There’s this strange and wonderful thing called the internet. On it, you can read the news, catch up with friends, share your thoughts on the day, and find up to the minute tidbits about just about anyone. It’s really a marvelous and scary place sometimes.The other day, I was doing a little bit of all those things. I found myself on Twitter, which I use infrequently at best, and this tweet came across my screen. It was from a fellow blogger – many of you probably saw the same tweet, in fact. It was from Jennifer Perillo, she of In Jennie’s Kitchen, and it read “He’s gone. And my heart is shattered in a million pieces.”
I don’t know Jennifer. I’ve never met her. I’ve followed her on Twitter for a while now, and I read her blog. I know that she and I are about the same age, we both have two small children, and we both love our husbands dearly. I know that she works hard to feed her family healthfully and sustainably. That’s about all, though. We’re not friends in even the remotest sense of the word. But when that tweet rolled across my screen, my heart broke for her. I didn’t even know what it meant at the time, but I knew it must have been something terrible.
Later that day, or maybe early the next, I learned that Jennie’s husband had died suddenly of a heart attack. And I watched as a virtual community gathered to show their support. And I marveled at the strength of a woman who could take time during mourning to post this video, and then this beautiful tribute, in memory of her husband.In the second post, Jennie asked that everyone reading make a peanut butter pie, her husband’s favorite, in celebration of his life. It’s a fitting exercise for a community who came together through food, and a it’s amazing to see the number of people who’ve signed up to participate on the facebook event page. I’m sure most of them are like me – we don’t know Jennie, but we want her to know that she and her girls are thought of and supported during this difficult time. And that the memory of her husband, and the love they shared, will not be forgotten.
The night that first tweet came across my screen, I was struck to my core by the tenuous nature of life. I hugged my boys extra long when I put them to bed, and I made it a point to tell my husband how much I loved him before we said good night. The truth is, we never know what tomorrow, or even later today, may bring.
Peanut butter and chocolate is also my husband’s favorite flavor combination. He could eat an entire bag of Reese’s peanut butter cups in one sitting if I’d let him. We’re headed to an end-of-summer pool/dinner party with some friends tonight, so I thought it only appropriate that I make these little peanut butter pies in mason jars to share with everyone. They were made, after all, in celebration of life.
Peanut Butter Pie for Mikey
yields: 12 servings
Ingredients
- 8 oz. chocolate wafer cookies
- 4 oz. butter, melted
- 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup chopped peanuts
- 1 cup natural peanut butter
- 8 oz. mascarpone cheese
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks
- Place the cookies in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to create crumbs.
- Turn the food processor on and pour the melted butter through the feed tube
- Spoon three heaping teaspoons of the crumb mixture into 4-oz. mason jars – there should be enough crumbs to do 12 small jars.
- Press the crumb mixture int the bottom of the jar with your thumb. Refrigerate to set.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave.
- Once crust has set, spoon a teaspoon of melted chocolate into each jar and sprinkle chopped peanuts on top. Refrigerate to set.
- Combine the peanut butter and mascarpone cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whisk on medium-high to combine.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar.
- Stir in half the whipped cream, just to loosen the peanut butter mixture. Carefully fold in the remaining cream, creating a mousse-like filling.
- Place the filling in a zip-top bag fitted with a 1-inch star piping tip. Pipe the mousse into the mason jars.
- Sprinkle with chocolate chips to garnish.
- Enjoy!
Hug your families, and tell them that you love them every day.
Thank you, Jennifer Perillo, for inviting us to celebrate with you.
FAQs
To be described as a dark chocolate, a product needs to be at least 43% cocoa solids (including cocoa nibs and cocoa butter) sourced from the finest origins. At least 26% of these solids should be cocoa butter. You might not know that, before the 1980s, 43% dark chocolate was traditionally used for children's snacks.
How do you increase the shelf life of chocolate? ›
Chocolate made with dairy will be more perishable, naturally, though preservatives may be used to help these chocolates last longer. The best place to store chocolate is in a cool, dry, and dark environment, like a pantry or cupboard. You'll want to store it away from heat, moisture, and light.
How do you calculate chocolate cacao? ›
The percentage of cocoa you see on a label is the measurement of the chocolate bar's weight that comes from actual cocoa beans (including cocoa liquor and cocoa butter), also known as cocoa mass. So the percentage is a simple calculation of the cocoa mass divided by the total weight of the bar.
How long do homemade chocolates keep? ›
Depending on how it is stored, it will usually last anywhere from 6 months to a year. Like dark chocolate, milk chocolate should also be kept away from humidity and temperature fluctuations. If you store your milk chocolate in the refrigerator, make sure to tightly contain it to avoid moisture buildup.
Is cocoa butter in dark chocolate healthy? ›
The phytochemicals in cocoa butter may protect against skin damage from harmful UV rays and lower your risk of skin disease. High cholesterol is a risk factor for conditions like heart disease. Cocoa butter may help manage this risk factor and reduce your chances of having a heart attack.
What chocolate has the longest shelf life? ›
Generally, dark chocolate tends to last longer than milk or white chocolate due to its lower moisture content and higher cocoa content. Dark chocolate usually will retain its full flavor for about 1.5 to two years at room temperature, and milk chocolate and white chocolate for about one year.
Can you eat chocolate 2 years out of date? ›
Dark chocolate, with its higher cacao content, can be good to eat for as long as three years past the best before. Due to their high milk contents, milk and white chocolates might not last as long as dark, but their longevity is still nothing to sniff at — you can expect to get another 8 months or so out of it.
Which of these types of chocolate has the longest shelf life? ›
Real dark chocolate, made with cocoa butter, has a very long shelf life; when stored in dry, cool conditions away from heat and sunlight, it can last for many years. Cocoa butter is a very stable fat and once chocolate is fully crystallised, it can resist bloom fairly well.
What percent dark chocolate is Ghirardelli? ›
Dark chocolate with 72% cacao - our bestseller – with hints of mocha, blackberry and dark cherry. Dark chocolate with 92% cacao for the perfect balance of fruit-forward and earthy notes. Dark chocolate with 60% cacao and just a touch of sea salt, for that perfect blend of sweet and salty.
What percent is Hershey's special dark chocolate? ›
Additionally, Hershey's Extra Dark contained 60% cocoa solids, while Hershey's Special Dark contains 45% cocoa solids.
Percentage - The percentage label on chocolate bars indicates the total amount of the bar, by weight, comprised of cocoa beans (including added cocoa butter or dry cocoa solids). Dark chocolate generally features a higher percentage of cacao than milk chocolate.
What makes chocolate go bad? ›
Chocolate does not spoil in the same way that perishable foods do, but its taste, texture, and appearance may change over time due to factors such as sugar bloom or fat bloom. These changes do not make the chocolate unsafe to consume, but they might affect the overall quality and enjoyment of the product.
Do handmade chocolates go bad? ›
Handmade, premium gourmet (and typically ultra-expensive) chocolates and chocolate truffles purchased from specialty stores don't last as long as regular boxed chocolates. They will usually remain at peak quality for 2 to 3 weeks at room temperature .
Can homemade chocolate go bad? ›
"Eventually (yes), but it takes longer than you might think," she says. She explains that whether it goes bad depends on the percentages of cacao and milk (if the particular type of chocolate has any) in the chocolate. "Dark chocolate has the longest shelf life, because it does not contain milk," D'Agostino explains.
Does dark chocolate have more cocoa butter? ›
Dark chocolate is simply chocolate liquor (the centers of cocoa beans ground to a liquid), extra cocoa butter, sugar, an emulsifier (often lecithin) and vanilla or other flavorings. Dark chocolates may contain milk fat to soften the texture, but they do not generally have a milky flavor.
Is there cocoa butter in dark chocolate? ›
Dark chocolate contains 50-90% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, and sugar, whereas milk chocolate contains anywhere from 10-50% cocoa solids, cocoa butter, milk in some form, and sugar.
Does 100 dark chocolate have cocoa butter? ›
100% dark chocolate does not contain any added sugar. Every ingredient comes from the cacao beans. The percentage is divided between cacao solids (the “brown” part that contains health properties and the recognizable chocolatey flavour) and cacao butter (the “white” part which is the fatty component of the chocolate).
Does 100% chocolate have cocoa butter? ›
A 100% chocolate bar is made from 100% cocoa solids. This could either be 100% cocoa beans (usually that have been roasted) or any combination of cocoa beans and cocoa butter (both are considered cocoa solids and are added together to get the 100% number).
