White Chocolate Molé: Animal Crackers in my Molé!

Today is National Animal Crackers Day, so this recipe for White Chocolate Molé with Animal Crackers is perfect! Animal Crackers are often used in Molé recipes for thickening.

I posted a more traditional Molé Poblano Recipe with Animal Crackers before.. but this one is for White Chocolate Molé with Animal Crackers. Definitely worth making. Recipe from Judy Walker in the Arizona Republic several years ago.

White Chocolate Molé with Animal Crackers

Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
1/4 cup sliced blanched almonds
1/4 cup walnuts
2 cups water
1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
2 whole cloves
1 fresh poblano chile, seeded and chopped
2 fresh serrano chiles, seeded and chopped
1 small clove garlic
1/2 white Spanish onion, cut into chunks
6 animal crackers, toasted
1/4 cup sweet butter
1/2 cup chopped white chocolate
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground white pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread peanuts, almonds, and walnuts on a jelly-roll pan. Toast in oven, shaking the pan occasionally, until the nuts are slightly colored and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes.

In blender, combine nuts, water, cinnamon stick, and cloves; blend until nuts are very finely ground. Strain through medium-mesh sieve over bowl, pressing on solids with back of ladle or rubber spatula to release liquid. Reserve liquid and discard solids.

In blender, combine chiles, garlic, onion, and nut liquid. Add animal crackers; puree until smooth. Strain through medium-mesh sieve over bowl, pressing on solids with back of ladle or rubber spatula to release liquid. Discard solids.

In large saucepan, heat butter. Stir in nut-chile liquid. Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat, scraping bottom of pan occasionally with  rubber spatula, until mixture is consistency of thick pea soup, about 15 minutes.

Stir in chocolate, salt, and pepper until chocolate is melted. Use immediately.

Note: The Molé without the chocolate can be made ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to a week. To serve, heat in a saucepan and stir in the chocolate.