I made something again.
Something quite tasty and sweet.
Do you know what helped me make this tasty treat?
This....
Yes, lots of butter. Seriously, lots of it.
1 LB to be exact. And that is just what's in the crust. :)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars. That's what I've decided to call them. And here's the recipe if you'd like it.
For the Crust: This recipe makes 2 crusts
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon salt
4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
For the Peanut Butter Filling:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
For the Chocolate Ganache:
8 ounces (227 grams) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, cut into small pieces
3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy whipping cream 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
1 tablespoons cognac or brandy (optional)
*I decided to use lightly toasted and chopped pecans to sprinkle on top of the peanut butter filling and on top of the ganache. I liked the crunch it gave!
To make the crust:
In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugars. Using an electric mixer set at medium speed, beat together until creamy. Add the vanilla and salt and beat until combined. Sift the flour into the butter mixture and beat on low speed until a smooth soft dough forms.
Spray a 9x13 inch baking pan lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Press half of the dough made evenly into the pan to form a bottom crust. Pat the remaining dough into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for another recipe!
Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 325F. Bake until firm and the edges are a pale golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
It should look like this:
While the crust is baking, mix all ingredients for the peanut butter filling together in the bowl with an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth. Set filling aside until ready to use.
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| Yes, more butter. And yes, I used Skippy. Don't hate. |
Once crust is cooled and peanut butter filling has been made, make the ganache topping.
Place the chopped chocolate in a medium sized stainless steel bowl. Set aside. Heat the cream and butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat. Bring just to a boil. Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chocolate and allow to stand for 5 minutes. Stir with a whisk until smooth. Set aside.
Once crust is cooled, pour the peanut butter filling on top. Use a small metal spatula to nudge the filling evenly over the crust. Sprinkle half of the nuts, if using, over the filling. After the filling has settled, pour the ganache over the peanut butter filling. Sprinkle the remaining nuts over the ganache. Transfer to the refrigerator immediately.
Ta-Da!
YUM!!
Take the bars out of the refrigerator 30 minutes prior to serving. Use a sharp knife to cut the bars evenly into 15 large squares. Remove the bars from the pan with a metal spatula and, if desired, cut in half on the diagonal to form 30 triangular bars.
Did I say YUM!!!!!
So if you didn't gobble the whole pan up (like I almost did) then the bars will keep, covered tightly at room temperature, for about 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Enjoy!
