I wasn’t sure what I should call these. I was tempted by calling it ‘cheesecake without the cheese’, but that would just be cake. This is my youngest’s go-to recipe when she wants to make something. She was sick on Sunday night, so couldn’t go to school yesterday, despite being as bright as a button. So, yesterday was a day of keeping her amused. Her first request was to make these. They are an adaptation of a recipe by Lorraine Pascale from her Fast, Fresh and Easy Food. My youngest had this book for Christmas from her grandparents last year and she was drawn to Lorraine’s Peanut Butter Squares from her first read and we have been making them regularly ever since. However, I have played about with them each time, reducing the sugar and the peanut butter, in an attempt to make them a bit healthier and a bit less sweet. I am not saying they are healthy, but they are good and they get the thumbs up from the youngest and her dad.
250g digestive biscuits
100g soft brown sugar
50g peanut butter
100g nuts, (you can use whatever you have in your cupboard, I had hazelnuts this time)
150g butter
200g chocolate (we used 100g dark chocolate and 100g milk chocolate this time, but you can use whatever you have or like)
Method
We use a 20cm round or square cake pan, lined with baking paper. You could also line it with clingfilm.
Melt the butter in a pan over a gentle heat.
Whizz the biscuits in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. Add the sugar and give another whizz until mixed. Add the peanut butter and nuts and whizz again. The nuts should be quite finely chopped, but a few chunks make for an interesting texture. Pour in the melted butter and whizz until everything starts to come together. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and press down well with the back of a spoon.
Melt the chocolate and pour and spread over the top. Because we used dark and white chocolate this time we dribbled spoonfuls of both chocolates over the top alternately to produce the marbled look.
Place the tin in the fridge to set and then cut into small squares. The ones in the photo are particularly generous slices. Half this size will suffice for each serving. It makes about 16 slices.
It’s a disgustingly rainy and cheerless day today and these really seemed to hit the ‘let’s do something indulgent’ spot. Then I spotted that you need digestive biscuits. Not here in France. Hmmm. I shall have to think on. I made some peanut butter cookies the other day. They might do I suppose?
Oh no Margaret, sorry about that – raising your spirits to dash them again. I think the digestive biscuit should be made available world wide immediately, it seems unfair of us to keep them to ourselves. Peanut cookies might suffice. x
I can’t keep up! You’re definitely on a roll ….. the cookies and slice sound delicious and it’s lovely that your girls like to bake. Cx
Hello dear Caroline, I love that my girls like to bake too. They have helped me since they were big enough to stand on a chair and could both crack an egg by the time they were three.
Can I have a slice now please to accompany my cuppa?
Caked crusader – you would be very welcome.
Oooh these sound scrummy and a good alternative to the ubiquitous Chocolate Brownie! Today is just horrid weather – one of these with a nice cuppa would go down a treat. xCathy
How’s the Aga? Is it back up and running yet or are you still managing with the microwave? x
I would have to eat the lot – they look just too tempting to stop at one.
Ha, that is a problem here too Maggie, especially with the littlest one.
So interesting this bars using digestive cookies, like the peanut butter with the nuts and chocolate…
Thanks for the idea, have a great week 😀
Thank you Juliana, they are addictive little bites.
HI Kath,
These look Dangerously Good.
so nice that your girls enjoy baking!
hope all is well, Nancy
Thank you Nancy. Lots happening here, as always. I need more hours in the day. x
I can see why she might be addicted to them, these sound scrumptious Kath. I thought peanut butter was meant to be good for you – as long as it’s 100% peanuts of course. Have I got that wrong?
No I agree, it is good for you, in moderation. It has plenty of calories though and the original recipes uses a lot of peanut butter so I reduced the amount along with the amount of sugar to make these a tiny bit more healthy. Or at least I feel less guilty indulging in yet another square.