CARAMEL NOUGAT CANDY RECIPES

Steps:

• Prep the square baking pan with unbleached parchment paper making sure the parchment paper is tucked/folded into all of the corners.
• Add the chocolate chips and butter/ghee/cacao butter to a medium size saucepan. Heat over medium-low, stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Pour into square baking pan {lined with parchment paper}. Place in freezer until set, about 15 minutes.
• Add cacao powder, honey, butter/ghee and vanilla extract to a medium size saucepan. Heat oven medium-low, stirring constantly until everything has melted and incorporated, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour into square baking pan {lined with parchment paper}. Place in freezer until set, about 1-2 hours.
• Melt butter or ghee in a medium size saucepan over medium-low heat.
• Prep date pieces – break them in half and remove the pit. Add to the saucepan and cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Heating the dates is important, the heat softens them and the butter/ghee brings out their natural caramel flavor.
• Pour cooked dates into food processor fitted with the “S” steel blade. Pulse until dates turn into a paste, about 30 seconds.
• Pour date mixture onto frozen chocolate later. Grease fingers with coconut oil {water can be used on fingers too if you do not have coconut oil} and spread the date mixture all over the chocolate later - making sure to cover the whole surface.
• Place chocolate-caramel into the freezer to set for at least 1 hour.
• Fit your standing mixer with the whisk attachment.
• In a medium-large saucepan, heat the honey and water over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until it starts to bubble and get foamy on the top, about 10 minutes.
• Add two egg whites to the mixing bowl of the standing mixer. Beat on medium-high speed until firm peaks form, about 1 minute.
• With the mixer still on medium-high, add the sea salt and cornstarch and continue to mix for about 1 minute.
• Still beating on medium-high speed, SLOWLY and carefully drizzle the hot honey in a thin continuous stream until all the honey has been added, about 3-4 minutes {it should take this long to add the honey, that gives you an idea of how slow you need to add it}. ***Remember the honey is extremely hot, so use caution.***
• Continue beating the mixture for about 10 minutes, then add the vanilla extract. Continue beating for about another 5 minutes or until the mixture has tripled in volume.
• Using a spoon or spatula, scoop the mixture out into the baking pan on top of the "caramel" layer. Smooth it out and cover the whole surface.
• Allow to cool at room temperature for about 3 hours then place in the freezer to freeze for at least 7 hours, best overnight.
• Once set in the freezer, remove the baking dish from the freezer and use the parchment paper edges to lift the large candy out of the pan and place on a flat surface or cutting board.
• Using a well-greased sharp chef's knife {I used coconut oil to grease my knife, but you can also do this without greasing, you might have to wash the knife between slices though}, cut the candy into 2-inch wide strips, then into 2 or 3-inch long pieces.
• Store IN the freezer. These will not set up properly at room temperature, they need to be stored in the freezer.

Steps:

• For the chocolate layer: Combine the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler over low heat. Heat until melted and stir until smooth. Let sit until thickened slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Spoon 1 tablespoon of the chocolate mixture into each cavity of a 6-cavity round cylinder silicone mold (2-inch-wide by 1-inch-deep cavities). Use a small pastry brush to paint the chocolate up the sides of the molds, making sure to cover the entire inside of each mold. (If your chocolate is too hot and doesn’t coat the molds, refrigerate for a few minutes, then try again.) Refrigerate or freeze until set, about 10 minutes.
• For the nougat layer: Stir the marshmallow creme and peanut butter together in a small bowl. It should be the consistency of putty.
• For the caramel layer: Put the caramel sauce in a separate bowl. Stir in the confectioners' sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is thick but still pourable.
• For the assembly: Grease 2 teaspoons with coconut oil spray. Use the teaspoons to place a heaping tablespoon of the nougat into each mold, pressing to make a smooth layer. Sprinkle over the peanuts and press into the nougat. Use the same teaspoons to add a heaping tablespoon of the caramel to each mold, stopping about 1/4 inch from the top of the molds. Pour the remaining chocolate over the caramel and spread gently with a small offset spatula to completely cover the caramel. Refrigerate or freeze until set, at least 30 minutes.
• Remove the chocolates from the molds. Microwave the candy melting wafers in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring in between each, until melted and smooth. Drizzle the melted white candy over top of the rounds and sprinkle over the popping candies to decorate.