Peanut Butter, Oat, and Jam Bars
Source of Recipe
From "Smitten Kitchen Keepers" by Deb Perelman
Recipe Introduction
"A common conversation in my family when we're eating something wonderful away from home is 'Wait, you know how to make this? Why haven't you?' And they all glare at me and shake their heads in seemingly-joking-but-you-can-never-quite-tell disappointment. It's true, though. Why *haven't* I made nacho fries, Nutella-stuffed doughnuts, or those pork wontons in chili oil I never want to stop slurping? 'Hours in the day!' I insist, but on the inside, I can't help but wonder (it's okay to use your Carrie Bradshaw voice here): Am I just stubborn? Bored? Have I fallen prey to that food-writer trait in which we are fatigued by what's already out there and must always chase new combinations that, at times, nobody has asked for? Which brings me to: peanut buttery and jelly, obviously the greatest of flavor combinations, which I took far too long to apply to breakfast bars, for no reason other than stubbornness. But then I was out-stubborned by my own daughter (that's my mother smirking in the background), who is so picky she rejected all of my granola-ish treats until I made them taste like the only sandwich she will eat. I hardly mind these thin, crisp bars, either; they're shockingly delicious, considering how earnest they readno refined sugar, no white flour, not even dairy. And they're a cinch to make, as breakfast treats should be."
List of Ingredients
◦ cup neutral oil, olive oil, or melted butter
◦ cup honey or maple syrup
◦ cup peanut butter, any kind
◦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
◦ teaspoon baking powder
◦ 1 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
◦ cup whole-wheat flour
◦ cup jam, any kind
◦ 3 tablespoons roughly chopped salted peanuts
Recipe
Heat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat an 8-by-8-inch baking pan with nonstick spray, then line it with two pieces of parchment paper in opposite directions, extending each sheet up the opposite sides to create a parchment sling.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, honey, peanut butter, and salt. Whisk in the baking powder; then stir in the oats and flour. Set aside cup of this peanut-butter mixture, and press the remaining batter evenly across the bottom of the prepared pan; it will be a thin layer, but try the best you can to avoid making holes. Dollop the jam on top, and spread/nudge it almost to the edges. Sprinkle the reserved cup peanut-butter mixture evenly on top, in smaller clumps for best coverage. Scatter with chopped peanuts.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until nicely browned at the edges and golden across the top. Transfer to the fridge to chill; I find these easiest to cut when they are cold. Once they're cool and firm, tilt your pan and gently pull on an end of the parchment sling to slide the bars onto a cutting board. Use a sharp serrated knife to cut them into a four-by-three grid, making twelve bars. Store the leftover bars in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer, packed tightly with parchment between the layers, for up to 2 months.
Makes 12 bars
❧ Note: If you need these bars to be peanut-free, use almond butter. If you need them nut-free, use sunflower seed butter. For both versions, omit the chopped peanuts.
|
|
member logon
