Description
Indulgent Homemade Payday Candy Bars bring salty-sweet nostalgia from childhood right onto your dessert plate. Rich peanut clusters wrapped in caramel create a classic American treat perfect for satisfying sweet cravings.
Ingredients
Scale
Peanuts:
- 2 cups (300 g / 10.6 ounces) salted roasted peanuts, divided
Nougat Components:
- ¼ cup (60 g / 2 ounces) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (250 g / 8.8 ounces) marshmallow fluff
- ¼ cup (60 ml / 2 fluid ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Caramel Layer:
- 1 (14 oz / 400 g) bag of soft caramels
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml / 1 fluid ounce) heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare a rectangular baking dish by lining it with parchment paper, ensuring the edges extend slightly over the sides for effortless candy bar removal.
- Create a foundational layer by evenly distributing the first portion of salted roasted peanuts across the bottom of the prepared pan.
- Craft the nougat base by gently melting butter in a saucepan, then incorporating marshmallow fluff, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture transforms into a silky, uniform consistency.
- Carefully pour the nougat mixture over the initial peanut layer, using a spatula to achieve a smooth, even surface.
- Generate a luxurious caramel layer by combining soft caramels and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in short intervals, stirring between each, until the mixture becomes completely fluid and glossy.
- Cascade the molten caramel over the nougat layer, ensuring complete and uniform coverage.
- Generously distribute the remaining salted peanuts atop the caramel, applying gentle pressure to secure them in place.
- Refrigerate the confection for a minimum of two hours, allowing it to solidify completely.
- Extract the candy from the pan using the parchment paper edges and slice into desired bar-sized portions.
- Preserve the homemade candy bars in an airtight container, keeping them at room temperature for up to five days or refrigerated for two weeks.
Notes
- Toast peanuts briefly in a dry skillet to enhance their nutty flavor and add extra crispness before layering in the pan.
- Use high-quality caramels or make homemade caramel for a more intense, rich flavor profile in the recipe.
- Replace marshmallow fluff with marshmallows for a slightly different texture if unavailable, melting them slowly over low heat.
- Create gluten-free version by ensuring all ingredients like caramels and marshmallow fluff are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 330
- Sugar: 23 g
- Sodium: 130 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg