Mars Chocolate Bars

Step by step: Mars Chocolate Bars

• Step1

  First, make the caramel: Place 300 grams (10.5 oz) of sugar in a high sided pan. Add 400 ml (14 fl oz) of cream and stir. Bring to boil, stirring until the the sugar dissolves. Careful! the caramel is extremely hot and it bubbles up! Add 200 grams (7 oz) of glucose syrup, and cook while stirring steadily, until the caramel reaches 110°C (230°F). Turn the heat off. Add a pinch of salt, 15 grams (0.5 oz) of butter, and set aside to cool.

• Step2

  Spread the caramel filling on a sheet of parchment paper. Place a second sheet of parchment paper on top, and roll into a 0.5 cm thick rectangular. Remove the parchment paper.

• Step3

  To make the chocolate nougat, separate 3 eggs. We won’t be using egg yolks for this recipe, place in an airtight container. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. Place the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer.

• Step4

  Combine 75 grams (2.5 oz) of honey, 150 grams (5.5 oz) of glucose syrup, 75 ml (2.5 fl oz) of water and 150 grams (5.5 oz) of sugar in a sauce pot and place over medium heat. Stirring steadily bring to 130 – 140 °C (265 – 285°F).

• Step5

  Whip 2 egg whites on medium speed until frothy and airy. Add a pinch of salt.

• Step6

  Turn the speed of the mixer onto high. Gradually add the hot syrup, in a thin stream. Continue whipping for a few minutes until stiff. Meanwhile, melt 90 grams (3 oz) of chocolate in a bowl placed over a pot of barely simmering water, or in the microwave.

• Step7

  Turn the mixer off. Gently fold the melted chocolate into the nougat. Add 20 grams (almost 1 oz) of cocoa powder. Mix to combine.

• Step8

  Set aside for about 48 hours, to air dry, and then place in the freezer for about 20 minutes, to make it easier to cut into bars.

• Step9

  Remove from the freezer and slice into bars of 8×2 cm. Place the bars back in the freezer to make them easier to cover with chocolate.

• Step10

  The chocolate should first be tempered. Tempering means melting and heating chocolate, and then cooling it, while following specific instructions, forming the specific type of cocoa butter crystals. Tempered chocolate has a sharp snap, it is shiny and glossy. Untempered chocolate will bloom and have white spots and streaks. There are a few different tempering chocolate techniques, all of which are based on the same principles. In this recipe, the “seeding” method is used to temper chocolate. You will find other methods on the Tricks and Tips section of our website, www.videoculinary.com. If you don’t want to temper chocolate, just use compound chocolate, which does not contain cocoa butter, and does not require tempering, only melting is needed.

• Step11

  Place 300 grams (10 oz) of chocolate in a dry bowl. Set over a pot of simmering water, and melt, stirring gently. Heat to 41°C (105°F). The temperature range for this step is 40 – 45°c (104-113°F).

• Step12

  Remove from the heat and add about 150 grams (6 oz) of chocolate that has already been tempered, like a chocolate bar. You could add it in one piece or in small pieces (grated or roughly chopped). Keep adding chocolate and mixing it in, until all of the chocolate has melted. Stop adding the chocolate when it stops melting, and is thicker. Remove any unmelted pieces.

• Step13

  Place the bowl over a pot of barely simmering water. Heat to 29-31°C (84-87°F), mixing gently. Be careful! If the temperature climbs above 31°C, you will have to start the tempering process all over again.

• Step14

  Use two forks to dip the mars bars into the tempered chocolate. Tap the forks against the edge of the bowl, and let the excess chocolate drip.

• Step15

  Place on a sheet of parchment paper until set, and enjoy! You may enjoy making other homemade chocolate bars, like snickers, bounty, or giant twix bar.