Recipe: Peanut & Caramel Bars with Chocolate Shortbread

"These peanut bars are nice and easy to make, you do need to make them a day before you want them to allow them to chill overnight before cutting," writes Mercy Fenton in her weekly column.

You can absolutely replace the peanuts with your favourite nut (toasted whole almonds chopped would also be delicious). 

"I use dark chocolate for the topping but if you are making these for a younger audience, you may want to change to milk chocolate or something close to 50% chocolate."

Shortbread

Ingredients

125gr cream flour

25gr unsweetened coco powder

50gr sugar

25gr icing sugar

¼ tsp fine sea salt

142gr cold unsalted butter

Method

• Pre-heat the oven to 165C.
• Line a 9inch square tin with a sheet of parchment paper, allow the paper to hang over the sides of the tin to help lift out the bars once finished.
• To make the base, put all the ingredients for the base in a food processor and pulse to cut the butter into the flour. It will initially look like breadcrumbs, then the mixture will start to come together.
• Next, using your hands just press the dough evenly onto the base of the tin.
• Press well down into all the corners and sides, then bake until it is cooked, slightly risen, darkened in colour and dry to the touch. About 15-18 minutes.
• Allow to cool before topping with caramel.

Peanut caramel layer

Ingredients

150gr butter

150gr soft dark brown sugar

397gr tin condensed milk

105gr Roasted salted peanuts

Method:

• Pre-heat oven again to 170C.
• Put the butter and sugar in a medium-sized pot.
• Cook over a gentle heat to melt the butter and sugar, you need to stay with it and stir to ensure the sugar dissolves evenly.
• Once it’s smooth and sugar is dissolved, add the condensed milk.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring all the time, bring the mixture to the boil, and then simmer for 1 minute only.
• Scrape onto the shortbread base and level quickly, make sure you get into the corners
• Scatter the peanuts over the caramel, and then press down using the back of a palette knife. (Be careful, it will still be hot).
• Bake for 10 minutes, then remove from the oven, allow to cool completely (not in the fridge) before topping with chocolate layer.

Chocolate topping

Ingredients

200gr 70 % chocolate drops

15mls cream

25gr butter

Method:

• Put the butter, cream and chocolate drops in a bowl over a pot of barely trembling water to allow the chocolate to melt.
• Stir together to ensure it’s all melted smooth.
• Pour over the cool caramel and, working quickly, spread over the nuts, covering everything evenly. Allow to cool and set.
• If refrigerating overnight, make sure to wrap in clingfilm, seal the tin to keep any moisture out.
• When ready to cut, have a jug of boiling water and a dry cloth to hand.
• I marked the tin in thirds one-way and sixths the other.
• Dip the knife into the boiling water to heat it, then dry it and carefully and patiently cut through the chocolate layer first, repeat until you have cut all the chocolate lines.
• Then, repeat with a hot, dry knife each time to cut through the remainder of the slice. (It’s worth the effort to get a clean cut.)
• Now enjoy. These will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 to 5 days.