Peanut Butter Delight

These no-bake peanut butter bars are basically a homemade Reese’s cup in slab form. A thick layer of creamed peanut butter, powdered sugar, and crushed graham crackers gets pressed into a pan, chilled, and topped with a thin coat of melted semisweet chocolate.

The graham cracker crumbs give the base structure so it holds together when sliced instead of crumbling into a powdery mess. Without them, you’d just have a peanut butter fudge that falls apart at first touch.

Scoring the chocolate layer while it still looks slightly dull is the key to clean cuts. Wait until it hardens completely and the chocolate will crack and shatter. Score too early and the lines fill back in. That dull, matte surface is the sweet spot.

Kitchen Tips

• Cream the margarine, peanut butter, and sugar thoroughly. Lumps in this stage mean lumps in the finished bar.
• Press the base firmly and evenly into the pan. An uneven layer means some bars are thick and crumbly while others are thin and dense.
• Use a sharp, thin knife dipped in hot water for the cleanest cuts through the set chocolate.
• Store in the fridge. These soften quickly at room temperature.

Variations

• Butterscotch topping: Swap the semisweet chocolate for butterscotch chips melted with a little margarine.
• Crunchy version: Use chunky peanut butter instead of smooth for bits of peanut texture in every bite.