A decadent treat with layers of chocolate, caramel, and almond
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- botâtomâ layer:
- 1 cup milk chocoâlateâ chips
- 1/4 cup vanilla chips
- 1/4 cup creamy almond butter
- 1/4 cup toasted coconut + 2 tableâspoons sprinâkled onâ top
- secâondâ layer:
- 4 tableâspoons butter
- 1 cup granâuâlatedâ sugar
- 1/4 cup evapâoârated milk (not sweetâened condensed)
- 1 1/2 cups marshâmalâlowâ creme
- 1/4 cup creamy almond butter
- 1 teaâspoon vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups chopped roasted almonds
- caramel layer:
- 16 oz. caramel sauce: you can either melt 14 oz. of caram
- to make your own:
- 1 1/2 cups granâuâlated sugar
- 2 tableâspoons light corn syrup (this is to help preâvent crystal
- 1/2 teaâspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tableâspoon sour cream
- chocoâlate layer:
- 1 cup chocoâlate chips
- 1/4 cup vanilla chips
- 1/4 cup creamy almond butter
- Carbohydrate 1.59756227770833 g
- Cholesterol 5.07908817361111 mg
- Fat 2.43673296527778 g
- Fiber 0.00531250007916242 g
- Protein 0.186260458680556 g
- Saturated Fat 1.51570554994444 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (12g)
- Sodium 2.90270918402778 mg
- Sugar 1.59224977762917 g
- Trans Fat 0.173485784361111 g
- Calories 28 calories
Step-by-step
- First layer preparation: Butter a 9X13 glass pyrex casserole dish generously, and set aside. Combine the chocolate chips, vanilla chips, and almond butter in a small saucepan and melt together over very low heat until combined. Take off the heat and stir in the 1/4 cup of toasted coconut. Spread evenly into the buttered pan you have set aside. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons toasted coconut over the top of this layer. Place pan into the fridge until set.
- Second layer preparation: In another small, heavy saucepan, melt the butter. Add the sugar and evaporated milk and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and boil for 5 minutes.. Remove from the heat and stir in the marshmallow creme, almond butter, vanilla, and chopped almonds. Spread over chilled first layer and let set in refrigerator.
- Caramel layer preparation: In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt and water. Bring to a boil and cook, without stirring (this can cause sugar crystals to form), until the temperature reaches 340 degree F.** (see note at bottom of post)
- Pull pan off of the heat and stir in the cream, butter, and sour cream. It will bubble up furiously so prepare your self for this. Stir until everything comes together smoothly. This recipe should make exactly 16 oz. of caramel sauce.
- Chocolate layer preparation: Combine the chocolate and vanilla chips and the almond butter in a small saucepan. (hopefully you are just washing out the same saucepan you used for the other layers…) Pour over caramel layer. Let the whole pan set in refrigerator several hours, covered.
- When ready to serve, take pan out of the refrigerator and let set a few minutes to make cutting easier. I only cut what I’m about to serve as the caramel is still quite gooey and will start to ooze out as you can see in the photo. Bars must be stored in refrigerator.
The Sugar Stage Secret
The ingredient list notes sugar, corn syrup, water, and butter, but it omits the chemical reality of boiling sucrose. When making caramel from scratch, the single factor determining success or failure is crystallization management. Adding corn syrup provides invert sugar molecules that physically interfere with sucrose crystal formation. Never stir the boiling sugar syrup once heat is applied, as mechanical agitation introduces seed crystals that will ruin the batch. Cook the mixture over medium-high heat until it reaches exactly 340 degrees Fahrenheit at sea level, adjusting downward for higher elevations.
Managing Thermal Shock
Dairy incorporation requires precise timing and protective gear for the cook. Pulling the boiling pan completely off the heat before pouring in the cream, butter, and sour cream prevents immediate scorching and uneven fat separation. The mixture will bubble up furiously due to the rapid evaporation of water meeting hot fat, so use a saucepan with tall sides that holds at least three times the volume of the ingredients. Whisk continuously during this addition to emulsify the dairy fats back into the boiling sugar base smoothly.
Structural Chilling and Slicing
Multi-layered confectionery relies heavily on thermal management during assembly. Each chocolate, nougat, and caramel stratum requires complete chilling in a refrigerator to set its fats before the subsequent layer is poured over it. Warm layers will melt the boundaries, muddying the clean visual divisions between the almond-nougat base and the rich caramel filling. Allow the chilled pan to temper on the counter for ten minutes before cutting, and slice only the portions intended for immediate service to prevent the remaining gooey caramel from oozing across the board.
