Peanut Butter and Nutella Bars

The original recipe from Ina Garten is called Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars. But I don't even like PB & J sandwiches. So I thought, what goes really well with peanut butter? Chocolate! And what's the perfect gooey chocolate spread that I can use for the center of my bars? Nutella!

Ingredients:

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (you can buy imitation vanilla extract without alcohol)
2 extra-large eggs
2 cups (18 ounces) creamy peanut butter (recommended: Skippy)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 cups (18 ounces) Nutella
2-3 Heath Bars


1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan. Line it with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. I couldn't find the electric mixer attachment to my hand held mixer, so I just used the blender attachment.

4. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined.

5. In a small bowl, sift together the flour, and baking powder. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.

6. Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or offset spatula.

7. Spread the Nutella evenly over the dough.

8. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the Nutella. Don't worry if all the Nutella isn't covered; it will spread in the oven.

9. Sprinkle with crumbled Heath bars and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown. Cool and cut into squares.