Picnic bars

What you are aiming for

A Picnic bar is chocolate, raisins, peanuts and puffed rice, and the appeal is that every bite is slightly different - chewy, then crunchy, then snappy. This version is not trying to replicate the caramel or the wafer, it is going after that texture contrast, which is the bit that actually makes them good.

Getting the chocolate right

Dark chocolate sets harder and snaps better than milk, which is why it is used here. Melt it gently - a bowl over barely simmering water, or short bursts in the microwave with a stir between each - because chocolate that gets too hot turns grainy and dull instead of glossy.

Chop the raisins

It sounds fussy but it matters. Whole raisins are big enough to dominate a bite and they pull the bar apart when you cut it. Chopped, they spread through the whole thing and you get a bit of chew every time.

Setting and cutting

Twenty minutes in the freezer or half an hour in the fridge is enough. Cut them while they are cold and firm, with a knife run under hot water and wiped dry between cuts - it gives you clean edges instead of shattered corners.

Storage

These keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks in a sealed box, and freeze well for a couple of months. They are best eaten a few minutes out of the fridge, when the chocolate has lost its hardest chill but not started to soften.

Variations

Almonds or hazelnuts in place of peanuts, dried cherries or chopped dates instead of raisins. A pinch of flaky salt over the top before it sets is a very small change that makes a noticeable difference.