Guys! Christmas is next week!!! Who is ready?! If you need a quick, show-stopping dessert that’s a little bit different, look no further than this rich chocolate mousse made with DuClaw’s For Pete’s Sake Imperial Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter!
We’ve talked DuClaw before, back when I made a Pumpkin Ale Pumpkin Roll out of their 62 Imperial Pumpkin Ale (which, by the way, is also a great idea for a dessert around the holidays). DuClaw has quickly become one of my favorite breweries, especially since they’re so local to us here in Maryland! Their pub is one of my favorite go-to places for delicious food and a good brew. I may have also made various DuClaw sampler packs for multiple beer lovers on my Christmas gifting list this year… I had so much fun! 🙂 So of course, I had to make another delicious recipe with another of their new releases, For Pete’s Sake!
If you’ve had DuClaw before, you’ve probably tried their Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter, Sweet Baby Jesus!, if only because of the awesome name. 😉 Sweet Baby Jesus! is actually one of my favorites – rich, smooth dark beer, with very clear notes of chocolate and peanut butter. Um, hello, yum! Think of For Pete’s Sake as the slightly more mature older brother of Sweet Baby Jesus – it’s the imperial style of Sweet Baby Jesus, with a bolder flavor, and a slightly higher ABV at 9%. It’ll definitely give you a good kick in the pants pretty quickly, so watch out!
Here are the quick facts about For Pete’s Sake:
Style: Imperial Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter
Color: Black
Hop Variety: Nugget, Galena
Grains: Pale, Cara Munich, Chocolate, Black, Flaked Oats
ABV: 9%
Availability: Release December 7 in 12 oz. bottles and on tap
To find it near you, use DuClaw’s beer locator! And of course, be sure to like DuClaw on Facebook or follow them on Twitter!
I found the hops to be slightly more distinct in this brew, although to my non-discerning beer palate, that could’ve also been just from the higher ABV. Still delicious, although I do think I enjoy my regular Sweet Baby Jesus more for regular drinking. This one is definitely the one to use in desserts, though, for its bold flavor!!
Now of course, we must talk about this mousse. It’s extremely rich and chocolatey, with very distinct beer flavor. You can taste the porter in every bit of each bite, although if you don’t tell your guests, I’m not entirely sure they’d be able to put their finger on the exact taste and identify it as beer. It gives the chocolate mousse this wonderful depth of flavor that you otherwise wouldn’t have, and man. It’s so good. The mousse itself also has some peanut butter in it, but it’s not the star here. The beer is definitely the most dominant flavor with the chocolate, and the peanut butter is just a subtle team player.
I think this is the perfect thing to serve as a cute little dessert in shot glasses topped with whipped cream or just some peanuts and chocolate chips, as I’ve served it up here. Great dessert for Christmas dinner or for a New Year’s Eve party! I put the whole recipe into two mason jars, and it’s definitely too much to serve up to two people, haha! Alex and I shared a jar between the two of us, and it was even still too much, so definitely go with the shot glasses for serving!
This recipe couldn’t be easier to make – all you need it chocolate, beer, brown sugar, peanut butter or peanut butter powder, and a little vanilla extract. You heat it all up until the chocolate has melted, and then you beat it in a bowl over a bowl of ice water until it gets nice and thick. You then chill it until it’s nice and firm. Couldn’t be simpler! Because you aren’t heating it up very much, it definitely still contains a good bit of the alcohol, so this isn’t one for the kids. You won’t want to share it with them, anyway! 😉
What is your favorite beer or alcohol-infused dessert to serve for parties?
- 8 oz. dark chocolate, chopped (you can use roughly 1 cup dark chocolate chips)
- 3/4 cup DuClaw For Pete's Sake Imperial Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter*
- 2 Tbsp peanut butter or peanut butter powder
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- whipped cream, peanuts, or chocolate chips, for garnish
Fill a large mixing bowl with ice water, and then top it with another large mixing bowl, making sure the bottom of the mixing bowl touches the ice water. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the chocolate, beer, peanut butter, and brown sugar, and vanilla extract, heating until the chocolate has melted. Stir continuously while heating.
Once the chocolate has melted, pour the chocolate mixture into the large mixing bowl over top the ice water bowl. Beat the chocolate mixture with a hand mixer on medium-high speed, until the chocolate mixture becomes nice and thick. This will take anywhere from 5-10 minutes.
Divide the chocolate mixture between 4 small ramekins, or about 8 shot glasses. Cover and chill in the fridge for about 2 hours, until firm. Remove and serve with whipped cream, peanuts, chocolate chips, or any mixture of the above. Enjoy!!
To find DuClaw beer near you, go to their beer locator.
*If you can't find For Pete's Sake, you can also use Sweet Baby Jesus! or any other porter.
Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by DuClaw Brewing Company. All thoughts and opinions are my own.