The Gourmet Gamer – Earthbound’s Peanut Cheese Bars

Posted on January 4, 2013 by glennplant

In this episode we take the retro icon Earthbound and make it’s peanut cheese bars a reality! Watch the video and if you want to make them, we’ve added the recipe to the description!

What you will need: An 8×8 inch square spring-form or lose-base cake tin, a whisk, two mixing bowls, greaseproof/baking paper, cling film/saran wrap and a rolling pin.

For the Cookie Base:
175g / 1 ¾ Cups Flour
½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
½ Teaspoon Salt
110g / ½ Cup Butter (Softened)
85g / ¾ Cup Caster Sugar/Superfine Sugar
85g / ¾ Cup Soft Brown Sugar
½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Egg

For the Chocolate:
150g / 1 Cup Chocolate
55g / ¼ Cup Butter
40g / ¼ Cup Crushed Salted Peanuts

For the Peanut Cheese Topping:
225g / 1 Cup Cream Cheese
170g / 2/3 Cup Smooth Peanut Butter (Skippy)
100g / ¾ Cup Icing/Confectioners Sugar
120ml / ½ Cup Whipping Cream

Making the Cookie Base:
Prepare the tin by greasing it with a little butter and lining the base and sides with greaseproof paper/baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 190C/370F.
In a large bowl beat the butter, caster sugar and brown sugar together until creamy. Slowly add the egg and continue to mix.
Gradually sift in the flour, baking soda and salt and mix well until a dough forms. If it’s very soft pop it in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
Place the dough between two large sheets of cling film/saran wrap and roll the dough out to roughly fit the base of your prepared tray. Transfer it to the tray and lightly press it in until the entire base is covered and even.
Bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Leave to cool while you prepare the chocolate layer.

Making the Chocolate Layer:
Over a bain-marie melt the chocolate with the butter until smooth and shiny. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Once cooled pour the chocolate over the cookie base and spread it out until even. Sprinkle over the crushed peanuts and with the back of a spoon, gently press them into the chocolate.
Place in the fridge to chill for around 30 minutes while you prepare the peanut cheese topping.

Making the Peanut Cheese Topping:
In a large bowl gently mix together the cream cheese, smooth peanut butter, sugar and cream. Once combined whisk it until pale and fluffy.
Spoon the peanut cheese mixture over the now chilled chocolate layer and smooth it out.
Sprinkle on top a few more crushed salted peanuts if you like, then place in the fridge for several hours until firm and chilled.
Once chilled remove the combination from the tin carefully and cut it into bars. 

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About glennplant

“GlennPlant” has been playing video games for as long as he can remember. From playing Mario on the NES for the first time at his friends’ house, to getting his first console the Sega MegaDrive with Sonic at launch. He has owned almost every home console released in the UK including all consoles by Sega, Nintendo and Amiga and was one of a few British owners to get the Panasonic 3DO. He launched his YouTube account in 2006 however only began uploading some years later when he returned to live in the UK to complete a degree in TV and Film production at the Northern Film School. On his channel he uploads frequent HD gaming related videos including reviews, collection pickups and is most known for his retrospective “N64 Magazine Time Capsule” series where he looks at old issues of N64 magazine which are packed full of historic news and game related development photos. Glenn’s other interests include professional wrestling (he produced the worlds first 3D Blu Ray of a wrestling event), filmmaking, building arcade cabinets and spending time with his girlfriend and their pet chihuahua “Mikachu”. Favorite Systems are: Nintendo 64, Super Nintendo, Megadrive, NES and Dreamcast. Favorite Games are: Zelda - Ocarina of Time (N64), Super Mario 3 (NES), Streets Of Rage 2 (MD), Progear (Arcade), Bladerunner (PC), Snatcher (S-CD)