Peanut-Butter Squares

This is why I love blogging. Because it gives me the opportunity to share fantastic recipes like this one!

This recipe has been on my (very extensive) to-do list for a very long time now but last weekend I finally found myself with all of the necessary ingredients AND an excuse to make it and boy do I wish I'd tried it sooner!

Peanut butter and chocolate make such a great pairing and this recipe brings them together in a simple but devastatingly effective way, with just the addition of sugar and butter to create a rich, sweet and very addictive mouthful. These squares take just minutes to prepare, especially if you have a food mixer to do the hard work for you. Even melting the chocolate in the microwave was quick and easy (why have I not tried this before?). I imagine they keep pretty well for a few days but I doubt a batch of these would ever last long enough to test that theory!

For another fabulous way to use up peanut butter have a look at this recipe for Snickers & Peanut Butter Muffins.

Peanut-Butter Squares

(adapted from How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson)

For the base

50g dark muscovado sugar

200g icing sugar

50g unsalted butter

200g smooth peanut butter (if you keep it in the fridge, take it out well in advance for easier mixing)

For the topping

200g milk chocolate

100g plain chocolate

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1) Line a 23cm square brownie tin with baking parchment.

2) Stir all the ingredients for the base together until smooth and press into the lined tin. If some of the muscovado sugar stays in small lumps don't worry.

3) To make the topping, put the chocolates and butter in a large jug or bowl and melt in the microwave (this should take two to three minutes on medium). Once melted together spread over the base and then put the tin in the fridge to set.

4) When the chocolate has hardened cut into small squares.