Homemade Butterfingers

Did you know you can make homemade butterfingers?

I didn’t until someone brought a box of homemade chocolates to work and the one I picked tasted just like a butterfinger.  Well, that’s all it took!  I started researching.

There were several different recipes out there and several of them called for candy corn.  It wasn’t the right season for candy corn, and while I know how to make homemade candy corn,  I wasn’t sure it would be quite right for this recipe.  Which is ultimately how I chose this one that did not call for candy corn.

I was skeptical at first, because I was a bit perplexed about the caramel layer, but it turns out it was just what was needed to make the candy crisp and crunchy, just like a commercial butterfinger!

Sunday Funday

Peanuts

• Congress Kadlekai Spiced Peanut Snack by Sizzling Tastebuds
• Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles by Karen's kitchen Stories
• Homemade Butterfingers by Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Miso Gochujang Peanut Roasted Eggplant by Food Lust People Love
• Peanut Butter Muffins by Mayuri's Jikoni
• Skrewball Brownies by A Messy Kitchen
• Thai Chicken Pasta Salad by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Vrat Shengdanyachi Amti by Sneha's Recipe
• Warm Peanut Butter Sauce for Dipping by Our Good Life

Homemade Butterfingers

Adapted slightly from Wild Vegan Flower

Peanut Butter Dough

10 tablespoons no sugar added peanut butter (½ cup + 2 tbsp)

¼ cup powdered sugar

1 tablespoon corn syrup

½ teaspoon powdered peanut butter

Caramel Crunch Layer

¾ cup white sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

¼ teaspoon lemon juice

Chocolate Coating

4-6 ounces dark chocolate candy melts or tempered chocolate

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and warm the oven by using the “keep food warm” function or setting the oven to its lowest setting (typically 170 degrees F)

To make the peanut better dough, place the peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 30-45 seconds or until melted (alternately, use a double boiler).  Stir in the powdered sugar, corn syrup, and powdered peanut butter.  Turn out onto a work surface and knead into a smooth dough.  Place on the first lined baking sheet and pat into a 6-7 inch square.  Place into the warm oven.

Next, make the caramel crunch.  Place the sugar, corn syrup, and lemon juice in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Cook, stirring continuously until the sugar melts and becomes light amber in color.

Pour the caramelized sugar onto the second lined baking sheet.  Take the peanut butter square and place in the center of the caramel (my oven was quite warm so I had to scrape the peanut butter layer onto the caramel.

Working extremely carefully, lift the sides of the parchment to fold the caramel layer over the peanut butter layer as many times as possible.  Watch for molten sugar leaking out the sides (I have a monster blister as evidence to this concern).  Once the dough is cool enough to touch, lightly knead 2-3 more times and pat into a 1-inch thick rectangle.  Immediately cut into desired pieces (mine were approximately 2-in x 1-in, but I was nursing one heck of a blister, so I wasn’t being very precise) with a knife or bench scraper.  The dough may not cut completely through, depending how much the caramel has cooled.

Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Remove the cold dough and break into pieces.  Melt the candy melts in the microwave or a double boiler and dip the candy until covered.  Refrigerate until firm.  I found that the butterfingers were best after the 2nd day, after the flavors had time to meld.