Big Gay Ice Cream's Chocolate-Peanut Butter Shake

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Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, people!

 Or at least something like that.



It's almost the fourth of July! That means time for insane dessert treats.  This one qualifies.

 My mother, back in Illinois, has been complaining about the overabundance of rain and out here in California, we're aching for it. I am sitting in a coffee shop in Fort Bragg with a cup of peppermint tea, the fog is burning off, I just finished reading a collection of short stories (The Hall of Small Mammals) that I found delightful and strange, and I am contemplating a day of cooking (from my new cookbook, Honey & Co. (certainly, I will be featuring it here soon)). This is what vacation looks like.

Before coming up to Fort Bragg, though, I took some time to convert my recently made chocolate ice cream from Big Gay Ice Cream into a total diet-busting shake, and let me tell you, it was worth it. 

 Sure, sure, you can make all of this from store-bought ingredients, which would save a good deal of time and might be just what you need this holiday weekend. You can also make your own ice cream and chocolate sauce, should you feel so inclined. I felt inclined. I also bought extra peanuts.  In part, so I could much on them as the All Stars game comes a rolling around soon.


Anyway, there's not a lot of fancy to this shake; it's pretty simple. However, it is also pretty tasty and worth throwing out the otherwise healthy diet for this weekend.



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Chocolate-Peanut Butter Shake  (with a bonus recipe for Chocolate Sauce)

Adapted from Big Gay Ice Cream

Yield:
2 thick 8-ounce shakes

Ingredients: 
1 Tbsp chocolate syrup or make your own (see recipe below)
3/4 cup milk*
4 large scoops chocolate ice cream
1/4 cup peanut butter**
Possible garnishes: cherries, whipped cream, shaved chocolate. 

*They recommend whole milk. You make the call.
** Smooth recommended, for easy straw slurping. However, I like the chunks, and I serve with a spoon!

Instructions:
1. To make the chocolate syrup (if you're not using store bought, which the guys from Big Gay Ice Cream are totally fine with), see below.

2.  Add the chocolate syrup and milk to a blender, cover, and quickly pulse to combine. Add the ice cream and peanut butter, cover, and blend until you see a whirlpool form.

3.  Pour or spoon the shake into 2 tall glasses (feel free to layer in more chocolate syrup or even some of your favorite jelly for a PB&J experience) as you are spooning in the shake. Top with a garnish and serve with straws and spoons. 


Chocolate Sauce


Yield:
1 1/2 cups

Ingredients: 
4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) of unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract  

Instructions:
1.  Combine the chocolate, butter, sugar, salt, and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over very low heat. Cook, stirring, until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. 

2.  Add the vanilla and serve immediately, keep warm over hot water until ready to serve, or refrigerate for up to a week and rewarm before using.

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