Peanut Butterscotch Shortbread
I’ve been meaning to post a really good peanut butter treat recipe but I wanted it to be just right. Once I made a few alterations and combined my butterscotch recipe with peanut butter chips I knew what needed to be done.
The initial planned outcome for this was, hopefully, a fancy nod to a Reese’s cup in a biscuit but the end product can only be described as a fancy snickers. Think, if the Queen asked her chef to make her a snickers, this is what she’d be expecting and for once, I’ll agree with the Queen!
Good news is this recipe is simple to put together and only requires 15 minutes bake time, bad news is it needs to set before slicing! Pro tip time: be sure to lick the bowls and spoons to help you resist temptation!
I thought smooth + crunchy peanut butterscotch fudge shortbread with a silky smooth chocolate combination top layer was a little long of a title so here she is, my peanut butterscotch shortbread recipe.
PEANUT BUTTERSCOTCH SHORTBREAD
⏲ PREP TIME: 20 minutes
⏲ BAKING TIME: 15 minutes
⏲ RESTING TIME: 2 - 12 hours
🍰 SERVINGS: 90 squares
EQUIPMENT
9 x 9 square baking tin/dish
large mixing bowl
sieve
whisk
heavy based saucepan
food weighing scale
INGREDIENTS
Shortbread Base
200g all purpose flour
5g baking powder
50g granulated sugar
4oz/ 110g salted butter
Peanut Butterscotch Fudge
2 tbs/ 28 grams salted butter
140g dark brown sugar
100g light brown sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
285g peanut butter chips
50ml heavy cream
5g vanilla extract
Chocolate Top
100g milk chocolate (I use Irish Dairymilk)
100g semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use nestle)
6g vegetable oil
60g salted peanuts
INSTRUCTIONS
Shortbread
1.
Preheat oven to 350°F, 180°C. Line and grease your square tin with parchment paper and butter.
2.
Sieve all purpose flour, baking powder and sugar into a large bowl.
3.
Add room temperature butter and mix together using your hands until the mixture comes together like breadcrumbs. It’ll be very quick.
4.
Add mixture to your tin and press down using your hands, starting from the corners and edges. Use the back of a spoon to smooth and even out the top.
5.
Prod the entire top with a fork and put into the oven for 15 minutes or until top is set and it’s starting to brown at the edges.
Peanut Butterscotch Fudge
1.
Weigh out all of your ingredients before starting.
2.
Using a heavy set pan melt your butter on low.
3.
When the butter is almost fully melted add your sugar and condensed milk and whisk through.
4.
Leave it on low and whisk when she starts to bubble, making sure it’s not sticking to the bottom.
You just want the sugar to dissolve here, it should be very quick, 5 minutes max. It will look light brown in colour and nice and smooth in consistency.
5.
At this point, add your peanut butter chips (I use Reese’s for obvious reasons!), heavy cream and vanilla and whisk through until the chips have melted.
6.
This should come together very fast, mine is usually about a minute max. Pour directly onto your shortbread base and level out with a spatula.
7.
Set it aside to cool, about 10 minutes, and put into the fridge to firm up before adding your chocolate. This won’t take long at all but I’d give it an hour if you can, so it’s nice and solid.You can always put this into the freezer for a few minutes if you’re eager to get on with it!
Chocolate Layer
1.
Put milk chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate into a microwave safe bowl with vegetable oil and heat in 30 second intervals until melted.
60 seconds is always enough for me, just make sure to thoroughly mix it though.
2.
Put chocolate aside to cool.
3.
Finely chop your salted peanuts, mixing half into your chocolate mix.
4.
Take your tray from the fridge or freezer and pour chocolate over the top, leveling it out with a spatula.
5.
Add the rest of the peanuts to the top and put back into the fridge to set completely.
6.
Cut into as little or as large squares that you like.
Bácáil Sona!