Melissa Hemsley’s chocolate peanut butter (no-bake) bar recipe

This no-bake family favourite treat is pretty irresistible, but if you don’t devour them over a few days, says Melissa Hemsley, “they will keep for a week in a sealed container. Store in the fridge in warmer months.

“If catering to any nut allergies, swap the ground almonds for more oats and switch the nut butter for pumpkin seed butter.

“If you have a preferred nut butter, try that – I love a cashew butter, but keep it to the smooth variety for a silkier texture. Look out for 60% minimum cocoa solids for your chocolate.”

Chocolate peanut butter (no-bake) bar

Ingredients:
(Serves 16, takes 20 minutes to prep)

250g smooth peanut butter
100g ground almonds
100g porridge oats
6tbsp maple syrup
1tsp vanilla extract
Little pinch of sea salt

For the chocolate layer:
180g dark chocolate, roughly broken
1tbsp smooth peanut butter
Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling

Optional topping:
2 handfuls of toasted peanuts

Method:

1. Line a small tin or dish (about 15cm x 8cm or square equivalent) with greaseproof paper, making sure it comes up high enough on the sides so that you can lift the mixture out of the tin once it’s set.

2. Mix the peanut butter, ground almonds, oats, maple syrup, vanilla and salt together in a bowl. Transfer to the lined tin, pressing down with the back of a spoon or spatula to make it even and compact.

3. For the chocolate layer, melt the chocolate in a bain-marie (a heatproof bowl set over a pan of very lightly simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water). Once melted, stir through the peanut butter and pour this evenly over the base.

4. If topping with the whole peanuts, scatter these over the chocolate layer. Sprinkle over a little pinch of flaky sea salt.

5. Set in the fridge for one hour or until firm, then cut into 16 pieces to serve.

Real Healthy by Melissa Hemsley is published in hardback by Ebury Press, priced £26. Photography by Lizzie Mayson. Available now