Chef Jonathan St. Hilaire, pastry chef for Concentrics Restaurants
group in Atlanta,
is known for this signature chocolate dessert, a milk chocolate and peanut butter bar. It
is very similar to an opera cake with alternating layers of peanut
butter mixed with milk chocolate and a chocolate ganache.
“We layer
that five times and sneak in a center layer consisting of peanut
butter, 10x sugar, cookie crumbs, peanuts, and cinnamon. It has all
the flavors of a Reece’s Peanut Butter Cup.” (See article on Chef St. Hilaire.)
Peanut Butter Bars
Layer 1
15 oz Peanut
Butter, creamy
15 oz Milk Chocolate, melted
1 oz Butter, unsalted, softened
1. Cream
peanut butter and butter until smooth.
2. Fold in
melted chocolate.
3. Spread in
bottom of parchment lined sheet pan.
4. Place in
freezer until set and prep the next layer.
Layer 2
6 oz
Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped
3/4 cup Heavy
Cream
1. Place
chocolate in heat-proof bowl. Heat cream and pour over
chocolate.
2. Let sit to
melt chocolate and stir to combine.
3. When first
layer is set, spread dark chocolate layer evenly in pan.
4. Return to
freezer.
Layer 3
9 oz Butter,
unsalted, softened
1 cup Peanut
Butter, creamy
2 cups
Powdered Sugar, 10x
1 tsp Vanilla
Extract
2 ¾ cups
Vanilla Cookies, crushed
1 cup peanuts,
salted, chopped fine
1. Cream
butter, peanut butter, powdered sugar and vanilla
extract.
2. Add cookie
crumbs and peanuts.
3. Press on
top of dark chocolate layer evenly.
4. Return to
freezer.
Layer 4
6 oz
Bittersweet Chocolate
3/4 cup Heavy
Cream
Repeat same
process as layer 2.
Layer 5
15 oz Peanut
Butter, creamy
15 oz Milk
Chocolate, melted
1 oz Butter,
unsalted, softened
1. Repeat same
process as layer 1.
2. When entire
pan is set, turn out onto another sheet pan of the same
size or a board on top of a cooling rack. The bar will
be inverted so that the bottom is now the top.
Glaze
8 oz
Bittersweet Chocolate
5 1/2 oz
Butter, unsalted
1 1/3 oz
Brandy
2/3 oz Light
Corn Syrup
1. Melt
chocolate and butter over a double boiler until smooth
and emulsified.
2. Stir in
brandy and corn syrup.
3. Pour and
spread evenly over top.
4. Refrigerate
until set.
5. Score and cut into desired
shapes.
