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Why It Works
- Melted marshmallows present gelatin, which units once more as soon as the bars cool, leading to a chewy, cohesive oat bar.
- Chopped peanuts and peanut butter maintain the oat bars from being overly candy whereas including firmness and texture.
- Cooling the oat combination earlier than urgent within the chocolate chips preserves the chocolate’s mood, which retains the chips from melting.
Chewy oatmeal bars are one in every of my favourite go-to journey snack meals, particularly when confronted with funds airways that do not feed you without cost and additionally don’t desire you to deliver your individual stash. Regardless, I attempt to pop one thing type of wholesome and hearty (and straightforward to scarf down on the sly) in my bag earlier than I hop on the aircraft. I’ve tried twice to make the chewy number of these bars at residence, however I gave up. Nothing labored to make them considerably chewy whereas retaining them collectively. I’ve come to phrases with the truth that utilizing all from-scratch components won’t get you that actually chewy texture that you just count on.
Then I acquired to considering: The producers are most likely not baking their bars. So, what no-bake cookie may give me an amazingly chewy consistency? Rice Krispies treats. Which implies marshmallow. It made excellent sense that stretchy gelatin would maintain every thing collectively.
I took a have a look at a fundamental recipe for Rice Krispies treats, then performed round with the components to get the fitting consistency. Because the oats will not be baked, I used quick-cooking oats and toasted them in a skillet first. Essentially the most irritating half was flavoring the bars, as I wished them extra like an oat bar than a marshmallow. Including a number of honey made the bars method too delicate. Peanut butter to the rescue! Somewhat little bit of honey, some thick peanut butter, and chopped peanuts did the trick to masks the marshmallow. Toss in a handful of chocolate chips and simply press them into the pan. Simple, chewy, and chocolaty.
Critical Eats / Deli Studios
February 2013
How I Turned a Childhood Basic Into the Final No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars
Prepare dinner Mode
(Hold display awake)
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312 g quick-cooking oats (11 1/4 ounces; 3 1/2 cups)
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28 g unsalted butter (1 ounce; 2 tablespoons), plus extra for greasing
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51 g creamy unsalted peanut butter (1 3/4 ounces; 3 tablespoons), see notes
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84 g honey (about 3 ounces; 1/4 cup)
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198 g (7 ounces) marshmallows (about 28 items)
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1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for desk salt, use half as a lot by quantity
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1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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71 g chopped roasted, unsalted peanuts (2 1/2 ounces; 1/2 cup), see notes
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128 g semi-sweet or darkish chocolate chips (4 1/2 ounces; 3/4 cup)
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Line an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with 8-inch-wide strips of parchment paper or foil so that each one sides are coated with a 1-inch overhang on all sides. Calmly grease with butter; put aside.
Critical Eats / Deli Studios
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In a big forged iron, carbon metal, or nonstick skillet, toast oats over medium warmth, stirring often, till flippantly golden and aromatic, about 5 minutes. Put aside and let cool barely.
Critical Eats / Deli Studios
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In a big saucepan, soften butter, peanut butter, honey, and marshmallows over low warmth, stirring incessantly, till melted, about 5 minutes. Add honey, salt, and vanilla, stirring to include. Add oats and stir to mix.
Critical Eats / Deli Studios
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Utilizing a versatile spatula, scrape combination into a big bowl. Let cool barely, about 3 minutes, then fold in peanuts and chocolate chips. Scrape combination into ready baking pan. Unfold into an excellent layer, then use a flat-bottomed ingesting glass or measuring cup to compress firmly till oat combination is in a compact, even layer throughout backside and sides of pan. Let sit till agency, about 8 hours.
Critical Eats / Deli Studios
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Raise foil overhang to take away bars onto chopping board. Utilizing a pointy knife, portion oat bars into 12 squares.
Critical Eats / Deli Studios
Particular Tools
8-by-8-inch baking pan; parchment paper; foil, forged iron, carbon metal, or nonstick skillet
Notes
The peanut butter and peanuts may be omitted if desired. Different nuts and nut butters may be substituted, if desired.
The chocolate chips are added as soon as the combination has barely cooled to forestall the chocolate from melting.
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