Gluten-Free Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
Ingredients
- 21/2 cups peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 21/2 cups coarsely crushed gluten-free graham crackers
- ganache topping
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Preparation
For the peanut butter filling, lightly butter a 13 x 9-inch baking pan and set aside
Put the peanut butter in a large mixing bowl. You can mix by hand or in a machine on medium-low speed. Mix the melted butter and maple syrup in a medium bowl, then gradually add the butter mixture to the peanut butter, stirring until everything is combined. Fold in the crushed graham crackers and pour the filling into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly to the edges. The filling will be somewhat loose
Chill the filling until firm, about 11/2 hours in the refrigerator or 45 minutes in the freezer
For the ganache topping, combine the cream and maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and mix in the chopped chocolate, stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. If the ganache appears a little grainy, stir in a little more cream until it is completely smooth and shiny
Spread the ganache evenly over the chilled peanut butter filling all the way to the edges. Chill until firm, about 45 minutes in the refrigerator or 25 minutes in the freezer
Cut into 24 pieces (2-inch squares). To cut cleanly, dip a sharp knife in very hot water until heated through, then dry thoroughly. Between cuts, dip the knife in hot water and wipe it dry. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Serve chilled, as the bars begin to melt at room temperature