Morning Nosh

The sun, that glorious bright omniscient orb that lights the sky and transforms sleeping dew into sparkling gems, has been a nuisance ever since I moved. What's fascinating is that our bedroom isn't even on the side that faces the sun! So I've been getting up early every morning as the room heats up to what feels like smoldering and the light evades. Then I spend some time with the new pup after he wakes when I venture down the stairs. Since the fam is blissfully snuggled up in their beds and I'm here wide awake waiting for the world to open its eyes, what better way to spend it than to cook something delicious!

While perusing through fabulous foodie blogs, I came across a particular recipe via vanilla sugar that just screams out to you "oh you know I'm THE YUM, there's no escaping me! bake me! bake me! you know you wanna". AND WHO DOESN'T LOVE chocolate and peanut butter in the morning! Get it going, and shower while it's cooking. Then viola, something decadent with a moist center and a crunchy crust to lip smack into with a nice cup of hot tea or coffee, just as the man-folk are waking.

Of course, being that I am me, I can't seem to stick entirely to a recipe's ingredient's list, so I have included my substitutions in (~italics) and changes in directions have also be italicized.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Bread
[Original recipe by Dawn at vanilla sugar.]

¾ C Dark brown sugar (~splenda brown sugar)
¾ C peanut butter (~she used crunchy, but I only had creamy on hand)
1 Tbsp Vanilla
2 Eggs, beaten
1 ½ C Buttermilk (~1 C fat free half & half + 1/2 C reconstituted cultured buttermilk blend {~2 Tbsp buttermilk powder + 1/2 C water})
1 1/4 C all-purpose flour, sifted (~1 3/4 C)
1 C whole wheat flour, sifted (~1/2 C Italian chestnut flour)
4 Tsp Baking powder
1/2 Tsp salt
¾ C Milk choco chunks (~Semi-sweet chocolate chunks)

3 Tbsp Melted butter +- (~Unsalted sweet butter)
Raw sugar for sprinkling


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix the eggs with the half & half and reconstituted buttermilk blend. In another bowl sift the flours, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, cream sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla; add in the buttermilk & egg mixture. Then beat in the flour mixture; beat well until just combined.
By hand add in the semi-sweet chocolate chunks.


Pour batter into greased loaf pan and bake for 50 - 55 minutes (mine took 65-70 mins and I ended up covering it with foil during the last 10-15 minutes so that the top wouldn't burn before the insides were cooked) until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan 10 minutes before unmolding.

Optional, on the last 30 minutes of baking, put a bit of melted butter on the top of the bread, then sprinkled some raw sugar chunks over it. -



I think next time I make this, bananas and maybe some nuts would be a fantastic addition to the happening flavors of this bread. Traditional meets the creative innovation of this recipe.