I don’t have a lot in common with Elvis. Him – tall, American, the King of Rock and Roll. Me – small-ish, English, with a voice that can shatter glass. But we do have one thing in common: namely, a love of the peanut butter and banana combo.
I didn’t always like it. The concoction of peanut butter and jelly struck me as utterly repulsive – to this very day I just cannot stomach it – and the American adoration of the spread remained a strange cultural phenomenon that I was convinced I’d never understand. I was converted last year by a spoonful of peanut butter and chocolate fondant, and that was when my obsession started.
The contents of my wastepaper bin became less and less environmentally-friendly as scrapped essay plans were replaced by alarmingly orange Reese’s wrappers. Peanut butter on oatcakes became my go-to breakfast staple in place of handfuls of dry cereal. But my most beloved discovery was that of ‘The Elvis,’ the King’s favourite peanut butter and banana sandwich.
Last week, I decided to put my own spin on this classic. Despite the fearsome reputation of the famous soufflé, I combined this traditional French dessert with all-American flavours to serve to my family. They were perfect; the typical stodge of peanut butter was dispelled into airy clouds, and the bananas stewed in caramel were deliciously sweet against the salty tang of the peanut butter.
Even though I’ve never cooked a soufflé in my life, they rocketed upwards into the fluffy, delicious desserts that are so renowned. A soufflé truly is all bark and no bite, and if I managed it, anyone could. So open up Spotify and stream a bit of ‘Jailhouse Rock’, and get to enjoying Presley’s favourite flavours with my recipe for peanut butter soufflés with banana and caramel.