Four o’ Clock Bar

Your Favourite New Bar

This is the cure for four o’ clock. Four o’clock is the time when your entire day of healthy, conscientious eating can go to hell. It’s late afternoon, you’ve been good, but you’re hungry and, maybe, you’re cranky. And maybe, in your cranky state, you’re contemplating Peanut Butter Cups. Or a Japadog from down the street. Maybe you’re thinking f*#k it, I’m starving. Don’t do it! Be prepared! Make these, your new favourite bars. Now, this bar isn’t for everyone. Take Michael, for example. He’s all “I can’t breathe” when he eats peanuts. You, however, like peanuts. And peanut butter things. A tremendous amount. That’s why you were thinking about Peanut Butter Cups. Think about making these instead. At 4:10 you are not going to feel guilty that you ate convenience store chocolate or a Japanese-inspired hot dog. No, you will feel satisfied and smug. And a little bit sorry for Michael that he can’t eat peanuts.

Makes 12 Bars

45 dried dates

1/2 cup almonds

1/2 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, plus 1/4 cup more to finish, chopped

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

If you’ve made this, this or that, the method is pretty much the same. Coincidentally, this is the fourth bar. So naming it the Four o’ Clock bar is especially apt. If this is your first bar of mine, here is the method. Soak dates in hot water for a few minutes. While they’re hydrating and soaking in their little bowl of a bath, measure the almonds and first quantity of peanuts into your food processor. Grind away for a couple of minutes. Drain the dates and turn them into the food processor bowl and whir together, just enough to get the ingredients clumping. Blob in the peanut butter and sprinkle in the sea salt. Pulse on and off to combine. You can the round the mixture into balls, or press into a pan. Either way, finish with the chopped peanuts. If you’ve panned them, chill for a while to firm and then portion into bars. Well done.

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