Chocolate holds a special place in the hearts of the British, who consider it as a simple pleasure which can be enjoyed at any time of the day. The sight of chocolate bars in shops and stores stirs cravings of not just the children but adults too. The rich texture, hints of additional flavours or crunch added to these chocolates make them an irresistible treat. The simple pleasure of a chocolate bar remains unmatched.

Cadbury has been creating magical chocolates and chocolate treats for decades, one such goodie they created is the Picnic Bar. This delicious bar is loaded with caramel, peanuts, rice crisps, and more. It is a filling treat that offers a feel of smoothness accompanied by the crunch of the peanuts and crisps.

 A Brief History of Cadbury’s Picnic Bar

After having earned a reputation for producing delicious chocolate treats for decades and ensuring they come up with fresh ideas so people could have something new and delicious, Cadbury once again came up with the delicious Picnic Bar. In 1958, Cadbury introduced the Picnic bar, which was a delightful blend of milk chocolate, caramel, peanuts, crispy cereal, and raisins. The idea behind Picnic was to create a unique and satisfying treat that offered a delightful combination of textures and flavours. Since its production, Picnic has been adored by chocolate lovers for its irresistible taste and crunchy goodness.

Ingredients of Picnic Bar

The Picnic bar is a delicious blend of several key ingredients, each contributing to its unique taste and texture:

Milk Chocolate – The outer layer of the Picnic bar is made from creamy and smooth milk chocolate, which offers a rich flavour. Made from cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids, this Milk chocolate has a sweet and satisfying taste.

Caramel—Inside the Picnic bar, there are layers of soft and gooey caramel, which adds a sweet and sticky texture to the chocolate. Caramel is made by heating sugar and water until it caramelizes, giving it a rich and syrupy consistency that goes perfectly with the chocolate.

Peanuts – The Picnic bar contains whole peanuts, which provide a crunchy and nutty feel to the texture. Peanuts are a good source of protein and healthy fats and give a satisfying crunch and savoury flavour to the bar.

Crispy Cereal – Another key component of the Picnic bar is crispy cereal pieces, which add a light and airy texture to the chocolate. These cereal pieces are made from grains like rice or wheat, which are puffed or toasted to create a crispy and crunchy texture.

Raisins – The Picnic bar includes plump and juicy raisins, which give the bar sweetness and chewiness. Raisins are dried grapes that add a natural sweetness and fruity flavour to the bar and balance out the richness of the chocolate and caramel.

Together, these ingredients create a delightful combination of flavours and textures that make the Picnic bar a delightful treat for chocolate lovers.

Variations of Picnic Bar

While the classic Picnic bar is beloved for its combination of the ingredients mentioned above, there have been a few variations over the years to cater to different tastes and preferences. Some of these variations include:

Dark Chocolate Picnic – Instead of milk chocolate, this variation features a rich and indulgent dark chocolate coating that adds a deeper cocoa flavour to the bar, along with caramel and crunchy nutty elements.

Nut-Free Picnic – For those with nut allergies, a nut-free version of the Picnic bar substitutes the peanuts with other crunchy ingredients like crispy rice or biscuit pieces but yet offers a similar texture without the use of nuts.

Fruit-Free Picnic – While raisins are a traditional inclusion in the Picnic bar, a fruit-free version eliminates the raisins altogether, focusing solely on the combination of caramel, chocolate, and crunchy cereal for a simple picnic bar.

Mini Picnic Bars – These bite-sized versions of the Picnic bar offer the same delicious combination of ingredients, only in a smaller size.

Interesting Ways to Enjoy Picnic Bar

While Picnic bars are delicious on their own, they can also be used to create delicious desserts and treats. Here are a few recipes that use Picnic bars:

Picnic Bar Brownies

Ingredients

• 200g Picnic bars, chopped
• 200g dark chocolate, chopped
• 200g unsalted butter
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 120g plain flour

Preparation

• Set your oven to 180°C OR 350°F and spread a baking tin with parchment paper.
• Take a heatproof bowl and melt the butter, dark chocolate together over a double boiler

 or in a microwave.

• Beat eggs and caster sugar in a separate bowl until it becomes fluffy and pale.
• Add the liquid chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and fold until combined.
• Sift in the plain flour and gently fold until just combined.
• Stir in the chopped Picnic bars until evenly distributed.
• Now, transfer the batter on the prepared baking tin and smooth the top.
• Bake the batter in the preheated oven for around 25-30 minutes or till a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with wet crumbs.
• Let the brownies cool down completely in the tin before slicing into squares and serving.

Picnic Bar Rocky Road

Ingredients

• 300g Picnic bars, chopped
• 200g milk chocolate, chopped
• 100g mini marshmallows
• 100g digestive biscuits, crushed
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp golden syrup

Preparation

• Spread a square baking tin with parchment paper.
• Take a large heatproof bowl and melt the butter, milk chocolate, and golden syrup together in the microwave or over a double boiler.
• Once melted, stir in the chopped Picnic bars, mini marshmallows, and crushed digestive biscuits until evenly coated.
• Place the mixture on the prepared baking tin and spread it out evenly.
• Place the tin in the fridge to set for at least 2 hours.
• Once set, remove the rocky road from the tin and cut it into squares or bars.
• Serve and enjoy as a delicious sweet treat or dessert.

These recipes for picnic bars are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth!