Dies ist das original Rezept, mit freundlicher Genehmigung von John Kovalic. Das Rezept hat die Idee für das Omnomnomnicron ausgelöst! Die Mengenangaben habe ich bereits umgerechnet und den Text übertrage ich, wenn ich Zeit finde. EAT ALL THE BARS!
INGREDIENTS:
Pan-style Cookie Base Layer
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (270 Gramm)
- 1 t. baking soda (1 Teelöffel)
- 1 t. salt (1 Teelöffel)
- 1 cup butter, softened (225 Gramm)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar (170g)
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (170g)
- 1 t. vanilla extract (1 Teelöffel)
- 2 eggs
- 1 (12 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips (336g)
Caramel Middle Layer
- Two 14-oz bags Kraft Caramels (784g)
- 3 Tb. milk or evaporated milk (Löffel)
- 1 t kosher salt (optional) (1 Teelöffel)
- 1 1/2 cups dry-roasted peanuts (165g)
Rice Krispie Treat® Layer
- 3 Tb. butter (Löffel)
- 1 package (10 oz., about 40) marshmallow or 4 cups miniature marshmallows (283g)
- 6 cups Rice Krispies® or other rice cereal. (660g)
Topping
- 16 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (453g)
You will also need:
- 15×10-inch jelly roll pan (a 9” x 13” x 2.5” or thereabouts lasagna-size pan can be substituted, but thicker Igor Bars may prove tough for little mouths)
- cooking spray, margarine or butter to grease the pan
- baking parchment paper
- two saucepans
- double-boiler. Two, preferably.*
Preheat an oven to 375 degrees. (190°C)
STEP ONE: PAN COOKIE LAYER
Grease a 15×10-inch jelly roll pan, and line it with parchment paper. Spray cooking spray onto the paper.
Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat the butter, the sugars and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spread in the pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. (I usually go for slightly “underbaked” here, at a scant 20 minutes bake time, to keep the finished Igor Bars moist and chewy. If you prefer more solid bars, the pan cookie can be bake for a few more minutes.)
STEP TWO: PEANUTS AND CARAMEL LAYER
Once the pan cookie is done, it’ll need some time to cool. While it’s baking is a good time to start unwrapping the caramels. This is easily the most tedious part of Igor Bars. Nobody will blame you if you designate this step to the kids’ nimble little fingers. Fortunately, you can sacrifice one or two caramel squares, for bribery purposes.
Place the unwrapped caramels, along with the milk and the salt (salty caramel is possibly the strongest argument I can think of for the existence of a loving deity – ignore the salt if your taste and/or worldview differs) in a saucepan. Cook on medium-low until the caramels are completely melted, stirring constantly. (This is a better job for the older kids – hot caramel’s nothing you want all over the floor or – more importantly – your progeny, and possibly you.)
You can also use a double-boiler for this step, if you wish. It’ll be a slower process, but there’s no risk of forgetting the caramel until the pungent smell of burnt sugar tells you it’s too late. If you only have one double-boiler, wash it after the caramels are poured, because you’ll need it later.
Pour the finished salty caramel over the cooled pan cookie, and spread evenly. Sprinkle the cup and a half of dry-roasted or other peanuts on top of this.
STEP THREE: RICE KRISPIES® TREAT LAYER
In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and then add the marshmallows, stirring constantly until completely melted and mixed together. Remove from the heat and add the Rice Krispies®, one cup at a time, stirring them into the melted marshmallow. As soon as you have a mass of soft, crispy, chewy goodness, spread with a buttered spatula or wax paper on top of the caramel and peanut-layer.
Melt 16 oz of semi-sweet chocolate chips in a double-boiler. When melted, spoon or drizzle over the Igor Bars.
Wait until the bars are cooled, and cut into 2” –3” squares.
Variations
Almost anything and everything can be added to Igor Bars! Let the kids get creative. Change up the chocolate-chip cookie layer: try a sugar cookie or oatmeal cookie base, instead! Add things to the caramel layer. Switch the topping to peanut-butter Rice Krispie® treats. Throw on some cut-up Peanut Butter Cups or crumbled English toffee pieces. Try a layer of frosting! Ad malted milk balls! Coconut! Chopped cashews! Dare we mention bacon? Or all of the above!
Look, nobody ever accused Igor Bars of being health food. In the famous words of Cookie Monster, Igor Bars are possibly the ultimate “Sometime Food.”
*Not everyone has a double-boiler on-hand, let alone two. You can melt the caramels and the chocolate topping in the microwave, as long as you use a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at one-minute intervals on “High,” stirring frequently until fully melted. Be careful: the bowls will get hot.