The Great Naptown Bake Off: Top Treats!

After some rigorous rounds of voting on the recipes, we selected the final round of 10 recipes that our friends at Black Market Bakers baked for us. A huge thank you to bakers (and new Scoop friends): Hannah, Muriele, Alma, Kaci, and Miguel. 

Guess what else is super sweet? Black Market Bakers is putting the winning recipe on their menu next week! So if you want to try them (and not bake them), head over to 155 Mitchells Chance Rd in Edgewater to grab some. 

Want to see full coverage of our taste test and all the behind-the-scenes, sugar-slinging action? You’ll have to check out our Instagram.

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So without further ado, here are your Naptown Star Bakers:

Grand Prize Winner: Maryalice Brady: Fudgy Salty Peanut Butter Bar Cookies  

Second Place: Florence August: Mom’s Pralines

Third Place: Sheri Green: Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Delights

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Fudgy Salty Peanut Butter Bar Cookies  

By Maryalice Brady

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Batter Layer:

• 1 1/4 sticks unsalted butter, plus more, softened, for pan
• 1 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Peanut Buttercream Layer:

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (don't use old-fashioned or natural)
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup salted cocktail peanuts (optional)

Ganache:

• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325℉.

For batter: Melt your butter in a medium (or large) heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water.

While the butter is melting, whisk the cocoa powder, sea salt, and sugar in a separate bowl. (The sugar and salt will work as abrasive agents to get any lumps out of the cocoa.) Whisk the cocoa/sugar/salt combo into the melted butter until the sugar has dissolved fully. The mixture should look like fudge and pull away from the bowl into a ball. Take off the stove and set the pan on a dishtowel on the counter. Allow the fudgy mixture to cool down until it's warm but not hot anymore.

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While that is cooling, line the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with parchment paper or foil. Leave about 4 inches of overhang on the 2 opposite sides. These serve as your handles to remove the bars from the pan in one piece, so make sure that there is enough of an overhang to have a solid grip. Grease the parchment or foil well.

Stir the vanilla into the cooled fudgy mixture to loosen it up. Add the eggs into the mixture one at a time, adding the second egg after the first egg is fully incorporated. The batter should look shiny and well blended. Add in your flour and stir it until it's fully incorporated. Once it looks fully blended, beat the batter vigorously for at least 45 strokes. Fold in your chocolate chips. Spread the very thick and fudgy batter evenly in the lined pan with an offset spatula or your greased hands.

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Pop batter in the oven and bake until they get a nice crust, 30 to 35 minutes. Let them cool completely on a rack or a dishtowel.

While the bars are cooling, bake the buttercream and ganache.

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For the buttercream:  Mix your peanut butter and butter together in a stand mixer until they are totally blended. Turn your mixer down and slowly add your powdered sugar and fine sea salt. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl. Turn your mixer back to medium and add milk and vanilla and keep mixing until it's fully blended. Dollop the peanut butter buttercream in heaping spoonfuls on top of the cooled bars. Evenly spread it with the back of a butter knife over the surface. Scatter the peanuts evenly over the buttercream, pressing into the buttercream so the ganache has something to hold on to and the peanuts are all covered.

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For the ganache:  Melt the chocolate chips and butter together in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Allow the ganache to cool down slightly for 10 minutes or so, then pour it evenly over the peanut butter buttercream layer. Smooth the ganache out with the back of a butter knife, making sure to cover the buttercream and peanuts completely. Chill the bars in the refrigerator until the toppings are set, 1 1/2 hours or so.

Remove bars from the refrigerator. Lift up the ends of the foil liner and place the Fudgy Salty Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars on a cutting board. Cut into bars. 12 to 16 servings.

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Editor’s Note: Not a fan of peanuts? Steve from Black Market Bakers suggests leaving off the peanuts and peanut butter in favor of another creative buttercream choice. Orange buttercream is a great combination with the chocolate, or you could go more seasonal and do a peppermint buttercream. 

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Mom’s Pralines

By Florence August

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• 48 Graham crackers 
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup pecans

Preheat oven to 350℉. Separate the crackers on "divider lines" and place on cookie sheet to fill the pan completely. Melt butter in a saucepan, add sugar and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for exactly 2 minutes. Pour over crackers. Sprinkle on nuts. Bake 10 minutes. Remove from pan as soon as they can be handled. Cool on foil. 

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Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Delights

By Sheri Green

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup natural unsweetened cocoa
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, slightly softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 10 oz. dark chocolate chips – MUST be dark chocolate

Preheat oven to 350℉.

In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, soda and salt using a wire whisk and set aside. In another bowl, cream butter, sugar, and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture and mix until combined.

Stir in dark chocolate chips. Roll cookie dough into 1-1/4 inch balls. Place on baking sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes. Place cookies on cookie rack to cool. Best enjoyed warm with a big glass of milk!

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