Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars have been around for ages…this recipe is actually adapted from a recipe for Peanut Butter Balls that has been passed down from my great-grandmother.  Most recipes call for graham cracker crumbs or rice crispy cereal but I like the crunch that the corn flakes add in this recipe, for an extra crispy texture I use crunchy peanut butter too.  I decided to make them into squares and add the layer of chocolate but they are equally good plain as bars, squares or balls! 

Crispy Peanut Butter Chocolate Squares

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup organic corn syrup

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 Tbsp. butter

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

1/8 tsp. salt

3 cups organic gluten-free corn flakes

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate

Butter for greasing baking dish

Directions:

Grease an 8×8 baking dish with butter.

In a large mixing bowl, measure 3 cups corn flakes, crush the corn flakes with your hands until fine.  Add 1/8 tsp. salt and mix, set aside.

In a small saucepan bring the sugar and corn syrup to a boil and then quickly remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla, butter and peanut butter until smooth and creamy.

Pour peanut butter mixture into the corn flakes and stir to combine.  Press into the greased baking dish using a rubber spatula or a piece of waxed paper.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave or on the stove.  Pour over the peanut butter and corn flake mixture and spread evenly to the edges with an offset spatula.

Place the dish in the refrigerator until set.  Once the squares are set loosen the sides with a metal spatula taking care not to break the chocolate topping.  Turn the square out onto a sheet of waxed paper, chocolate side down.  Using a sharp knife cut the candy into 16 squares.

I like to serve the squares on a platter with some turned chocolate side up and some peanut butter side up…they will get softer at room temperature so keep them in the fridge until ready to serve.  We like them best at room temp.