Back in the midwest there is a restaurant chain called Culver's, a fast food/diner-type place that is known for its freshly made hamburgers and creamy custard. They are also known, to me and my husband, as the restaurant with the funniest letterboard notices. They use the boards to announce the sandwich/burger and custard flavor of the week, but never bother to put any more explanation than what the flavors are. Sometimes you drive by and they are advertising a "Mushroom and Swiss Peppermint Patty" or the next week it might be a "Grilled Reuben Strawberry Cheesecake" Mmmm. Sure makes me hungry.
In case you are thinking the same thing about this Peanut Butter and Jelly Tiramisu, let me ease your mind a bit. It is not a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on top of a creamy Italian dessert with coffee-soaked cookies. Instead, think fluffy peanut butter cream layers sandwiched between raspberries and ladyfingers brushed with raspberry jam. It's about as elegant as peanut butter and jelly gets. If you like the sweet/salty combination of peanut butter and jelly, you will like this dessert. It doesn't take long to make, but you do have to plan ahead if you want to serve it because it needs about 8 hours in the fridge for the ladyfingers to soak up the raspberry jam and become soft. With the heavy cream, cream cheese and peanut butter this is definitely a rich dessert, so despite the small pan it makes, plan on serving 8-10 people with it.
You can go ahead and quiz them on their favorite childhood sandwiches before you decide to invite them over.
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar, plus more for dusting
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
14 Italian-style crisp ladyfingers
4 cups raspberries
shaved chocolate, for topping
1. Beat the peanut butter, cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and 1/2 cup heavy cream until smooth and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 cup cream and beat until creamy, about 2 more minutes. (Do not overbeat)
2. Whisk the jam and 1/3 cup water in a small bowl until smooth. Spoon about 3 T of the jam mixture into a 9x5 loaf pan. Cover with half the ladyfingers, arranging them lengthwise. Brush with half the remaining jam mixture. (Don't worry if it looks like a lot of liquid; the ladyfingers will absorb it as the tiramisu sits.)
3. Spread half the peanut butter cream over the ladyfingers. Top with 2 cups of raspberries and the rest of the ladyfingers. Brush the ladyfingers with the remaining jam mixture and apread the remaining peanut butter cream on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours.
4. Uncover the tiramisu and top with the remaining 2 cups raspberries and shaved chocolate. Dust with confectioners' sugar.
Serves: 8-10
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from the Food Network Magazine
