Monday 7 May 2012

Homemade Snickers Bars

I've been eating these all morning. Just a heads-up. Anyways...
I do like a Snickers bar. Especially when they're in brownies or, even better, in brownies with caramel. But with the opportunity to make actual Snickers at home, it was a no-brainer that I'd be making these after seeing the recipe on Brown Eyed Baker. The flavours and textures will leave you coming back for seconds, thirds, fourteenths! Great for gifts, parties, guests...or eating for breakfast despite a lifelong grudge of eating sweet things before lunchtime - they're that good. 
 The chocolate layers are made up of milk chocolate mixed with peanut butter. I hate peanut butter on it's own, but with the chocolate it's extremely addictive. The nougat bit is chewy and divinely squidgy. I reduced the amount of peanuts by half a cup - it worked fine but if you want a bit more crunch in your nougat, add the full amount. Then the caramel...it speaks for itself, don't you think?! The final element to this masterpiece is more milk chocolate melted with peanut butter. The result is a delicious, addictive chocolate bar with the added satisfaction of making it yourself.
You know you want to.

Homemade Snickers Bars (Brown Eyed Baker)
Yield: 32 bars or less depending on how greedy your household is!
For the Bottom Chocolate Layer:
1¼ cups milk chocolate chips
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
For the Nougat Layer:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup evaporated milk
1½ cups marshmallow fluff
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1½ cups salted peanuts, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Caramel Layer:
14 ounces caramels, unwrapped
¼ cup heavy cream
For the Top Chocolate Layer:
1¼ cups milk chocolate chips
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper; set aside.
2. Make the Bottom Chocolate Layer: Melt together the chocolate chips and peanut butter in the microwave on 50% power until completely smooth and melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Pour into the prepared baking dish and, using a spatula, smooth into an even layer. Refrigerate until completely cool and hard, about 30 minutes.
3. Make the Nougat Layer: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and evaporated milk, stirring until dissolved, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat and add the marshmallow fluff, peanut butter, and vanilla extract, stirring until completely smooth. Fold in the peanuts, then pour over the bottom chocolate layer. Again, refrigerate until completely cool, about 30 minutes.
4. Make the Caramel Layer: Combine the caramels and the heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Once completely melted, cook for an additional 4 minutes, stirring frequently. I melted the caramels and cream together in the microwave so didn't do this. Pour the caramel over the nougat layer. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 30 minutes. 
5. Make the Top Chocolate Layer: Melt together the chocolate chips and peanut butter in the microwave on 50% power until completely smooth and melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Pour over the caramel layer and, using a spatula, smooth into an even layer. Refrigerate until completely cool and set, 30 to 60 minutes.
6. Using the parchment liner, remove the bars from the pan and cut into 32 pieces. You can store these in the refrigerator or at room temperature.

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