Inspired by the Death Bars at Orlando’s Valhalla Bakery, these peanut butter chocolate brownie bars are absolutely to-die-for. With a chocolate brownie crust, whipped peanut butter filling and an Oreo topping, there’s no way you can only take one bite.
A couple weeks ago I was in Orlando for work. Thanks to one of my Instagram followers, I was told to make a stop at Valhalla Bakery for some incredible (vegan) baked goods.
Now, there are those who may get turned off by “vegan,” but not me. In the past, some of the best desserts I’ve eaten have been vegan, including the ice cream at Van Leeuwen’s in New York. “Vegan” is not a word that scares me when it comes to food. It gets me excited!
So, with a recommendation in hand, my colleague and I left the airport and headed straight for Valhalla’s. It’s not easy to spot from the road. In fact, there’s not even a sign outside. Instead, look for a building that says “Market,” with an ivy covered arch leading to a patio of table and chairs. Inside that building, you’ll find the goods!
In my first round, I used a brownie base that ended up being too dark in flavor and too crispy in texture. The peanut butter filling, on the other hand, turned out exactly how I hoped it would. That was a keeper! In my second round, I decided to go with a chewier brownie by Cooks Illustrated that I saw on A Bountiful Kitchen’s blog. It turned out to be the perfect pairing to the peanut butter filling and Oreo topping.
Super bummed to realize by the end of the article the recipe was not vegan. :/ Missed opportunity.
I’m not a vegan baker like I said! You could try making your own though with vegan ingredients.