Chewy Peanut Clusters Food

CHEWY PEANUT BUTTER POPCORN BARS

Steps:

• Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
• Melt the peanut butter and butter together in a medium saucepan over low heat, then stir in the marshmallows. Continue to stir until the marshmallows are melted.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the popcorn to coat evenly in the melted marshmallow mixture. Pour the popcorn mixture into the coated baking dish and spread out into an even layer. Drizzle the popcorn with the chocolate sauce. Allow the popcorn treats to cool for 30 minutes, then cut into bars.

THICK AND CHEWY PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

Steps:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 13by-9-inch baking pan with foil, letting the excess hang over the edges of the pan by about 1 inch (this will help you lift the bar easily from the pan in one piece). Spray the pan with cooking spray.
• Mix the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugars until combined. Use a whisk or a rubber spatula to mix in the egg, egg yolk, peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the flour mixture until just combined (be careful not to over mix the dough or the bars will be tough). Fold in the chocolate chips and the peanuts.
• Scrape the dough into the prepared pan, pressing and smoothing the top with a rubber spatula. Bake until the top is slightly golden and firm to the touch and the edges are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan, 30 to 35 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• Lift up on the foil overhang to remove the bar from the pan, and transfer it to a cutting board. Use a ruler to cut it into 2-inch squares.

RAISIN PEANUT CLUSTERS

Steps:

• In a heavy 3-quart saucepan, melt chocolate and the shortening on low heat.
• Remove from the heat and stir in the raisins and peanuts.
• Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls onto waxed paper or parchment paper.
• Allow to dry and firm. (This will take about 2 hours.) Store in airtight containers on the countertop.

CHEWY PEANUT CLUSTERS

Steps:

• The trick to these is to keep the heat low - that will make them soft and chewy. If the heat gets high they seem to come out more hardend but still mostly chewy. I've forgotton the vanilla at times and they still turn out tasting great. I have also used milk chocolate chips.
• Melt butter over low heat in a large pan or skillet.
• Add marshmellows, melting, stirring constantly, keeping heat on low.
• When melted add choc chips stirring until melted.
• Add vanilla, stirring, and then the peanuts, folding in and stirring until peanuts are covered (when chocolate mixture is sticking to most of the peanuts).
• Remove from heat and quickly drop by spoonfuls onto greased parchment paper or parchment lined and greased 9 x 13 pan (to cut into squares). NOTE: wax paper will not work, they will stick to it even when greased.
• Let cool on counter.
• Store in tightly covered containers (with parchment in between layers) or Ziploc baggies.
• Then repeat all above. (I usually have to make 3 batches!).

CRUNCHY PEANUT CARAMEL NOUGAT CANDY BAR

Steps:

• Special equipment:.
• Heatproof spatula, candy thermometer.
• Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper, leaving 2 inches of overhang on each side.
• For the nougat:.
• Combine the peanut butter, vanilla and marshmallow cream in a large mixing bowl and reserve. Combine the sugar, cream and butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir with a heatproof spatula until the sugar dissolves. Fit the saucepan with a candy thermometer and continue monitoring until the mixture starts to turn a light amber color and the temperature reaches 250 degrees F, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Once your nougat hits 250 degrees F, remove from the heat and add to the marshmallow mixture. Mix together to completely combine, but don't overwork. The mixture should be light and fluffy. Turn out the nougat into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a rubber spatula coated in nonstick spray. Place in the refrigerator to cool and get going on your next layer, the caramel.
• For the caramel filling:.
• Add the sugar, cream and corn syrup to a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Carefully stir to combine with a heatproof spatula until the sugar dissolves and bring the mixture to a boil. Stop stirring and boil until the mixture begins to turn an amber color and reaches 250 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, carefully, as it will foam up. (Adding the butter at the end will stop the cooking and keeps your caramel soft and chewy.) Keep stirring until it's all dissolved, and then stir in the peanuts. As tempting as it may be, never stick your finger in hot caramel to taste, sugar burns and hurts!
• Pour the caramel over the nougat and spread evenly with the spatula. Place in the refrigerator until the caramel is completely cool, 15 minutes.
• Transfer the candy to a cutting board. Cut lengthwise into thirds and then across in nine 1-inch rectangles, using a sharp knife that has been sprayed with nonstick spray. You can mark the caramel nougat with your knife as a guide before cutting out your bars.
• For the chocolate:.
• Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and is smooth, 8 to10 minutes. Dip each candy piece and completely cover with chocolate on all sides, using two forks, allowing the excess to drip off. Place on a wire cooling rack for the excess to drip off while you dip all of the bars. Once the bars are dipped, transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and allow the chocolate to set in the fridge at least 20 minutes.
• Cook's Note:.
• Use a smaller baking dish for thicker candy bars.