Peanut butter cookies with ganache filling

Continuing my love for all baked things using peanut butter, I present to you a work of art – a peanut butter cookie filled with an oozy ganache filling. Oh boy, does this work!

Somewhat perversely, having amassed a collection of biscuit cutters that can only be contained in 12 drawers of storage (small drawers – it’s not like I’m obsessed or anything), I find myself currently favouring biscuit recipes where cutters aren’t required. They are often quicker and easier to make.

Having said that, I found these a bit of a faff – however, they are TOTALLY worth it...if they weren’t I wouldn’t feature them on my site! The problem is moulding the biscuit around the ganache. I tried the approach the recipe said, which was to make a patty then put a spoonful of ganache in the centre, then drawing the sides up:

This was tricky as the dough was prone to crumbling. So I then tried making a patty and pinching the edges to make a volcano – this did work, but the finished bake looked....well, let’s just call it rustic:

What worked best for me, was making a ball and using the end of a wooden spoon to make a well, spooning some ganache into it then closing it up. The finished biscuit (shown here uncooked) looked decent enough...

...especially when compared to one of my earlier efforts. Let’s be honest, this one ain’t gonna win no beauty contest ("why, Ambassador, with this biscuit you're really spoil- ugh!"):

The salty peanut butter in the biscuit works so well with the thick ganache – a flavour sensation!

I decided to double the mixture based on this email exchange with the CCB (Caked Crusader’s Brother):

CCB: Do they come in large batches, nothing more disappointing than an epic biscuit that only comes in 24’s ?

Me: The mix apparently makes 18, so I’ll double it up

CCB: Will there be enough to go round? [Author’s note – there were 5 of us for tea, and I was also making a cake]

Ingredients

For the ganache – I found this too much and only needed half. If you’re more confident in your biscuit making (particularly with getting ganache into a biscuit dough!) go for it, but – be warned - you might have some left over:

125g dark chocolate – I used half dark, half milk
150ml double cream

For the biscuit:

125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
125g caster sugar
125g crunchy or smooth peanut butter – whichever you prefer, I used crunchy
4 tablespoons golden syrup
1 tablespoon milk
225g plain flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan oven 160°C/350°F/Gas mark 4.

Start by making the ganache, as you want this to have time to cool naturally before adding to the biscuits. Best not to refrigerate it as it can set hard, I found placing it by an open window helped. If you’re pushed for time give it a short burst in the fridge. I think my ganache was possibly still too runny so give it time to firm up.

Place the chocolate, broken into chunks, in a heatproof bowl.

Heat the cream to boiling point, then immediately pour over the chocolate.

Leave to stand for a couple of minutes then stir until it is smooth and well combined.

Now make the biscuits: Line two baking sheets with baking paper.

In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until it is light, whipped and fluffy.

Beat in the peanut butter, followed by the golden syrup and milk.

Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda and knead until you have a smooth dough.

Take a generous tablespoon of dough and flatten it into a patty.

Place a teaspoon of the now firm ganache into the centre of the patty and then pull up the sides so you can seal them i.e. leaving you with a ball of biscuit filled with ganache. If the ganache isn’t completely sealed in it can leak during baking. I found this didn’t always work and it was easier to make an indent (with the end of a wooden spoon) into a ball of dough and then spoon the ganache in before pinching it closed – but you will get less ganache in using this method.

Place the ball on the baking sheet and flatten slightly. Repeat with the remaining mixture.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown.

Leave to cool completely, still on the baking sheet, on a wire rack.

Store in an airtight container for several days and eat as and when required.

Bask in the glory of the wonderful thing you have created.

Eat.