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Loaf Pan Homemade Kit Kat Bars

Homemade Kit Kat Bars are sweet bar cookies made by layering Ritz Crackers with a sweet, graham cracker and brown sugar flavored filling. This is a small batch loaf pan version.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Kit Kat, Ritz Crackers
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Chilling and Cooling 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 42 minutes
Servings 20 people
Author Anna
Cost 5

Ingredients

  • ½ cup any chocolate chips or 3 oz of chopped chocolate (84 grams)
  • 24 regular Ritz Crackers
  • 4 tablespoons salted butter (56 grams)
  • ½ cup graham cracker crumbs (45 grams)
  • ¼ cup light brown sugar (50 grams)
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
  • 2 ½ tablespoons whole milk -- don't forget it! (35 grams)
  • ½ cup milk chocolate chips (84 grams)
  • 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (32 grams)
  • Chopped peanuts for garnish optional

Instructions

  • Line a loaf pan (one that has a 4 inch bottom) with foil. No need to grease foil.
  • In a microwave-safe bowl or a 2 cup glass measure, melt the ½ cup chips (or chocolate) using 50% power and stirring every 30 seconds. When melted, spread across bottom of the lined pan.
  • Anchor 8 Ritz crackers in the melted chocolate, making an even layer. Push the cookies toward each other so that you'll have a border of chocolate on each side.
  • In a 2 cup microwave-safe measure (like a Pyrex), soften the butter using a low heat and mashing just until soft. Do not melt. Add the milk, sugars and graham crackers and stir until everything is evenly blended.
  • Microwave mixture for 1 minute on high. Stir well. Microwave for 30 seconds, keeping a close eye on it so that it doesn't boil over. Stir again. Microwave for another 15 seconds, stopping to stir, and then two or three more rounds of 15 seconds each, stirring. The mixture should look something like this. If you want to check it with a candy thermometer, it should be between 235 and 240.
    mock kit kat filling
  • Pour half of the sugar mixture down the center of the layer of crackers, then press on 8 more crackers, letting the sugar mixture kind of splay out evenly as you press the crackers. Pour on the rest of the sugar mixture, then add the final layer of 8 crackers.
  • In the same microwave-safe bowl or cup you used to melt first layer of chocolate, combine the chocolate chips and peanut butter. Heat on 50% power, stirring at 30 or 50 second intervals until smooth and creamy.
  • Pour the chocolate mixture over the bars, spreading evenly. Sprinkle peanuts on top if desired.
  • Let cool at room temperature for a few minutes, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill until the top is set or put in the freezer if you are in a hurry. I'm always in a hurry and always use the freezer.
  • When you are ready to cut, remove from the refrigerator or freezer, peel away the foil and slice the bars. If you have used the freezer, the chocolate will be very hard and you will need to let the bars sit at room temperature for 15- 20 minutes so that you can put the knife through without shattering frozen chocolate.

Notes

White Chocolate Version:  Instead of using 24 Ritz Crackers, use 32 crackers sandwiched with peanut butter (so 16 sandwiches). Instead of chocolate chips, use white almond bark.  Melt 3 oz (84 grams) of white almond bark plus  a generous teaspoon (5-6 grams) of coconut oil to use on the bottom.  For the top, again melt 3 oz of almond bark mixed with a teaspoon of coconut oil.  The coconut oil helps keep the bark from becoming rock hard and difficult to slice.  You can also use high quality white chocolate such as Lindt, in which case you won't need to the coconut oil. 
No-Peanut Butter  Milk Chocolate Version:  Follow the same directions, but instead of using chocolate chips use a Dairy Milk Chocolate Cadbury or a Creamy Milk Chocolate Lindt or Dove Chocolate and just omit the peanut butter.  If you want to use milk chocolate chips but no peanut butter, just add a little coconut oil to keep the chips from getting too hard to slice.