Melissa Hemsley’s chocolate peanut butter (no-bake) bars

Summer baking at its simplest with Melissa’s no-bake chocolate peanut butter bars. Great to make with little ones, we’re so pleased that Melissa shared this reliable favourite from her latest book, Real Healthy. 

From Melissa: ‘A no-bake family favourite treat. Pretty irresistible but if you don’t devour them over a few days, they will keep for a week in a sealed container. Store in the fridge in warmer months. If catering to any nut allergies, swap the ground almonds for more oats and switch the nut butter for pumpkin seed butter. If you have a preferred nut butter, try that – I love a cashew butter but keep it to the smooth variety for a silkier texture. Look out for 60% minimum cocoa solids for your chocolate.’

METHOD

1. Line a small tin or dish (about 15 x 8cm or square equivalent) with greaseproof paper, making sure it comes up high enough on the sides so that you can lift the mixture out of the tin once it’s set.
2. Mix the peanut butter, ground almonds, oats, maple syrup, vanilla and salt together in a bowl. Transfer to the lined tin, pressing down with the back of a spoon or spatula to make it even and compact.
3. For the chocolate layer, melt the chocolate in a bain-marie (a heatproof bowl set over a pan of very lightly simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Once melted, stir through the peanut butter and pour this evenly over the base. If topping with the whole peanuts, scatter these over the chocolate layer.
4. Sprinkle over a little pinch of flaky sea salt. Set in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm, then cut into 16 pieces to serve.

RECIPE: Melissa Hemsley, from her brilliant new book Real Healthy. Photography by Lizzie Mayson.

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