Nutty by Nature
Peanut Butter & Cream Icebox Bars with Graham and Vanilla Layers
2 hours (20 minutes active, plus chilling time)
Serves 4
DessertAmerican
Herb's take
Here’s my riff on a no-bake American classic, fusing peanut butter, cream, and nostalgic cereals into a retro-cool dessert bar. You’ll master peanut butter ganache and the noble art of layered assembly, no oven mitts required.
Equipment needed
- 8x8 inch square pan
- parchment paper
- offset spatula (optional)
Ingredients
Yield
4
Instructions
- 01Combine the crushed golden grahams, nilla wafers, flour, and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl.
- 02Add the melted coconut oil and stir until the mixture resembles damp sand and holds together when pressed.
- 03Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of an 8x8 inch pan lined with parchment paper. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes to firm up.
- 04While the crust chills, heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan just until steaming, not boiling.
- 05Pour the hot cream over the chopped peanuts in a heatproof bowl. Let sit 2 minutes, then stir vigorously until a thick, chunky ganache forms.
- 06Sift the powdered sugar over the peanut mixture and stir until fully incorporated.
- 07Spread the peanut-cream layer evenly over the chilled crust. Use an offset spatula for best results.
- 08Sprinkle the remaining crushed golden grahams (from any dust in your bag) and a few reserved chopped peanuts on top for crunch.
- 09Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour, or until set.
- 10Lift from the pan using the parchment and cut into bars. Serve chilled.
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