Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
- 2 sticks (16 tablespoons) salted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for greasing
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup finely chopped salted peanuts
- 1 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup grape jam or chunky preserves
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut a piece of foil 9 by 20-inches.
- Butter the corners and sides of a 9-by-13-inch baking pan.
- Line the pan with the foil so that the excess hangs over at each of the short sides of the pan.
- Whisk the flour in a medium bowl with the baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Whisk in 1/2 cup peanuts.
- Put the melted butter in a large bowl and use a rubber spatula to stir in the sugars.
- Stir vigorously, mashing the brown sugar lumps with the spatula, so that the mixture is well combined and creamy.
- Using the rubber spatula, stir in the peanut butter, again making sure the mixture is well combined.
- Stir in the eggs and vanilla.
- Fold in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
- Press the back of a spoon or a curved rubber spatula into the batter to make little wells all over the batter, making sure not to push down to the bottom of the pan.
- Spoon the jam into the wells, making sure the jam is distributed evenly across the pan.
- Use a knife to pull the jam through the peanut butter mixture-it won't exactly ribbon, you will end up with some chunks of jam throughout.
- Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chopped peanuts over the top.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a non-jammy spot comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
- Cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour.
- When the bar has cooled completely, place a lightweight cutting board or a baking rack over the top of the pan.
- Flip and set on the counter.
- Gently pull the pan from the foil and the foil from the pan to remove.
- Gently peel the foil off the bar.
- Place another lightweight cutting board on top, and flip the bar right-side-up.
- For easier slicing, wrap with plastic wrap, and let sit at room temperature overnight.
- Cut into forty eight 1 1/2-inch squares.
butter, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, peanuts, brown sugar, granulated sugar, crunchy peanut butter, eggs, vanilla, grape
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/peanut-butter-and-jelly-bars.html (may not work)