Crunchy Surprise Bars Recipes

CRUNCHY SURPRISE BARS

Steps:

• Mix first 5 ingredients with spoon.
• Stir in flour and one cup of the chocolate chips.
• Press dough into an ungreased 13x9x2 baking pan.
• Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.
• While dough is baking, mix remaining chocolate chips, raisins, peanuts and peanut butter in a 2 quart sauce pan.
• Heat over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until chocolate chips are melted.
• Spread over crust in pan.
• Refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• cut into bars about 2"x1".

SWEET AND SALTY CRUNCHY NUT BARS

Steps:

• Be still my beating heart! Or perhaps this is not the best thing to say here, given the likelihood of this lusciously over-the-top piece of chocolate excess inducing just such an outcome. I wouldn't want to make this very often, so impossible is it to walk away from with any conviction. I fear it is the kitchen equivalent to crack cocaine.
• Still, as the French say "Everything in moderation, even moderation." This is gloriously intemperate, riotously vulgar. I love it.
• The key is the blaring balance between sweet and salty: it's like several klaxons going off in your head as you eat. And it's strange that while I would normally eschew an all-milk chocolate offering, I prefer it here to the bittersweet-and-milk mixed version. Not that either is bad, and since the jury is matched on this, I feel it only right to alert you to either option. For what it's worth, I like the darker version in the round pan and cut into panforte-type skinny wedges, and my preferred milk chocolate version set in a rectangular pan and cut into chunky, squat slabs (rather as I feel and look like after eating too many of them).
• Line your springform pan with aluminum foil or use a foil pan.
• Break up or chop the chocolate into pieces, and drop into a heavy-based saucepan. Add the butter and syrup, put on a low heat, and melt gently together.
• Tip the peanuts into a bowl, and crush the honeycomb candy with your hands, letting the golden-glinting rubble fall into the nuts.
• Take the melted chocolate mixture off the heat and stir in the peanuts and crushed honeycomb candy, then tip straight into the springform pan or foil pan. Smooth the top of the mixture as much as you can, pressing down with a silicon spatula or vinyl-disposable-gloved hand. Put into the refrigerator for about 4 hours, and once set, cut into slices as desired.
• Make Ahead Note: The bars can be made 1 day ahead. Transfer slices to airtight container, layered with parchment paper, and store in refrigerator. Keeps for 3 to 4 days.

CRISPY-CRUNCHY BARS

Steps:

• Melt 3 tablespoons butter, 10 ounces marshmallows and 1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter) in a large saucepan over low heat. Stir in 4 cups crisp brown cereal, 1 cup granola and 1 cup chopped almonds. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Press into a buttered 9-inch square pan; let cool, then cut into bars.
• Copyright (c)2011 Food Network Magazine, LLC. Published by Hyperion. Available wherever books are sold. All Rights Reserved. Photograph courtesy of Antonis Achilleos.

CRUNCHIE BAR

Steps:

• First set out all the utensils, which includes:
• 2 pans,
• 1 glass bowls,
• 1 plastic tuppaware,
• some cling film,
• spatular,
• 2 wooden spoons,
• weighing scales,
• 1 wooden rolling pin,
• 1 large plate,
• 2 table spoons and
• 1 tea spoon.
• Secondly, measure out the caster sugar and the golden syrup, then add to a small pan and turn on the heat.
• While the sugar mixture is heating up, weigh out the chocolate and water then add to a glass bowl. Then use the double boiler method. (To make a double boiler, you have to put water in to a pan then let it boil. After that you add the bowl of chocolate and water.)
• While the water is boiling stir the sugar mixture until smooth and runny. By this point there should be no sugar grains in the pan. Then take off the heat and add biocarbanate of soda.A fizzing reaction should appear. Then put the cling film inside the tuppaware and gently, using the spatular scrape out all the mixture. Now leave to set.
• Return to the boiling water and place bowl on top of pan. This should instantly start to melt the chocolate. Now turn watere temperature down to a simmer heat (low). REMEMBER : keep the water on a low heat. If heat is high, chocolate starts to thicken.
• If chocolate starts to thicken, don't worry: just add another tablespoon of water to the chocolate. This should make it runny again.
• The sugar mixture should be hard. If not leave it to set for another 15 minutes. Next, carefully pull each side of the cling film up and this should ease the mixture up and out of the mould.
• Next, get out the rolling pin and hit the mixture so it will crack into pieces.
• Finally put the heat back on the chocolate so it's warm. Now dip the Crunchie pieces in to chocolate and lay flat on your large plate.
• Leave to cool and eat!

CRUNCHY DESSERT BARS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat the first four ingredients until smooth. Stir in cereal. , Transfer to a foil-lined 8-in. square pan. Cover and freeze for 3-4 hours or until firm. Use foil to lift out of pan; discard foil. Cut into bars.

COFFEE CRUNCH BARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F. Whisk first 3 ingredients in medium bowl to blend.
• Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in another medium bowl until blended, about 2 minutes. Add espresso powder and almond extract; beat 1 minute. Stir in flour mixture in 3 additions, mixing until just absorbed after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips and almonds (dough will be thick).
• Turn dough out onto ungreased rimmed baking sheet. Using hands, press dough into 12-inch square. Pierce all over with fork at 1-inch intervals.
• Bake until edges are lightly browned and beginning to crisp, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool on sheet 1 minute. Cut into 48 bars. Immediately transfer to rack; cool (bars will crisp as they cool). DO AHEAD: Can be made 5 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

SURPRISE BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350.
• Crush crackers to small pieces but not crumbs.
• Add Skor bits and mix.
• Pour in Condensed milk, mix thoroughly.
• Pat into 9 x 13 pan lined with parchment paper.
• Bake approx 15 minutess.
• Sprinkle chocolate chips over base.
• Return to the oven for about 2 minutes.
• Remove from oven,.
• Spread melted chocolate evenly over the top.
• Cool, cut into bars.

CRUNCH BARS

Steps:

• For cookie base:
• Arrange a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375°F. Line the bottom and sides of a 13x9x2" metal or glass baking dish with foil, allowing 2" overhang on either side; butter foil in dish.
• Using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat 1 cup butter in a large bowl until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add both sugars and salt; continue to beat until mixture is light and creamy, about 3 minutes longer. Beat in vanilla, then slowly mix in flour, beating until entirely incorporated (dough will be wet and sticky).
• Scrape dough into prepared dish. Using your fingertips, spread into a thin, even layer.
• Bake cookie base until it is golden brown and has begun to puff and crack, about 22 minutes. DO AHEAD: Base can be made 2 days ahead. Let cool completely and store airtight at room temperature.
• For topping:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Scatter chopped chocolate evenly over cookie base and bake just until chocolate is soft and has begun to melt, about 2 minutes. Immediately spread chocolate in an even layer over base.
• Scatter toppings over warm chocolate; lightly but firmly press into chocolate. Sprinkle with salt. Let cool in dish on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Using foil overhang, lift cookie from dish. Place on rack; let cool until chocolate is set, about 2 hours.
• Carefully remove foil from cookie and slide onto a cutting board. Cut into bars. DO AHEAD: Crunch Bars can be made 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.