My gluten free Mars Bar - fluffy, slightly chocolatey nougat topped with a delicious sticky caramel & coated in chocolate. Easy recipe, basic ingredients.
Prep Time45 minutesmins
Servings: 8bars
Course: Dessert
Ingredients
Nougat
1tube of Liquid Glucose (140g)
400gramscaster sugar
10gramscocoa powder
2egg whites
Coating
250gramsof your fave chocolate
Caramel
8soft caramels or 100g of My Chewy Caramel Recipe - see "the caramel bit" in the blog post above
Instructions
NOUGAT
Place the caster sugar & liquid glucose into a saucepan. Add 125ml of water.>Tip: Cut the end off the tube and pour out from that side
Turn the pan to a low heat, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved. At this point, you won't see any grains of sugar in the mix and it will have changed from a bit of resistance when you stir it, to more of a water-like consistency (although it will still be a bit cloudy).
Increase the temperature so the mixture is simmering. Do not stir it anymore!! Leave it simmering until it reaches 132-135oC. >The pic shows what it will look like at this stage - the metal skewer is just my thermometer
Whilst the mixture is reaching temperature, place 2 egg whites in a large, clean mixing bowl and beat until they reach stiff peaks. >Here is a pic I have taken from google images to show what stiff peaks looks like!
Once the egg whites are stiff peaks and the sugar has reached temperature, add a tiny bit of the sugar mix to the egg and whisk in. Repeat until you have whisked in all of the mixture. >I pour in approximately 3 tbsp at a time. It takes 2-3 mins to add all of the sugar mixture to the egg white.
Use an electric whisk to beat the mix on high speed for a full 6 minutes. >Don't cut this time short!!! Its difficult to overwhisk, but if you underwhisk you won't have a fluffy nougat. >It will go from looking like melted marshmellows to a dough like consistency and then to a reallyyy sticky, almost chewing gum like consistency.
Add the cocoa powder and whisk in, making sure to get right to the bottom of the bowl.
CONSTRUCTION: IF YOU'RE USING A LOAF TIN
Line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper. Pour the mix into the tin.>Tip: The mix will be really sticky and difficult to pour so gather it all together in the mixing bowl, tip the bowl on its side and then use a spatula to tip the nougat into the tin
Use the back of a clean spoon to spread the nougat around evenly. >You won't be able to do this with your fingers as its too sticky!
Add the caramel to the top. If you've made your own, warm it up slightly so you can pour it over. If you're using Werthers, stretch them out into 8 strips and line widthwise across the tin.
Place in the fridge to set for 15 mins.
Melt the chocolate. Wait for it to cool slightly to make it easier to work with (around 1 min should be enough)>Ideally the chocolate needs to be "tempered". If you don't, when the chocolate has cooled down it will be a bit sticky. The cheats way to do this is to melt 2/3 of the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Remove it from the heat and add the remaining 1/3 in tiny chunks. Stir stir stir until its completely melted.
Slice the nougat/caramel into 8 bars.
Coat the bars in chocolate. My favourite way: 1. Scrape the chocolate into a small bowl – ideally only just bigger than the size of a toffee crisp so the chocolate is as deep as possible to make it easier to dunk the whole Mars bar into.2. Cover a baking tray/chopping board/plate with tin foil.3. Place one of the Mars bars into the chocolate, making sure its fully coated and then lift it out with a fork. Let some of the excess chocolate drip off into the bowl.4. Place the Mars bar onto the tin foil and repeat for the rest of the bars.
CONSTRUCTION: IF YOU'RE USING MY MOULD
Melt the chocolate. Wait for it to cool slightly to make it easier to work with (around 1 min should be enough)>Ideally the chocolate needs to be "tempered". If you don't, when the chocolate has cooled down it will be a bit sticky. The cheats way to do this is to melt 2/3 of the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Remove it from the heat and add the remaining 1/3 in tiny chunks. Stir stir stir until its completely melted.
Pour your melted chocolate into the holes of the mould and tip out any excess.
Place into the fridge/freezer for 5 mins to firm up.
Use your fingers to mould a sausage shape of the nougat. Place into one of the bars. Repeat for the rest.
Pour your caramel or stretch a ball over the top of the nougat OR if you're using Werther's, stretch a piece over top.
Add a tbsp of melted choc to the top of the bar and spread around. Repeat for the rest.