Today marks the fourth straight day of heavy rain and gray skies here, and each day it gets harder and harder not to pull the covers up over my head and stay in bed. I shouldn’t complain, we’ve been lucky. There hasn’t been widespread flooding as so many of my friends down in Pennsylvania have experienced. And I know my friends in Texas would be grateful for some of this rain as the wildfires continue to rage on there; I so wish I could box it up and send it their way. But still, I’m desperate for better weather these last few weeks of summer. On a few occasions this week I’ve even found myself going through my photos from earlier this summer to savor the sunshine and blue skies that were so plentiful at that time.
In doing so, I also happened to come across the photos of these peanut butter and chocolate shortbread bars. I made them in late June and somehow they got buried in my Flickr stream and never made it onto the blog. You would think a dessert featuring chocolate and peanut butter wouldn’t be so easily lost in the shuffle, but I think I baked 10 or 12 things that particular week. I was house sitting for Shane’s parents and I love to leave them lots of treats in their freezer, which explains the baking frenzy.
So yes, it took me over 2 months to share these with you, but I don’t think you should wait that long to make them. The bars have three irresistible layers – a buttery shortbread crust on the bottom, a sweet peanut butter filling in the middle, and a smooth, shiny ganache to top it all off. The only part of the bars that is baked is the crust so they come together quickly and easily (though you do have to wait for the ganache to set before digging in). I loved everything about them, and if I remember correctly, they were among the most well received of the treats I left for Shane’s parents too. My only minor complaint is that the shortbread crust was pretty crumbly, though I should note that I skipped the peanuts called for in the recipe so maybe I’d have had better luck with them in there. Regardless, they’re definitely worthy of a repeat here. Heck, maybe I’ll make them today – if nothing else, rainy days are a good excuse for getting in some baking 🙂
Peanut Butter and Chocolate Shortbread Bars
from Fine Cooking
Crust
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled to just warm
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (9 1/2 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, finely chopped
Peanut Butter Filling
1 cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups (6 oz) confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ganache Topping
5 oz. (about 1 heaping cup) good-quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
To make the crust: Line a metal 13×9 baking pan with foil, leaving an overhang on opposite sides to lift the bars out.
Stir the butter, sugar and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and peanuts, mixing until a stiff dough comes together. Press the dough evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Use a fork to prick the dough all over, then refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until the dough is firm.
Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 F.
Bake the crust for 20 minutes, then decrease oven temperature to 300 F and continue baking for another 20-25 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and set. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let the crust cool completely.
To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the peanut butter and butter on medium until smooth. Add half of the confectioners’ sugar, the vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon of hot water to the bowl. Starting on low speed, then increasing to medium, beat until smooth and fluffy. Mix in the remaining confectioners’ sugar until smooth. The mixture should be thick but not too stiff – if it is, add another tablespoon of hot water.
Using an offset spatula, spread the peanut butter filling over the cooled crust.
To make the ganache: Add the chocolate to a heatproof bowl. Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a small saucepan then pour over the chocolate. Let stand for about 3 minutes, then stir gently until smooth.
Spread the ganache over the peanut butter filling in an even layer. Let sit until the ganache sets (at least 3 hours at room temperature, or 1 hour in the fridge).
Lift the bars out using the foil handles, then cut into squares before serving.
Yum! These sound delicious!
Oh they look so good! I’m so glad you found them to share with everyone. I definitely want to make them soon. Although the weather here has been in the mid 70s and sunny all week (heavenly I tell you – compared to the 90+ I have had all summer), I actually wouldn’t mind some rain.
These look absolutely glorious. I’m so glad you found them in your photo stash! Chocolate and PB are always a winning combo. 🙂
I’m glad you finally shared these. 3 of my favorite things, in 1 bar. DEEEEElish!
I’m going to have to bookmark this recipe, it’s still too hot to turn on the oven where we are (unless I do it in the middle of the night!)
Chocolate and peanut butter. I am a fan 🙂
O! NY! Be still my heart. Chocolate!! PB!! Heaven!!
You’re right, Tracey, these were one of our favorite treats you left behind in our freezer the last time you were here. These were absolutely delicious! You can’t go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate in my book. I loved the crumbly crust, too. The most disappointing thing about this treat was when they were all gone!!! Thanks again.
I’m so glad that my crumbly crust wasn’t my fault, that it happened to you too!! Mine aren’t anywhere NEAR as pretty as yours so I still haven’t had the gall to post them LOL. Maybe I’ll make them again someday witha different shortbread crust as this one didn’t blow me away. Still yummy though, and beautiful pics!
These sound amazing! Will definitely have to try these with SunButter! 🙂
They look super yummy. This is my type of dessert.
I’ve probably asked you this before, but are you in my area (New England)? because it’s been rain, rain, rain here too. These look so good, I’d probably be tempted to eat the whole pan.
Also, a little birdie (aka Twitter) told me you are moving over to WordPress. I may have to pick your brain about that sometime!
@Carolyn – I am! I’m in RI. Do I remember correctly that you’re in MA?
Oh my sweet heavens. I want these immediately. These won’t even need a bookmark; I’m digging in my pantry right now. Can’t wait to try them!!
Oh my sweet heavens. I want these immediately. These won’t even need a bookmark; I’m digging in my pantry right now. Can’t wait to try them!!
Oh my sweet heavens. I want these immediately. These won’t even need a bookmark; I’m digging in my pantry right now. Can’t wait to try them!!
Oh my sweet heavens. I want these immediately. These won’t even need a bookmark; I’m digging in my pantry right now. Can’t wait to try them!!
Baking is a great thing to do on a rainy day because afterwards you get to curl up on the couch and enjoy watching the rain and your little baked treat. These look scrumptious!
These bars look delicious !!! 🙂
These look soooo good. I would definitely have to bring them to work or somewhere to get them out of the house, because I know I’d want to eat them all!
I need to try these! They sound delightful 🙂
Sounds like the perfect way to beat the rainy day blues. Although staying in bed with the covers pulled over your head is also perfectly acceptable sometimes!
Combining peanut butter and chocolate is an awesome idea! We get Indian summer here, so it’s been nice lately (finally). What I’m not happy about is it getting dark earlier.
I love chocolate and peanut butter and am so so making this. Awesome recipe and pictures are simply gorgeous. 🙂
These look amazing, Tracey! I’ve been so busy lately and haven’t been keeping up with my food blog, but I’m glad to see you’ve been posting so many tasty surprises on yours 🙂