13540 Sticky Peanut Cookie Bars 55 mins 20 mins 12 servings Tue Sep 09 07:03:16 -0700 2008 Tue Sep 09 07:03:16 -0700 2008 American Hack http://www.chow.com/recipes/13540 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 14:03:16 GMT It’s hard not to like these cookie bars, layered with caramel, peanuts, and chocolate. If you decide to give them as a gift, you might want to make two batches—it’s been our experience that they tend to disappear pretty quickly.

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  • For the shortbread:
  • Heat oven to 350°F and arrange rack in middle. Butter an 8-by-8-inch glass baking dish. Combine peanuts, flour, sugar, and salt in bowl of a food processor. Pulse until peanuts are ground and mixture is well combined. Add butter and pulse again until mixture resembles coarse meal.
  • Press mixture evenly into the prepared baking dish and prick it all over with a fork. Bake until lightly golden, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a rack.
  • For the topping:
  • Combine sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often until sugar is completely dissolved. Continue to boil mixture, swirling the pan occasionally (but not stirring), until it turns a deep caramel color, about 8 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and carefully stir in cream and vanilla extract (mixture will bubble up and steam).
  • Sprinkle chopped chocolate evenly over peanut shortbread.
  • Stir peanuts into caramel mixture and immediately pour over shortbread and chocolate base. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt over peanut bars and allow to finish cooling. Cut into rectangles and serve.
    • ]]>     http://www.chow.com mtphillips1 54 Sweet/Dessert For the shortbread::

    ]]>     1/2 cup unsalted roasted peanuts

    ]]>     1 cup all-purpose flour

    ]]>     1/2 cup granulated sugar

    ]]>     1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

    ]]>     8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into small chunks

    ]]>     For the topping::

    ]]>     1/2 cup granulated sugar

    ]]>     1 teaspoon kosher salt

    ]]>     2 tablespoons water

    ]]>     1/4 cup heavy cream

    ]]>     1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

    ]]>     1/3 cup finely chopped bittersweet chocolate (about 2 ounces)

    ]]>     1 1/2 cups unsalted roasted peanuts

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