My Take On The Take 5 Candy Bar

Y'all!! These little, peanut buttery caramelicious, chocolate covered, salty pretzel bites!

They are my take on the Take 5 candy bar, and they are so yummy! 😋

For me, it doesn't get much better than Peanut Butter Caramels.

But when you add pretzels, peanuts and chocolate, well let's just say, it got better!

Try them and I think you'll agree!

At the core of these magic little squares are the aforementioned Peanut Butter Caramels. Yes they do take a little more time, but the taste far outweighs the extra effort..at least it does in my sweet book!

Wanna make some candy?

Instead of spreading peanut butter on the pretzels, we are incorporating it into the caramel.

Let's get crackin'!

 Prepare a 13x9 pan for our Peanut Butter Caramels. Spray with cooking spray, line it with parchment paper, and spray this as well.

Have your peanuts ready to sprinkle on top of the caramel.

 To make the Peanut Butter Caramels, click on my link for the recipe.

Pour up this beautiful candy and resist the urge to lick the spoon.
I've done it! Ouch!😳

Sprinkle peanuts over candy. Let caramels cool for a few hours till set. I usually let mine sit loosely covered overnight.

Now we're ready to unmold our candy. Remove from pan by lifting from the edges of parchment paper and set onto a cutting surface lightly sprayed with cooking spray.

Cut caramels with a long, sharp, lightly oiled knife. I thought I was cutting mine into one inch squares, but when I counted them, I only had 95 pieces.
And I'm okay with that!😉

You will need 95 pretzel squares..or more if you're a better caramel cutter than me!😜

Gently press caramels onto pretzels.

Oh my, but I'm ready to try one now!

No! I can wait! I think I can! I think I can!

Dip candies in melted chocolate and place on parchment lined pan to set.

Yum!

Don't they look irresistible?!!

This cross-section is just plain eye candy!

My Take On The Take 5 Candy Bar Recipe

You will need:
One batch of Peanut Butter Caramels
95 (or so) pretzel snaps
One heaping cup of your favorite peanuts
1 1/2 pounds chocolate (I used Ghirardelli dark melting wafers)

Prepare caramel, sprinkle with peanuts and let cool to set.

Cut caramels with long, sharp, lightly oiled knife into approximately 95 pieces, then gently press onto pretzels.

Melt chocolate, dip candies and place on parchment lined pan.

And there you have it! My take on the Take 5 bars! I hope y'all like 'em!

Have a sweet day, Karen 😊

Marshmallow Stuffed Nutella Caramels

I have been charmed for quite some time with the Modjeskas candies.

So I go and google the definition of the word and find the name comes from a famed, Polish actress; Madame Helena Modjeska. You can read the story here!

 I had this jar of Nutella in my pantry as my middle grandson does not care for peanut butter..what!? So I wanted to make a Nutella candy for him. I chose caramels and then decided to "stuff" them with marshmallows to make my own version of the classic Modjeskas candies. Yum!

Ingredients needed:

 I am basing this recipe off my Peanut Butter Caramels, swapping the pb with Nutella and adding my favorite marshmallows to the mix!

My two go-tos for candy making. A four-quart heavy bottomed saucepan and digital candy thermometer.

 Spray an 8x8 pan lightly with cooking spray, line with parchment paper and then spray this lightly as well.

Oh..look at that beautiful butter. This is my first time using Kerrygold butter, gold for sure!

Melt butter over low heat, add brown sugar, corn syrup and condensed milk.

Stir in Nutella.

Crank up the heat to medium and attach candy thermometer.

Stir continuously until candy reaches 246 degrees fahrenheit or firm-ball stage. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

My plan was to have the marshmallows set in between the layers of caramel.

So as I was stirring the caramels, it struck me that the marshmallows just might float to the top of the candy. New plan. Instead of pouring half the candy into the pan, I poured just enough to cover the bottom of pan and then placed the marshmallows.

I then poured the remaining caramel into the pan and watched the marshmallows rise ever so defiantly to the top. So..I decided to just roll with it. *wink* 

I had to laugh. This looks like just like gravy covered rolls to me. Happy Thanksgiving.

Now how will they taste..?

I just had to wait and see.

I covered my candy simply by laying a sheet of wax paper over pan and let it sit overnight before cutting.

Gently cut through marshmallow stuffed caramels with a long, sharp and lightly oiled knife. I say gently due to the marshmallow on top. 

Now to taste...so yum!!

Mister Zack loved these!

Makes a grandma's heart happy.   :o)

Nutella Caramels

1 1/2 sticks butter (i use salted)
2 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup Nutella
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 SmoreMallow marshmallows

Melt butter over low heat. Stir in brown sugar, condensed milk, corn syrup and Nutella. Bump the heat up to medium and attach candy thermometer to pan. Cook candy stirring constantly until thermometer reaches firm ball stage or 246 degrees fahrenheit. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour just enough cooked candy to cover the bottom of pan. Add marshmallows and pour remaining candy.

Cover pan loosely-i lay a sheet of wax paper on top-and let caramels sit on countertop until firm. I let mine sit overnight.

Remove candy from pan. Lightly oil a long sharp knife and cut candy. Wrap in wax paper squares.

Makes 36 pieces if you cut 3 candies from each marshmallow as I did.

Proverbs 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.

Have a sweet day, Karen

Valrhona Chocolate Caramels

Valrhona Dark Chocolate..melted into caramel gooey goodness.

Oh. My. Word..

This was my third batch ever of chocolate caramels.

I made the first batch using Ghirardelli 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips. My family gave them a thumbs up. I thought they were okay.

For the second round, I went with Valrhona Guanaja bitter 70%. These caramels were definitely better. Hubby couldn't stop eating them..ahem..he ate them all!

So..I really needed to make more. I mean, I knew my sweetie would be spoiling me while I'm healing and my man likes, loves, needs his candy!

We made our forty-five minute trek to Whole Foods and while my more healthy minded hubby spends a good half hour in the produce, I'm making a beeline for the baking aisle and then the chocolate. 

They were out of my 70% Guanaja so I decided to go with the Caraibe 66% dark chocolate.

Wow! I LOVE THESE! WE love these!

My favorite caramels so far are my Peanut Butter Caramels..these are a very close second.

I hope you try them!

Here are the ingredients needed to make your chocolate caramels. You're now approximately half an hour away from pouring this heavenly candy and licking the spoon soaking your pan in hot water!

Whole Foods sells Valrhona feves (discs) by the half pound container full. I really wish they weren't so beat up..I like my chocolate pretty!

Use a heavy bottomed 4 quart saucepan. I've been using my All-Clad pan solely for candy making for over 4 years and love it.
Also a good candy thermometer is (I think) a must. I use this $35 one from Williams Sonoma.
You will also need cooking spray.

Melt butter over low heat. Add sugars, syrup, condensed milk and stir. 

There! Easy as pie..or let's say, easy as caramel.

Add chocolate and stir.

Bump up the heat to medium and continue stirring until thermometer reads 246 degrees.

 Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Pour into prepared pan and let sit loosely covered for several hours or overnight.

Oh yeah! It's ready!

Remove candy from pan and place on cutting surface.

A lightly oiled, long, sharp knife will easily cut your candy.

I may have admired my caramels before I tasted them.   ;)

I use an 8x8 pan for my caramels and I usually cut them in 2 inch or 4 inch long pieces with the 4 being my favorite. 

My family and friends love getting these wrapped candy bar size treats as much as I love seeing the smiles on their faces!

A soft and chewy caramel.

All lined up and ready for the show.

The End!
But wait..don't forget the recipe. Keep scrolling..

 Valrhona Chocolate Caramels

2 sticks salted butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1  14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1 generous cup Valrhona Caraibe 66% dark chocolate (50 feves) I found mine @ Whole Foods..

or 6 oz. of your favorite good quality chocolate

1 teaspoon vanilla bean crush (or vanilla extract)

Prepare 8x8 pan by lightly spraying with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper and again lightly spray with cooking spray.

Melt butter over low heat. Add sugars, corn syrup and condensed milk. Stir well.

Add chocolate and cook over medium heat stirring constantly.

Attach candy thermometer and cook to 246 degrees Fahrenheit.

Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pour into prepared pan. 

Let caramels sit at room temperature several hours or overnight.

Remove candy from pan and cut with lightly oiled sharp knife. Wrap caramels in wax paper.