Peanut and Cocoa Protein Bar

Headnote

This bar is built for clarity rather than excess: a dense, clean protein base, the measured depth of peanut, and a restrained cocoa finish. Its texture should be firm but yielding, with a slight chew from the crisp element and a smooth, cool snap from the fat phase. It is a composed bar, not a confection; every ingredient serves structure, balance, and finish.

Recipe essentials

Dish category: Protein bar

Cuisine or origin: Contemporary Scandinavian-inspired confectionery

Course type: Snack

Yield: 1 bar

Serving size: 55 g

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Difficulty: Moderate

Equipment

Digital scale

Small heatproof bowl

Small saucepan

Silicone spatula

55 g bar mold or a small rectangular mold of similar capacity

Parchment paper

Refrigerator

Ingredients

Protein base

18 g milk protein

7 g collagen hydrolysate

8 g peanut, finely ground

6 g sweetener

3 g whole milk powder

2 g soy crisp

1 g salt

Cocoa-peanut binder

4 g cocoa butter

3 g cocoa mass

2 g glycerol

1 g sunflower oil

Method

1. Line the mold with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang to lift the bar cleanly. Set aside.

2. In a small bowl, combine the milk protein, collagen hydrolysate, ground peanut, sweetener, whole milk powder, soy crisp, and salt. Mix thoroughly until the dry blend is uniform and free of visible streaks.

3. Place the cocoa butter and cocoa mass in a heatproof bowl set over gently simmering water. Stir until fully melted and glossy, then remove from the heat. Stir in the glycerol and sunflower oil. The mixture should be fluid, smooth, and evenly combined.

4. Pour the cocoa-peanut binder over the dry ingredients. Fold firmly with a spatula until the mass becomes cohesive and evenly moistened. It should hold together under pressure without appearing oily or crumbly.

5. Press the mixture into the prepared mold in a single layer. Compress it firmly and evenly, paying particular attention to the corners and edges so the bar sets with a clean profile.

6. Chill for 30 minutes, or until the bar is firm to the touch and releases cleanly from the mold. The surface should feel set, with a dense, compact interior.

7. Unmold the bar and trim the edges only if necessary for a precise finish. Serve once fully set.

Plating and serving

Place the bar centered on a small plate or parchment-lined tray, with the long side presented cleanly. The finish should read as compact and exact, with a smooth surface and a neat edge. Serve chilled for the firmest texture, or at cool room temperature for a softer bite.

Professional notes

Grind the peanut finely; coarse pieces will fracture the bar and weaken its clean bite.

The binder must be fluid but not hot when combined, or the protein base will seize unevenly.

Compression is essential: a properly pressed bar will slice cleanly and eat with a dense, even texture.