For most of my life, I detested peanut butter. To the world, it was the all-American, Leave it to Beaver, wholesome family treat.
To me, it was the food of the depraved. Really, you want to slather some greasy nut paste onto bread, pair it with a cold, fruit-based goo and call it lunch? PB and hell, no!
Then, I forgot to bring lunch to school one day, and the Bloodmobile was offering free peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to anyone who donated. Since I was short on cash, I swapped a pint of B+ for the sandwich, scrunched my eyes closed, opened my gullet and…fell in love.
Why, it was so much more than a greasy nut paste! Peanut butter was, dare I say it, divine.
And now, I can’t stop eating the stuff. My absolute favorite, indulge-my-inner-fat-kid way of consuming the stuff is when it’s coated on a banana and rolled in chocolate chips.
Yes, you read that right. Rolled.
So as I prepared for the AFC championship potluck this weekend, I figured I’d bring something sweet to offset all of the savory and salty snacks typically paired with football games. It didn’t take much brainstorming.
Instead of simply toting a bag of semisweet morsels, a bushel of bananas and a forty of peanut butter (yes, they do come in that size — don’t judge!), I decided to create a microwave-friendly fondue that you can make right in your dorm.
It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, 10 seconds for starving crowds to inhale, and about 10 days for said crowds to stop raving about it. And if only they knew how simple it is…but that’s our little secret.
NOTE: You can make this with semisweet chocolate for a strong chocolate flavor, but if you want to amplify the peanut butter taste, bringing out its sweet notes, opt for white chocolate. It better complements the fruit too, so the flavors aren’t competing for your tastebuds’ affection.
Kitchen gadgets needed: microwave-safe bowl, spoon, knife, cutting board
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 8 ounces white chocolate chips (Nestle’s Premier White Morsels work fine, though note that they are not true white chocolate — sneaky how they phrase it so you just assume it is)
- 4 tablespoons peanut butter
- Your favorite snacks for dipping: apples, bananas, strawberries, pretzels, animal crackers, marshmallows, celery (hey, it’s peanut butter, after all!), oranges
Time commitment: 5-7 minutes
Steps:
- Wash all of the fruits (and vegetables, if you’re incorporating them) thoroughly, then chop them into bite-sized pieces.
- Pour the white chocolate, butter and peanut butter into the microwave-safe bowl, and heat it in the microwave for 25 seconds. Stir everything together, then microwave it for another 20 seconds.
NOTE: Resist the urge to microwave it for a minute or longer to speed up the process — cooking the chocolate for more than 30-second intervals can cause it to seize, creating a lumpy, gritty texture that you can’t get rid of.
3. Stir the mixture until it forms a smooth, glossy dipping sauce. If it has a few clumps, continue microwaving it in 15- to 20-second intervals, stirring thoroughly in between, until everything is combined. Let it cool for a minute or so, then serve. (You may need to reheat it for another 20 seconds halfway through the party, as the dip will start to harden.)
OPTIONAL: If you have a couple semisweet chocolate chips on hand, toss them on top of the dip as a garnish. As people begin dipping, the chips will melt into the dip, creating a chocolate-peanut butter swirl.
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