Since my last entry the pastry apprenticeship I was doing ended due to unexpected circumstances and I started working for Starbucks full-time. It was slightly off-putting at first because I always told myself I'd never work for a corporate company of that size, but I quickly grew to love the company and the wonderful team of people I was working with. Just after I was offered a promotion there, I got a phone call from the pastry chef with whom I did my apprenticeship and he offered me a full-time position as a pastry line-cook in their kitchen; me, the girl with a huge passion for baking but no formal experience or culinary school degree - this opportunity was too good to pass up so of course I agreed. I said a sad good-bye to my Starbucks co-workers yesterday and today I'll give a warm hello to the team I already grew to love during my apprenticeship a few months ago.

I thought the least I could do for my fellow Starbucks employees was bake them some cookies as a farewell gift, and after seeing them all pounce on some peanut butter cookies at our holiday meeting, I figured peanut butter must be the way to go. I had recently come across a recipe on Smitten Kitchen for peanut butter crispie bars and I was sold. Apparently, so was everyone at Starbucks - these were a big hit!

Peanut Butter Crispy Bars
From Deb at Smitten Kitchen, who adapted it from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Deb's wise words of advice: These bars are sticky and indulgent and not good for you in any way, so before you even ask, perhaps you can make them with organic, low-fat peanut butter, whole grain bio-crisped rice cereal or a sugar substitute but you shouldn’t. Nobody likes a party pooper.

For the crispy crust
1 3/4 cups crisped rice cereal
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For the milk chocolate peanut butter layer
5 ounces good-quality milk or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup creamy peanut butter

For the chocolate icing
3 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72 percent cocoa), coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon light corn syrup
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick or 2 ounces) unsalted butter

Make the crispy crust: Lightly spray a paper towel with nonstick cooking spray and use it to rub the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan.

Put the cereal in a large bowl and set aside.

Pour 1/4 cup water into a small saucepan. Gently add the sugar and corn syrup (do not let any sugar or syrup get on the sides of the pan) and use a small wooden spoon to stir the mixture until just combined. Put a candy thermometer in the saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; cook until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 235 degrees F.

Remove from the heat, stir in the butter, and pour the mixture over the cereal. Working quickly, stir until the cereal is thoroughly coated, then pour it into the prepared pan. Using your hands, press the mixture into the bottom of the pan (do not press up the sides). Let the crust cool to room temperature while you make the next layer.

Make the milk chocolate peanut butter layer: In a large nonreactive metal bowl, stir together the chocolate and the peanut butter. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for about 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the cooled crust. Put the pan in the refridgerator for 1 hour, or until the top layer hardens.

Make the chocolate icing: In a large nonreactive metal bowl, combine the chocolate, corn syrup, and butter.

Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and cook, stirring with a rubber spatula, until the mixture is completely smooth. Remove the bowl from the pan and stir for 30 seconds to cool slightly. Pour the mixture over the chilled milk chocolate peanut butter layer and spread (I went with Deb's suggestion to just roll it around until it coated smoothly, avoiding the risk of picking up any of the peanut butter layer with it) into an even layer. Put the pan into the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until the topping hardens.

Cut into 16 squares and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator, covered tightly, for up to 4 days.

Labels: chocolate, peanut butter, rice krispies