Old Henry Bars

Have I said how much I am loving the Make Bake Love cookbook? This has to be one of my favourite books at the moment. I am targeting myself to bake something new from it every week. I baked these Old Henry Bars as a treat for over the weekend. They are a take on an American chocolate bar that was first introduced in 1920. These peanut butter and chocolate topped, crunchy, chewy oat bars were definitely a massive hit, with the last of them finished today. Another successful recipe from this delightful cookbook!


Old Henry Bars

Makes 16 bars

Ingredients
340g oats
225g light brown sugar
225g butter, melted
4 tbsp smooth peanut butter
150g milk or dark chocolate
a handful of dry roasted peanuts (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180oC. Line a 23cm x 33cm baking tin with parchment paper.

Mix the oats, sugar and melted butter together in a bowl. Spread onto the base of the tray and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and while still warm, spread the peanut butter over the oat base.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. Spread the melted chocolate over the peanut butter. Stud with dry-roasted peanuts.

Allow to cool and set in the fridge, then cut into 16 bars.

Rocky Road Crunch Bars

Most years I go crazy and buy too many Easter Eggs but this year I limited myself to buying only a few and we enjoyed my bakes instead. I did however get given a very big Easter egg from my mother in law of which I only managed to eat some of the yummy choc truffles before I started my diet. So today I decided to put the left over chocolate egg and some mini eggs to good use and make this adapted version of Rocky Road. Don't worry I haven't fallen off the diet wagon, infact I'm doing very well and my clothes are starting to feel loose, tomorrow is weigh in day so we shall see. My son, his family and one of his friends are coming to stay today and these bars of sheer chocolate pleasure are for them. Unfortunately hubby is away in Madrid on business so none for him!

Rocky Road Crunch Bars

Ingredients

125g butter
350g left over Easter egg chocolate, broken into pieces
3 tbsp golden syrup
200g digestive biscuits
100g mini eggs
100g mini marshmallows, extra for decoration

Heat the butter, chocolate and golden syrup in a heavy-based saucepan over a gentle heat. Remove from the heat, scoop out about 125ml/4½fl oz of the melted mixture and set aside in a bowl.

Place the biscuits into a plastic freezer bag and crush them with a rolling pin until some have turned to crumbs but there are still pieces of biscuit remaining.

Fold the biscuit pieces and crumbs into the melted chocolate mixture in the saucepan, then add the marshmallows and mini eggs.

Tip the mixture into a 24cm/9in square baking tin and smooth the top with a wet spatula.Pour over the reserved 125ml/4½fl oz of the melted chocolate mixture and smooth the top with a wet spatula. Decorate with extra marshmallows.

Refrigerate for about two hours or overnight. To serve, cut into 24 fingers.

Mini Egg Tiffin

Last year a few fellow bloggers made this Mini Egg Tiffin and my plan was to make it too. Unfortunately for some reason I never got round to making it. I had forgotten about the recipe and this week while browsing for Easter ideas I stumbled upon it once again and couldn't wait to make it. This is very similar to the Malteser Traybake, only difference is it doesn't have melted chocolate which is exchanged for cocoa powder in this version. This is super easy and quick to assemble, an ideal Easter recipe for kids to make. I have a feeling this won't last until the weekend, not with hubby working from home all this week! I'm already planing on making another one for when my son and his family come over to celebrate Easter Sunday with us.

Mini Egg Tiffin

Fills 1 x 1lb tin

Ingredients
85g butter
2 tbsp golden syrup
2 tbsp cocoa
170g digestives, crushed (I blitz them in a food processor)
170g mini eggs, lightly crushed
30g mini eggs, left whole

Gently melt butter and golden syrup in large pan. Stir in cocoa, digestives and crushed mini eggs.

Line a 1lb loaf tin with cling film. Press mixture into tin then press the whole mini eggs into the top. Refrigerate until set.

Rocky Road

As promised here is the Rocky Road and 3rd recipe I have made from my latest book purchase. These are not your average Rocky Road; they are a lighter, less dense version and unlike the ones I have made by Nigella you can actually eat more than one slice and not feel like you’ve had too much. Don’t get me wrong I love Nigella’s version, but if I am going to be honest and judging on my boys reactions, I would have to say that given a choice we would have these again. This Rocky Road consist of a wonderful combination of creamy, buttery chunks of shortbread, spongy marshmallows and crunchy rice krispies all fused together with chocolate caramel. I dare you to make these and stop at one!

Rocky Road

Ingredients

3 Mars bars

100g butter

5 shortbread fingers

140g marshmallows

50g Rice Krispies

Chop up the Mars bars and place them in a small pan with the butter. Melt over a gentle heat. Break the shortbread into chunks and stir into the mixture with the marshmallows and Rice Krispies. Press the mixture into a lightly oiled 15cm-square tin and leave to set in the fridge. When set, cut into squares, turn out upside down and serve.

Glittery Marshmallow Cripsy Squares

Last year I was really excited when Nigella Express hit the stores but upon receiving my copy I was so disappointed, it wasn’t the Nigella I was accustomed with. I haven’t cooked or baked much from the book, a first for me cos I have enjoyed and love all her other books, including the new Nigella Christmas! But I was determined to get my head around this new style of writing and recipes and took the book down from the shelf last week and I am happy to report that it’s growing on me. Earlier in the week I made the Rocky Road Crunch Bars which were a huge hit and were gone in less than 24hrs, so we are getting off to a good start. One of the recipes which really caught my eye was these Marshmallow Crispy Squares, must be the glitter cos I LOVE glitter and sparkle, oh yes and pink! I’m a true girly girl and these squares are just too cute, they would be a huge hit with girls of all ages. My boys will enjoy these too; anything that tastes sweet, buttery and crispy will get their vote (even if they don’t look too macho with glitter all over their mouths...hahaha, gosh I need a laugh today and I am looking forward to this later on).

Marshmallow Crispy Squares

45g butter
300g mini marshmallows
180g Rice Krispies
Edible glitter or sprinkles (optional)

Melt the butter in a large, heavy-based saucepan over a low heat.

Add the marshmallows and cook gently until they are completely melted and blended, stirring constantly.

Take the pan off the heat and immediately add the cereal, mixing lightly until well coated.

Press the mixture into a greased 32cm x 23cm tin; you may have to put on vinyl CSI gloves and press it down into the corners, as it will be very sticky. Flatten the top and then scatter over the edible glitter or sprinkles, if so inclined.

Let the marshmallow crispy squares cool completely in the tin and then cut them into 24 squares.

Magic Bars

Today I baked what I can only describe as one of the easiest recipes for bar cookies. The recipe is easy as all you do is layer the ingredients which consist of melted butter, digestive crumbs, desiccated coconut, chocolate chips, chopped pecans and the final ingredient being the condensed milk to bind it together. These bars pack a real punch with their rich, sweet, gooey texture and are definitely addictive. Your thinking why are they called Magic Bars??? Just watch them disappear!!

Magic Bars

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups (150 grams) graham cracker crumbs
1 1/3 cups (90 grams) sweetened flaked or shredded coconut
1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup (100 grams) chopped walnuts or pecans
1 - 14 ounce (396 grams) can of sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place the rack in the center of the oven. Have ready a 9 x 9 inch (23 x 23 cm) square baking pan. Set aside.
Melt the butter and pour it into the bottom of your pan. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly over the butter. Sprinkle the coconut over the crumbs. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the coconut. Sprinkle the nuts over the chocolate chips. Finally, drizzle the sweetened condensed milk over all the ingredients. Do not mix the ingredients together, just layer them.
Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the squares comes out clean. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Cut into squares. Store in the refrigerator. These bars can be frozen.
Makes about 16 - 2 inch squares.

Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Spring has finally arrived, what a beautiful sunny day! It was a lovely change waking up to a glorious day and walking into my kitchen with the sun shining away in the garden. The kitchen is one of my favourite places in my home, it’s where all my creations are born and made. So to celebrate the change in weather I decided to bake Peanut Butter Oat Bars, a favourite in our home. These oat bars are deliciously filling, and perfect to put in your kids or hubby's pack lunch box or for when they come home ravenous. No true peanut butter lover would be able to resist!




Peanut Butter Oat Bars

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick/4 oz./113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Instructions:
Position oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan with butter, then line it with parchment paper, letting it hang over 2 sides. In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking soda and salt and stir with a whisk until well blended. Set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, brown sugar and peanut butter on medium speed until creamy, about 3 minutes. Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the egg and vanilla and beat well. Turn off the mixer and add the flour-oat mixture. Beat on low speed just until blended. Using the rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the pan and spread it evenly. Place the baking pan in the oven and bake until the top of the cookie is golden and looks firm, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the baking pan from the oven and set it on a wire cooling rack. Let cool completely. Lift the cookie from the pan, dust it with confectioners’ sugar and cut it into 1 x 4-inch bars.

Makes 16 bars.