling:

• 4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temp'
• 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon fleur de sel, or other mild sea salt
• 1 banana, for brulee
• 1 tablespoon sugar, for brulee

• To make the chocolate base: Grease a 9 by 4-inch loaf pan and set aside. Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Put the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set over the saucepan. Turn off the heat. Stir the chocolate until melted, then add the peanuts, salt and oil and stir well. Pour into the loaf pan in an even layer. Freeze uncovered, until hard.
• Make the filling: Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Put the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set over the saucepan. Stir the chocolate until melted then set aside.
• Whisk the cream in another bowl until medium peaks form.
• Put the cream cheese, peanut butter, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat until fluffy, about 7 minutes. Scrap down the sides and add the melted chocolate. Once the chocolate is incorporated, gently fold the whipped cream.

• Spread the filling evenly on the frozen peanut chocolate base. Freeze until hard, about 2 hours.
• Tap the bottom to unmold. Spread peanut butter on top. Make a brulee banana by slicing a banana, sprinkling it with sugar and 'brulee' the top with a torch. Place on top of the peanut butter and sprinkle with fleur de sel and chopped peanuts.