Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Every once and a while I get an unstoppable craving for peanut butter and chocolate together. Its such a good combo. This is the perfect recipe for such a situation- I find that I usually have most of the ingredients already in my cupboard and don't have to buy anything extra. Its tasty and takes 40 minutes tops! 

Double chocolate just means sifting cocoa powder in with the cookies and then adding the chocolate chips as well. I added extra peanut butter, and since I had no peanuts lying around subbed pecans. Still really good. 

I got the recipe from Food 52, and I have to say they have some of my favourite cookie recipes- check it out. You can find the recipe here.

Final tip- this recipe makes slightly more dough than needed for two pans. Freeze it. Then eat it frozen right out of the freezer and realize its even better that way. 

Trifling Left Overs

So now that you have made your special shaped cake, I bet you are thinking to yourself "what do I do with the leftover cake pieces?" Indeed it would be wasteful and down right sad if you were to throw them away. 

My leftovers; still moist and delicious, weeks later

The great thing about cake ( and cookies, and other baked things) is that they keep well in the freezer, for up to a month ( or three!).  Just wrap in plastic wrap and then put in a heavy duty resealable bag. 

Layers

I did this with my leftover pieces. I knew I would use them, it was just a matter of how. I played around with the idea of a variation on a bread pudding, when I realized the perfect dish would be Trifle! I had never made trifle but it seemed super simple, just layered cake, fruit and cream. I also liked the aspect of it being a bit old timey. It's time to bring back trifle, which has been pushed aside for banana caramel cakes, grilled peaches and stout cupcakes! So when I next visited my Grandad, and my Great Aunt Dorothy was there, I confirmed with her that a classic trifle ( by her standards, which are pretty great standards)is made of layers of a simple sponge cake, fruit, cream and maybe a jello layer. I decided to skip the jello/ fruit in jello layer. 

Trifles are usually displayed in a beautiful crystal dish. I do not have one of these. But jars are very in right now.

Another reason trifle is great is that it is dead easy with lot's of room for adaptation and variation, which are valuable assets in a leftovers dish. Finally, I made this right at the end of summer when all the berries were still local, fresh, juicy and delicious!

I've given measurements for the ingredients but it truly does not matter. Use as many of any berry or fruit that you choose. I think peach or cherry with their juices saved and soaked into the cake would be amazing. I also saw variations on the cream used, such as devon cream and heavy cream, not whipped. Go crazy!

Ingredients

500ml whipping cream
1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1 cup strawberries
raspberry cake
about 3 cups leftover cake

Method

Rinse and slice fruit. Whip cream until just starts to hold shape, slowly adding 1-2 tbsp of sugar, depending on how sweet you like your whipping cream. Add vanilla. 

I currently do no even own electric beaters, but the cream was whipped in no time in my blender.

Place cake one layer thick in the bottom of your dish. I cut my cake into half inch thick pieces. This gave me more cake to work with. Also you will be doing a couple of layers so you don't want it too thick. 

Begin layering.

Next spread with raspberry curd. 
Then with Berries, or fruit of your choosing. 
Then whipped cream. 

Repeat until you have used all your cake, whipped cream, curd, berries and/or the top of your serving bowl/jar. I made both a bowl and a jar full. 

Finish with whipped cream. Make sure to put some berries aside for decorations for the top. Then shave/grate some chocolate on top.

ENJOY!( I certainly did).