Here is a recipe I came across in the Costco Magazine. It was so odd I decided to try it and it turned out really well. The peanut butter layer has a crisp texture kind of like English toffee. I only made 1/4 batch, which was enough I will be eating it for a week.
16 oz sugar
12 oz honey
1/2 cup water
18 oz peanut butter
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp shortening
course salt (optional)
Line a cooking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
In a heavy saucepan combine sugar, honey, and water and bring to a boil. Cover and boil for 5 minutes. Insert a candy thermometer and continue cooking until the mixture reaches 295 degrees F. (almost hard crack) (note, this didn't take as long as I thought it might, maybe 10 minutes). Meanwhile, put the peanut butter into a pyrex bowl and find a wooden spoon. When the sugar mixture is hot enough pour it into the peanut butter and stir with the wooden spoon (a medal spoon might ruin it for some reason) until mostly mixed (it is OK if the peanut butter isn't entirely mixed in.) Pour out onto the parchment paper and spread until it is about 1/8-1/4 inch thick. Use a pizza cutter to cut into squares while it is still warm. Then let cool thoroughly (about 45 minutes).
Melt the chocolate and shortening in the microwave, cooking for 30 seconds, then stirring and repeating until the chocolate is all melted. Pour on top of the peanut butter layer. Cool slightly and then sprinkle with course salt if desired. Cut again with the pizza wheel, following the original cut lines. Cool until the chocolate is firm. Break into pieces along the cut lines and store in a sealed container for up to a week.
This is a blog chronicling my attempt to be a vegetarian for one summer and a later attempt to go low-fat vegan. It includes recipes and reflections on the experience.
