Protein bars

Steps

1. Toast the oats: spread the rolled oats on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven at 170 °C for 10 minutes, until golden. Let them cool completely. This matters before adding the whey.
2. Toast the sesame seeds: in a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the sesame seeds for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and fragrant. Transfer them right away to a cold plate (they burn very quickly). Set aside 1 tablespoon for the top.
3. Make the date paste: if the dates are a little dry, cover them with very hot water, let them soak, then drain. Blend them in a food processor until you get a sticky, smooth paste.
4. Mix the dry ingredients: in a large bowl, mix the rolled oats, whey, the rest of the sesame seeds and the chopped peanuts. Mixing the whey with the dry ingredients before any liquid prevents lumps.
5. Melt the binder: very gently warm the peanut butter with the honey or maple syrup, just enough to make them runny, then take off the heat. Add the salt and vanilla extract and let it cool slightly: a mixture that is too hot would make the whey curdle.
6. Assemble: pour the date paste and the peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients. Work it with a spatula, then by hand, adding the milk or plant-based milk little by little, until the mixture holds together when pressed between your fingers, soft but not sticky. Depending on your whey, you will need more or less.
7. Press: pack into a pan of about 20 cm × 25 cm lined with parchment paper. Press very firmly with a flat-bottomed glass, then sprinkle with the reserved sesame seeds and press once more so they stick.
8. Chill and cut: refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or 25 minutes in the freezer), then unmold and cut into 12 bars with a large, sharp knife.