Any time I try a recipe I immediately start trying to pick apart the ingredients and find ways to make it my own. My mother-in-law brought over these peanut butter fudge bars with a nice thick layer of chocolate on top. I thought ‘sure I’ll try a nibble’ , then I walked into the next room. But I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I needed another bite. I think I four bars that day. In thinking of my own spin on them, my mind immediately went to Millionaire Bars. So, behold—Billionaire Bars. The layers of buttery, crisp shortbread, crunchy-yet-smooth peanut butter and snappy semi-sweet chocolate make for the perfect bite of textural deliciousness.
What to Notice
- When mixing shortbread it can look really crumbly. Keep mixing until all of the crumbles look more like dough. It will be super-soft and easy to manipulate like playdough.
- Be careful not to overbake your shortbread crust. Shortbread should look slightly pale once it’s finished baking. To know it’s done, look at the perimeter and watch for a slight golden brown hue to form, then pull it from the oven.
- Getting the texture of the peanut butter mixture right is the key to these bars. Spread it between your fingers and taste it as you go. Is it too crumbly? Add a dash more cream. You’re looking for a thick, spreadable consistency that’s creamy and fudge-like while still having some texture from the peanuts and Rice Krispies.
Servings: 16 Bars
Ingredients
For the Shortbread:
- 1 stick of unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
For the Peanut Butter Layer:
- 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
- 4 full sheets graham crackers blended in food processor
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup Rice Krispies
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
For the Chocolate Layer:
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Make the Shortbread Layer:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prep a 9×9 square baking dish with 2 thick strips of parchment that intersect in the middle and hang over the sides slightly. Set this aside.
- In a bowl of a mixer, add your butter and sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add in vanilla, salt and flour and mix until just combined. Press the dough into the bottom of the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the edges have begun to get golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
- Make the Peanut Butter Layer:
- Place the peanut butter, butter and vanilla in a bowl of a mixer and beat until creamy. Mix in the graham cracker crumbs and powdered sugar, mix to combine. Finally, add the rice Krispies, mixing with a spatula by hand to keep in-tact. Set this aside while you melt the chocolate.
Make the Chocolate Layers:
- Place about 2 inches of water in a later pot, bring to a simmer. Place a heat-proof bowl on top and pour in the bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Be sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water— you just want the steam. Stir until all the chocolate is melted.
To Assemble:
- Spread about 1/3 of the chocolate over top the shortbread. Place in the fridge to set for about 30 minutes.
- Next, spread all the peanut butter mixture on top of the chocolate later. Finish with the remainder of the chocolate and sprinkle with a dash of sea salt. Place in the fridge to set up for about 2 hours. When ready to serve, loosen the edges of the pan with a knife and pull up on the parchment wings to remove the bars from the baking dish. Place on a cutting board and cut into small squares.
