No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
from Martha Stewart Living
Makes 2 dozen.
Vegetable oil cooking spray
9 ounces chocolate wafers (about 40 wafers), finely ground (2 cups)
1 ½ cups old-fashioned oats
1 ¼ cups confectioners' sugar
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
5 ounces (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 cup chunky peanut butter
¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
1 ½ ounces milk chocolate, melted
DIRECTIONS
1. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 long sides.
2. Combine wafers, oats, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add chunky peanut butter and ¾ cup smooth peanut butter, whisking until well combined. Add peanut butter mixture to wafer mixture, stirring until combined. Transfer to baking dish, and use the bottom of a measuring cup or an offset spatula to firmly press mixture into an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Pour melted semisweet chocolate over chilled mixture and, using an offset spatula, spread into a thin layer that covers the entire surface. Refrigerate until hardened, at least 15 minutes.
4. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter in a small saucepan until runny. Drizzle peanut butter over chilled chocolate. Drizzle melted milk chocolate over peanut butter. Refrigerate until hardened, about 15 minutes.
5. Use parchment to lift out chilled block of bars. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry well, and cut into 24 squares, wiping knife between cuts. Let bars stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. (Sliced bars can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.)
Some notes on the recipe:
I didn't use any cooking spray in my baking dish, only parchment paper. I didn't see the need and had no need for it, when all was said and done!
Chocolate wafers? The best option I could find were chocolate graham crackers and they were wonderful! Whiz them in a food processor until finely ground.
Butter. I might add another tablespoon or two to the recipe. The oatmeal/sugar/graham mixture was very dry and sticky. I was thinking the little extra butter might make the batter a little easier to work with and might make for a bar that is a touch more moist. Just a thought.
I was tired and wanted to get these done, I kept putting the pan in the freezer until the bars were set, then the chocolate, etc. Don't serve them from the freezer. They will be dry and fall apart.
Overall, very tasty and they received high praises at the office.
