Well, this cake is definitely as good as its glutinous counterpart. In fact, it might just be better! I know, I know….. but that’s what my gluten loving family said, so. It might just be true! (or maybe they just love me. Try it and tell me, k?)
The key, I think, is a really fluffy mixture. So if you don’t have a mixer this might require substantial elbow grease in order to get it into a light, fluffy, airy mixture that’s capable of holding onto air through the baking process, as we are not using eggs here!
Additionally, those tempted to skip the scant amount of powdered sugar will find their cake doesn’t hold together very well. A person could sub it for a teaspoon of cornstarch or tapioca starch, if they wanted.
Ingredients:
- For the filling:
- 750g cream cheese
- 300ml sweetened condensed milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- For the crust:
- 3 cups crushed pretzels (gluten free for a gluten free cake)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- For the chocolate top:
- 300g qualify chocolate chips- milk or semi sweet
Method:
- In blender or kitchen aid, or as a form of anger management with the use of rolling pin and a quality bag, break up the pretzels, but don’t completely powder them. Leave small bits for texture. Measure out 3 cups.
- In a small saucepan melt the butter and the sugar together until the sugar crystals dissolves. Pour over the pretzels. Mix well then press into the bottom and sides of a springform pan that has been lined with parchment. Bake in a 350 oven for 12 minutes.
- While the crust is baking and cooling, pull all filling ingredients from the fridge and set on the counter. Once the shell is cool, add the cream cheese to a mixer and beat until fluffy. Then add the condensed milk, the sour cream, and the powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Add the peanut butter at once and beat until smooth and thoroughly combined.
- Scrape mixture into prepared crust and bake 35-40 minutes, until it doesn’t jiggle like jello when tapped on the side.
- Remove from the oven and immediately cover in chocolate chips. Allow them to melt before smoothing.
I topped mine with some black lava salt from Hawaii, adding an elegant hat tip to the pretzel it was inspired by and a memory of birthdays long ago spent with my toes in the sand. You could use flaked salt or kosher salt for a similar effect. Or book a flight to Hawaii. I won’t judge.
