Last week (or perhaps the week before by now) I had my first go at making candy (or at least I’m calling it candy because Reese’s counts as candy). I made some Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars which are akin to homemade Reese’s. Everybody loves Reese’s, right? Unless you’re allergic to peanuts. Then Reese’s and peanut butter in general make you very uncomfortable. Make sure you have an epi pen/shot handy!
Let’s take a minute here to appreciate where Reese’s peanut butter cups came from beginning with peanut butter. Did you know in the US January 24 is National Peanut Butter Day (not to be confused with January 26 which is National Peanut Brittle Day)? Peanuts have been around for an exceptionally long time. They have been found in tombs of Peruvian mummies, in Africa peanuts were ground into stews as early as the 15th century, and the Chinese have crushed peanuts into sauces for centuries. Many people believe that George Washington Carver, who found 300 different uses for peanuts, invented peanut butter, but in fact he just made preliminary versions of it better. Seventh-Day Adventists claim that one of their own was responsible for creating peanut butter as Dr. John H. Kellogg (yes, like the cereal) played a major role in the development of peanut butter. His 1897 patent for the “Process of Preparing Nutmeal” produced a pasty, adhesive substance that he liked to call nut butter. In 1903, Dr. Ambrose Straub obtained a patent for his peanut-butter making machine. He became interested in peanut butter as a potential source of protein for his toothless, elderly patients. While Krema Products Company in Ohio is the oldest maker of peanut butter to date, the smooth, creamier peanut butter that is familiar today had its roots in Alameda, California. Around 1922, Joseph Rosefield created shelf-stable peanut butter that was smoother and creamier than its more mealy predecessor. His peanut butter became Skippy Peanut Butter.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were created by H.B. Reese, who also founded the H.B. Reese Candy Company. Reese worked a variety of jobs before moving to Hershey, PA for a second time and working for the Hershey’s. He was so inspired by the candy making there that he began to experiment with candy making in his basement and named his early prototypes after his children, Lizzie and Johnny. Several of his early candy-making ventures failed, but by 1920 he was manufacturing his now famous peanut butter cups, formerly called “penny cups” so named because they cost one penny. Before long Reese founded the H.B. Reese Candy Company (1928), also located in Hershey, PA. Reese made other candies besides the peanut butter cups, but during WWII he limited production to only the peanut butter cups. The chocolate for the cups was actually Hershey’s chocolate and the wrapper said “Made in Chocolate Town, so they must be good”. Seven years after Reese’s death in 1956, Hershey Chocolate Corp. bought the H.B. Reese Candy Company and that is how peanut butter cups became Hershey’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
Now back to these bars. I was pleasantly surprised by how simple and quick it was to make these bars. There’s no baking involved and no real cooking at all. As these are bars and not individual balls of peanut butter, there was no endless dipping, dripping, and placing on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. These really do taste like Reese’s with that added hint of homemade (my favorite!).
This recipe is super simple and only involves 5 ingredients: brown sugar, powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, and chocolate chips.
First, combine the brown sugar and powdered sugar (what is with calling it confectioner’s sugar?)
Next add in the peanut butter. Awesome tip: spray your measuring device with cooking spray before measuring out the peanut butter. This helps make the peanut butter slide right back out and into the bowl.
Mix this together with an electric mixer if you have one. If you don’t have one, then this will be a great right (or left) arm work out.
Next take this peanut butter mixture and pat it into an ungreased pan. I considered lining my pan with parchment paper but didn’t in the end. The bars came out just fine. When I made the recipe I halved everything and made it in a half-size baking sheet. I felt that the peanut butter layer was a bit thin for me. There’s no really elegant way to do this. Just use your fingers to fill in all the holes.
Once that is done, melt the chocolate and butter either in a double boiler, make-shift double boiler or in the microwave in 15 second bursts at 50% power (the latter is my preferred method). Let it cool slightly then pour, spread, and smooth over the top of the peanut butter mixture. This also takes a bit of patience to get the entire surface covered.
Before putting it into the fridge to chill for 15 minutes, use a knife to cut it into squares/bars. You really want to do this now because the chocolate will become hard and difficult to cut through once completely chilled.
Wait patiently for at least 15 minutes before enjoying.
Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients 3/4 cup firmly packed dark or light brown sugar3 cups powdered sugar1/2 cup salted butter, softened2 cups smooth peanut butter2 cups semisweet chocolate chips1 tablespoon salted butter
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, powdered sugar, butter, and peanut butter, and beat them with an electric mixer until they are smooth and well blended. Pat into an ungreased 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch pan. Roll the mixture flat on top with a rolling pin.2. Melt the chocolate chips and butter on top of a double boiler or in the microwave. Spread the chocolate mixture over the peanut butter mixture and cut into squares while the chocolate is still warm and soft.3. Chill the mixture for about 15 minutes and remove the squares from the pan. Store in the refrigerator.
Recipe from Fake Ginger
Let’s take a minute here to appreciate where Reese’s peanut butter cups came from beginning with peanut butter. Did you know in the US January 24 is National Peanut Butter Day (not to be confused with January 26 which is National Peanut Brittle Day)? Peanuts have been around for an exceptionally long time. They have been found in tombs of Peruvian mummies, in Africa peanuts were ground into stews as early as the 15th century, and the Chinese have crushed peanuts into sauces for centuries. Many people believe that George Washington Carver, who found 300 different uses for peanuts, invented peanut butter, but in fact he just made preliminary versions of it better. Seventh-Day Adventists claim that one of their own was responsible for creating peanut butter as Dr. John H. Kellogg (yes, like the cereal) played a major role in the development of peanut butter. His 1897 patent for the “Process of Preparing Nutmeal” produced a pasty, adhesive substance that he liked to call nut butter. In 1903, Dr. Ambrose Straub obtained a patent for his peanut-butter making machine. He became interested in peanut butter as a potential source of protein for his toothless, elderly patients. While Krema Products Company in Ohio is the oldest maker of peanut butter to date, the smooth, creamier peanut butter that is familiar today had its roots in Alameda, California. Around 1922, Joseph Rosefield created shelf-stable peanut butter that was smoother and creamier than its more mealy predecessor. His peanut butter became Skippy Peanut Butter.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were created by H.B. Reese, who also founded the H.B. Reese Candy Company. Reese worked a variety of jobs before moving to Hershey, PA for a second time and working for the Hershey’s. He was so inspired by the candy making there that he began to experiment with candy making in his basement and named his early prototypes after his children, Lizzie and Johnny. Several of his early candy-making ventures failed, but by 1920 he was manufacturing his now famous peanut butter cups, formerly called “penny cups” so named because they cost one penny. Before long Reese founded the H.B. Reese Candy Company (1928), also located in Hershey, PA. Reese made other candies besides the peanut butter cups, but during WWII he limited production to only the peanut butter cups. The chocolate for the cups was actually Hershey’s chocolate and the wrapper said “Made in Chocolate Town, so they must be good”. Seven years after Reese’s death in 1956, Hershey Chocolate Corp. bought the H.B. Reese Candy Company and that is how peanut butter cups became Hershey’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
Now back to these bars. I was pleasantly surprised by how simple and quick it was to make these bars. There’s no baking involved and no real cooking at all. As these are bars and not individual balls of peanut butter, there was no endless dipping, dripping, and placing on a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. These really do taste like Reese’s with that added hint of homemade (my favorite!).
This recipe is super simple and only involves 5 ingredients: brown sugar, powdered sugar, peanut butter, butter, and chocolate chips.
First, combine the brown sugar and powdered sugar (what is with calling it confectioner’s sugar?)
Next add in the peanut butter. Awesome tip: spray your measuring device with cooking spray before measuring out the peanut butter. This helps make the peanut butter slide right back out and into the bowl.
Mix this together with an electric mixer if you have one. If you don’t have one, then this will be a great right (or left) arm work out.
Next take this peanut butter mixture and pat it into an ungreased pan. I considered lining my pan with parchment paper but didn’t in the end. The bars came out just fine. When I made the recipe I halved everything and made it in a half-size baking sheet. I felt that the peanut butter layer was a bit thin for me. There’s no really elegant way to do this. Just use your fingers to fill in all the holes.
Once that is done, melt the chocolate and butter either in a double boiler, make-shift double boiler or in the microwave in 15 second bursts at 50% power (the latter is my preferred method). Let it cool slightly then pour, spread, and smooth over the top of the peanut butter mixture. This also takes a bit of patience to get the entire surface covered.
Before putting it into the fridge to chill for 15 minutes, use a knife to cut it into squares/bars. You really want to do this now because the chocolate will become hard and difficult to cut through once completely chilled.
Wait patiently for at least 15 minutes before enjoying.
Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients 3/4 cup firmly packed dark or light brown sugar3 cups powdered sugar1/2 cup salted butter, softened2 cups smooth peanut butter2 cups semisweet chocolate chips1 tablespoon salted butter
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, powdered sugar, butter, and peanut butter, and beat them with an electric mixer until they are smooth and well blended. Pat into an ungreased 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1-inch pan. Roll the mixture flat on top with a rolling pin.2. Melt the chocolate chips and butter on top of a double boiler or in the microwave. Spread the chocolate mixture over the peanut butter mixture and cut into squares while the chocolate is still warm and soft.3. Chill the mixture for about 15 minutes and remove the squares from the pan. Store in the refrigerator.
Recipe from Fake Ginger
