Chocolate Peanut Squares

Submitted by nmjunko

"I'm afraid to step on the scale since I started making these. They are really rich but so yummy!I got this recipe from "Forever Summer" by Nigella Lawson, and adapted it to the way I cook (simplified it!) This is my first submission! Hope you like it!"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 20mins
• Ingredients: 8
• Yields: 36 squares

ingredients

• Shortbread

• 2 cups flour
• 1⁄4 cup sugar
• 3⁄4 cup butter

• Peanut-caramel filling

• 14 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1⁄4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 1⁄4 cups dry-roasted salted peanuts
• 3⁄4 cup chocolate chips

directions

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. Line a 9 inch square baking pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
3. Process all the shortbread ingredients in a food processor until it barely starts to clump.
4. Put in pan and press down.
5. Bake at 325 about 40 minutes, or until golden brown.
6. Let cool.
7. Meanwhile, melt butter in large bowl in microwave (mine took 1 minute on hi).
8. Stir in condensed milk and corn syrup.
9. Microwave 2 minutes at 50%, stir.
10. Microwave 8 minutes longer at 50%, stopping every minute or so to stir.
11. Be careful it doesn't boil over!
12. Continue until the caramel is light golden brown, and then stir in peanuts.
13. Pour over crust.
14. Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot caramel, let melt and spread carefully to cover.
15. Refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour), remove from pan, peel off foil, and cut into 36 squares.
16. Store in refrigerator.

Reviews

[Bobbie S.]

I had a hard time in deciding whether to give this 3 or 4 stars. I'll go with 4 since I didn't have the correct size of pan and that might be the reason I'm having a hard time deciding on the rating. I found the shortbread layer to be too thick -- but the pan I had was 8x8 -- not 9x9. When I did the butter and condensed milk mixture in the microwave, I followed the times given. My butter sort of separated from the rest of the mixture. I'm not sure if that is a result of cooking it too long (or not long enough). I always seem to have better luck doing things like this on the stovetop rather than the microwave. I also felt there needed to be more chocolate chips for the topping layer -- and will add more the next time I make these. I'm also considering using pecans in place of the peanuts the next time. These are really sweet -- and very, very rich. I can see why people love them!

 

[Hey Jude]

These squares were a very popular addition to my cookie tray. These are like a cross between cookie and candy. My guests loved them and took all the leftovers home with them and now I'll have to make more.

 

[applee]

I found this recipe in a cooking magazine that spotlighted Nigella, and these were so good! I took them to a party and no one could stop eating them. They look very nice when cut up and placed in a basket to serve.

 

[Tamalita]

I don't think I've had these specific squares, but everything nmjunko makes is delicious!