Puffed Rice & Peanut Squares

📝 Ingredients

• 50 g plain puffed rice (unsweetened)
• 20 g unsalted roasted peanuts (15 g in the mixture, 5 g for the top)
• 80 g peanut butter
• 40 g honey
• 1 pinch of salt
• 30 g 70% dark chocolate
• 1 tsp sunflower oil

🍴 Utensils

• Square tin of about 15 cm
• Baking paper
• Small saucepan
• Mixing bowl
• Flexible spatula
• Microwave-safe bowl

📖 Steps

1. Line the tin with baking paper, leaving it overhanging on two sides: it will act as handles for lifting out. Roughly chop the peanuts with a knife, then put the puffed rice and 15 g of the peanuts in the mixing bowl.
2. In the small saucepan, melt the peanut butter, honey and salt over a low heat for 2 to 3 min, stirring, until smooth and runny. Don't let it boil: the honey would caramelise and the squares would turn hard.
3. Immediately pour this hot mixture over the puffed rice and stir with the silicone spatula, lifting from the bottom, until every grain is coated and glossy. Mix gently so as not to crush the rice.
4. Transfer to the tin and press down very firmly with the back of a spoon, then with the bottom of a glass, paying particular attention to the corners. This is the key step: a well-packed mixture gives squares that don't crumble.
5. Break the chocolate into the bowl, add the oil and melt in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each one, until smooth. Don't heat it all at once: the chocolate would burn and turn grainy.
6. Spread the chocolate in a thin layer over the packed rice with the back of a spoon, then scatter over the remaining 5 g peanuts, pressing them in lightly. Chill for 40 min, until the chocolate is completely set.
7. Lift out using the paper and cut into 16 small squares of about 3.5 cm with a large knife run under hot water and wiped dry, for clean cuts. Allow 4 squares per serving; they keep for 5 days in the fridge in an airtight container.