Introducing Rich Roast...

Meridian Foods, the UK’s leading producer of nut butters, has launched two brand new premium peanut butters as it expands its exciting product range.

Meridian’s Rich Roast crunchy and smooth peanut butters are made using only blanched hi-oleic peanuts and will appeal to sophisticated nut butter connoisseurs looking for a more intense taste profile. The peanuts, sourced from Argentina, have been roasted for longer to deliver a richer and more intense flavour than traditional peanut butters.

The new peanut butters will continue to aid a healthy lifestyle as hi-oleic peanuts contain up to 30% more ‘healthy’ fats than Meridian’s standard peanut butters.

The nut butters make a delicious addition when added into smoothies, shakes, cakes & bakes, generously stirred into porridge & ice cream, or just simply spread on toast and crumpets. However to mark the occasion of the new launch, Meridian developed these 3 super-nutty recipes using the new Rich Roast. We got to attend the photoshoot and help with the food styling and creative themes. As well as the all-important taste testing job!

Here is one of our favourites from the day, the Chunky Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cookies recipe:

These home bakes are a great time saver because you can make half and freeze half for another day.

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Makes 22 cookies.

Ingredients:

120g butter

200g coconut sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

250g Self Raising Flour

250g milk chocolate roughly chopped

130g Meridian Rich Roast Crunchy Peanut Butter

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 170C. Melt the butter and set aside to cool for a moment. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and butter until combined. Add the egg and yolk and continue to mix.
2. Fold in the flour and when combined fold in ¾ of the chocolate. Briefly stir through ¾ of the peanut butter, leaving swirls visible.
3. Use a tbsp. measure to scoop dollops of mixture onto 2 or 3 non-stick baking sheets, making sure you leave plenty of room for them to expand when they cook.
4. Poke a clean finger into each cookie to make a well in the centre and drizzle in a little of the remaining peanut butter. Then dot a few pieces of the remaining chocolate over the top of each.
5. If you’re just cooking half now, put the other half of the cookies into a freezer container and freeze.
6. Bake the remaining biscuits for 15 mins until they are cooked at the edges but still soft in the middle. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a baking rack. Keep them in an airtight tin.