Chocolate peanut-butter oat-crumble squares recipe

Melt-in-your mouth, home-made peanut butter-infused chocolate is sandwiched between date-sweetened oat and coconut-oil crumble.

Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 40 minutes freezing | Cooking time: 15 minutes

MAKES

15 small squares

INGREDIENTS

• 115g pitted Medjool dates

• 75ml coconut oil, at room temperature

• 200g gluten-free rolled oats

• Fine sea salt

For the peanut-butter drizzle

• 1 tbsp virgin coconut oil

• 2 tbsp smooth natural peanut butter

• 1 tbsp plus 2 tsp pure maple syrup

• Pinch of sea salt (optional)

For the chocolate peanut-butter sauce

• 60ml pure maple syrup

• 60ml coconut oil

• 25g unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1½ tbsp smooth natural peanut butter

• Pinch of sea salt

METHOD

1. Line a 900g loaf tin with a piece of baking parchment cut to fit its width, with a few inches of overhang on each side.

2. Prepare the oat crumble. Add the dates and coconut oil to a food processor and process until finely chopped – 15-20 seconds. Add the oats, ½ tsp salt and 2 tbsp of water. Process for 8-10 seconds, just until the mixture is coarsely chopped and easily sticks together when pressed between your fingers. If your dough is a bit dry, add another tablespoon of water and process until just combined.

3. Scatter roughly one third to half of the oat mixture over the bottom of the prepared tin. Spread it out evenly and press it down firmly with your fingers to form a level crust. Set aside the remaining mixture.

4. Prepare the peanut- butter drizzle. In a small saucepan, melt the coconut oil over a low heat. Transfer the melted oil to a small bowl and whisk in the peanut butter and maple syrup until smooth. Add a tiny pinch of salt, to taste. The drizzle will be very runny. Set aside.

5. Prepare the chocolate peanut-butter sauce. In the same saucepan you used for the drizzle (no need to clean it out!), combine the maple syrup and coconut oil and heat over a low heat until the coconut oil has melted. Whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth, then add the peanut butter and whisk until smooth. Add a pinch of salt, to taste, and whisk to combine. The chocolate sauce will look a bit gooey, oily and a little thicker than the peanut-butter drizzle, but this is normal.

6. Pour the chocolate peanut- butter sauce over the crust, and spread it out evenly until it covers the surface.

7. Slowly pour the drizzle over the chocolate sauce in a zigzag pattern. If you have any big chocolate patches without drizzle, you can use a spoon to gently spread the drizzle to cover them.

8. Crumble the remaining oat mixture over the top, gently pressing it into the drizzle so it adheres.

9. Transfer the tin to a level surface in the freezer and chill for at least 40 minutes and up to two hours, until the squares firm up. Using the overhanging parchment, lift the slab from the tin and set it on a cutting board. Slice into squares and serve.

Recipe from ‘Oh She Glows for Dinner’ by Angela Liddon (Avery, £29.99).