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f you like candy bars, you will love these – delicious, hand made from scratch chocolate nougat and caramel bars!
To make my chocolate nougat and caramel bars first I will make soft caramel. To do that, it is advisable to learn how to cook sugar syrup. Btw, you can find soft caramel in my other recipes like, for example soft caramels, chocolate salted caramels, soft caramel and chocolate ganache tart or chocolate, nougat, caramel and peanut bars.
Next I’ll make chocolate nougat. Now, if you already know how to make nougat, this will be a piece of cake to you! The only difference between regular and chocolate nougat is that you will need to add chopped milk chocolate into the hot nougat and mix on low speed until melted and incorporated. Distribute the nougat onto cooled caramel and leave everything to cool down. Easy – peasy.
Once you cut your caramel nougat slab into bars, you will have to enrobe it in milk chocolate. To do that, you will need to learn how to temper chocolate, because tempered chocolate will have a nice shine and snap, and that is very important when you take a bite of your delicious candy bar – the texture!
That’s it! These bars are not simple to make, you will need to have a couple of techniques in your sleeve, however, the reward will be tremendous! Delicious artisan chocolate bars! They also make a wonderful edible gift! So, let’s make them!
Chocolate Nougat and Caramel Bars
by:Tereza Alabanda,The Pastry Maestra
PRINT PDF (EN) ISPIŠI PDF (HR)Prep. time : 40 minutes
Cook time : 15 minutes
Ready in 65 minutes plus cooling
Level : Advanced
INGREDIENTS
Soft Caramel Layer:
- Sugar 135g (4.8oz)
- Glucose syrup 135g (4.8oz)
- Cream 35% 185g (6.5oz)
- Butter 30g (1oz)
- Egg whites 55g (2oz)
- Honey 250g (8.8oz)
- Sugar 400g (14.1oz)
- Glucose syrup 100g (3.5oz)
- Vanilla powder to taste
- Milk chocolate 200g (7oz)
- Milk chocolate for coating 400g (14.1oz)
- Cocoa nibs 30g (1oz)
- To make chocolate nougat and caramel bars line 30cmx10cm (12″x4″) loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Next, make the caramel layer. To make soft caramel layer put sugar and enough water to cover the sugar into a saucepan. Mix to combine and put the lid on.
- When the mixture boils, the steam will wash down the sugar crystals from the sides of the pan. Remove the lid, add glucose syrup, and continue cooking until the syrup caramelizes. When the sugar syrup turns amber in color, remove the pan from the stove. Carefully add cream that you’ve previously heated in the microwave into the caramel. Add butter and stir until incorporated.
- Put the pan back on the stove, insert the probe of a digital candy thermometer into the mixture, and continue cooking.
- When the temperature reaches 121°C (250°F) remove the pan from the heat, add chopped roasted peanuts and stir well to combine. Then, pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Spread it with a silicone spatula and tap the pan against the counter to distribute it evenly. Leave it at room temperature to cool down while you make the nougat layer.
- To make chocolate nougat layer put sugar and water into a saucepan, put the lid on, and set it aside until needed.
- Put egg whites into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment.
- Put honey into a saucepan, and insert the probe of a digital candy thermometer into the honey. Cook honey until it reaches 110°C (230°F). At that point, start whisking the egg whites on high speed.
- When the honey reaches 120°C (250°F), the egg whites will be whipped to soft peaks. At that point pour the honey into the egg whites without turning off the mixer.
- Now start cooking sugar syrup that you’ve prepared earlier. Continue whisking you egg whites as you cook the syrup.
- When the syrup starts boiling, remove the lid, add the glucose and insert the probe of a digital candy thermometer into the syrup.
- When the syrup reaches 155°C (310°F) pour it into the mixture of egg whites and honey without turning off the mixer. Be very careful, the syrup is very hot and pretty dense at this point, so make sure you don’t pour it on the whisk while it’s working! Continue mixing egg whites for another couple of minutes.
- Swap whisk attachment with the paddle attachment, add chopped milk chocolate into the mixture, and continue mixing on low speed until the chocolate is melted and incorporated.
- Transfer the nougat into the prepared pan onto the set caramel layer. Then, cover it with a piece of parchment paper and smooth it first using your fingers, and finally using a small spatula. Leave it at room temperature to cool down completely.
- When the nougat is set, take it out from the mold. Trim the edges of your slab using a sharp oiled knife. Then, cut it into approximately 2.5cm (1″) wide bars.
- Temper the milk chocolate, and pour some onto a silicone mat. Spread it with offset spatula. Then, place the bars on the chocolate and leave them for a couple of minutes until the chocolate becomes partially set.
- At that point carefully make incisions around each bar using a small knife, and leave the chocolate to set completely. Make sure you cut very gently – you don’t want to cut through your silicone mat!
- When the bottom chocolate layer is set put the bars onto a rack. Glaze the bars with remaining tempered milk chocolate until they are covered completely. Tap the rack against the counter to distribute the chocolate evenly.
- Finally, decorate your bars with some cocoa nibs.
- There, your delicious chocolate nougat and caramel bars are done! Enjoy!
Copyright© PastryMaestra.comTM
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