NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER CUP BARS

No-Bake Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cup Bars image

Provided by Martha Stewart

Time 4h30m

Yield Makes sixteen 2-inch squares

Number Of Ingredients 6

Vegetable-oil cooking spray
16 ounces creamy peanut butter, such as Jif (1 3/4 cups)
1 stick plus 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups confectioners' sugar
6 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped (1 cup)

Steps:

Coat bottom and sides of an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray. Line bottom and two sides with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang. In a large bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups peanut butter, 1 stick butter, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in confectioners' sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, until smooth. Transfer to prepared pan; press with your hands to flatten and smooth top (if mixture is too sticky, dampen them slightly).
Combine chocolate and 4 tablespoons butter in a metal bowl. Set over a saucepan containing 2 inches of simmering water; stir with a rubber spatula until chocolate has melted and mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from heat and let cool slightly, stirring gently, about 3 minutes. Pour chocolate over peanut-butter mixture in baking pan, tilting pan to ensure chocolate spreads evenly across top.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together remaining 2 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup peanut butter until smooth. Let stand until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Drop 1/4-to-3/4-teaspoon rounds of mixture on top of chocolate in baking pan in 1-inch intervals. Drag the tip of a wooden skewer or toothpick quickly through center of each round to create a heart shape. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours or, loosely covered, up to 1 week.
Run a paring knife along edges of pan on the two sides not lined with parchment. Use parchment overhangs to lift from pan; cut into 2-inch bars. Serve cold.