In honor of this year's annual Meyers' Ribfest, I always bring something. Even though I've never ventured out and made ribs, partly because I enjoy trying everyone else's and also because the Meyers have given me the distinct pleasure to judge the rib competition, I always end up making something. Last year was the crab boil potato salad, and this year was a summery dessert, a chocolate peanut butter banana icebox cake.
The key to the perfect Ribfest dessert is that I didn't want it to feel heavy, and I wanted it to be refreshing. I poked around a bit on some of my favorite sites, and then found this awesome (and easy) recipe for a chocolate, peanut butter banana icebox cake, which as you guessed it, you don't have to cook.
Really well executed peanut butter mousse is the most important aspect of this dessert, serving as the cake's luscious filling. The recipe I used called for using chocolate wafer cookies, but since they didn't have any at the store, I substituted with chocolate graham crackers, which worked just fine and I actually think they were a bit sturdier. You can use any kind of bananas for the filling, but make sure you get nice (not overripe) ones for the top, to ensure that the cake looks appetizing.
I was happy to receive great reviews from the discerning Ribfesters. You must be wondering about the ribs too, which I'll go into in full scope in a future post. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this awesome and easy recipe for the Chocolate Peanut Butter Icebox Cake, courtesy of the Cooking Channel.
Sweet Melissa Patisserie - 175 7th Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11215
718.788.2700
Q/B Train to 7th AvenueMy brother and his girlfriend recently made the move to Park Slope, Brooklyn and I couldn't be happier. Not only am I excited about their new, quaint apartment, I'm also selfishly happy to sample the amazing restaurants, cafes and bakeries in their vicinity (and take my word for it...there are many).
While helping my brother unpack last week, my mom and I took a walk down the busy 7th Avenue only to discover an awesome bakery called Sweet Melissa. The minute I saw its endearing storefront, I recognized the name, as this place is well known amongst serious dessert heads (me being one of them).
Atmosphere:
I love French country bakeries, not only for their amazingly decadent goodies but also for the rustic and charming ambiance, which has a way of making me feel comfortable.
Although the actual space inside is quite small, it feels very quaint and lived in. The front has a counter with a pretty sweets display, which includes all their baked goods including beautiful tiered cakes. And the back offers a sit-down area, where you can sip your coffee and eat your cake on simple but pretty white plates.
Sweets:
During our visit, my mom got herself a strong coffee, which she really enjoyed and we treated my brother and his girlfriend to the Caramel Apple Bread Pudding, served with a side of rum raisin sauce. Unfortunately I didn't have the pleasure of tasting it because we had a huge lunch that day and I just couldn't fit more in my tummy, but I'll take Peter and Fiana's word for it that it was "unbelievably good."
But aside from my visit last week, this weekend I was lucky enough to actually enjoy Sweet Melissa's goodies, as Peter and Fiana brought over a large box of their Chocolate Peanut Butter Indulgence (pictured above).
Well what can I say...if you read my blog on a regular basis, you'll know that initially, the sound of this dessert probably didn't impress me. Loaded with peanut butter, which I don't care for, I couldn't understand why they chose this as the filling to these gorgeous cookies. But...I naturally couldn't refuse a chocolate anything (despite the peanut butter) and dug right in. Oh, oh, oh my, how good it was! The cookie, dusted with confectioner's sugar was soft, chewy and ultra chocolatey. But what enhanced it even more was the light-as-air, delicate peanut butter mousse inside. That's right...even for a peanut butter hater like me, I thought it was absolutely delicious. The peanut flavor was soft and gentle, not in-your-face aggressive and thick, which I find to be the case with peanuty desserts. And even though I was full from a delicious meal that we just had together, I made room for this gargantuan yet unforgettable dessert.
Service and Cost:
The easy-going, pleasant servers at Sweet Melissa match its vibe perfectly. They're a bit boho-chic, which isn't a bad thing, fitting in with the overall Park Slopeishness of the nabe.
Prices are steep but so worth every penny:
Pie by the slice....$6
Coffee...$3.50 - $4.50
Cookies....$2 - $5 each
They also serve brunch, lunch and afternoon tea on a daily basis.
3 Peanuty Mmmms
