Candy Bar Bomb Recipe
chocolate brownie | peanut butter mousse | caramel filling | dark chocolate glaze | peanut pretzel crunch | caramel sauce | chocolate cigarette | chipped cream
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Ingredients
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Brownie base
Peanut butter mousse
Caramel filling & sauce
Dark chocolate glaze
Peanut pretzel crunch & garnish
Assembly & finishing
Method
Brownie base
- 1
Prepare and bake brownie
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter an 8x8-inch square pan and dust with cocoa powder or flour, tapping out excess. In a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water (double boiler), melt the chopped dark chocolate and 115 g butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool 3 minutes. Whisk in granulated sugar until combined, then whisk in eggs one at a time until glossy. Sift in flour, cocoa powder and salt and fold gently until just combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake 18–22 minutes until edges are set and a toothpick shows moist crumbs (do not overbake). Cool completely in pan on a rack, then remove and trim into 8 equal rectangular pieces (roughly candy-bar sized).
Peanut butter mousse
- 2
Make mousse
Beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt and beat until homogeneous and smooth. In a separate chilled bowl whip cold heavy cream to medium-stiff peaks. Fold 1/3 of whipped cream into peanut-butter mixture to loosen, then gently fold in remaining cream until uniform and airy. Transfer mousse to a piping bag fitted with a round tip (or use a spoon). Refrigerate until assembly.
Caramel filling & sauce
- 3
Make caramel
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, add 1 cup granulated sugar and swirl the pan occasionally (do not stir with a spoon) until sugar melts and turns an amber color. Once amber, carefully add the cubed butter and whisk vigorously (mixture will bubble). Slowly add the warm heavy cream while whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in sea salt. Let caramel cool until thickened but still pourable (about 10–15 minutes). Reserve about 1/3 cup for internal caramel filling and the rest for drizzling as caramel sauce at serving.
Peanut pretzel crunch & garnish
- 4
Prepare crunch
Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). In a bowl combine chopped mini pretzels, chopped peanuts, brown sugar and melted butter. Spread mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 8–10 minutes until aromatic and slightly crisp. Let cool; break into small clusters. Reserve about 1/2 cup for pressing onto glazed bars and the rest for garnish. Also have chocolate cigarettes and whipped (chipped) cream ready for finishing.
Dark chocolate glaze
- 5
Prepare glaze
Place chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Heat a small saucepan of water to a simmer then remove from heat and set bowl over the pan (or microwave in short bursts), stirring until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in 2 tsp neutral oil and 1 tbsp corn syrup (if using) to make a glossy, pourable glaze. Keep warm over the residual heat; if it thickens, rewarm gently.
Assembly & finishing
- 6
Assemble Candy Bar Bombs
Place trimmed brownie rectangles on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch drips. Using the piping bag or spoon, pipe or spread about 2 tsp of softened caramel onto each brownie, leaving a small margin. Pipe a generous 2–3 tbsp peanut butter mousse on top of the caramel, smoothing slightly to form an even dome. Chill the assembled brownies in the fridge for 15–20 minutes to firm the mousse.
- 7
Glaze and add crunch
Take chilled mousse-topped brownies and pour the warm dark chocolate glaze over each, covering sides so glaze runs down and encases the mousse. While glaze is still wet, immediately press the reserved peanut-pretzel crunch onto one end or around the base of each bar where desired so it adheres. Sprinkle a light pinch of coarse sea salt on each bar for contrast.
- 8
Final garnishes
Pipe or spoon a small quenelle or dollop (about 1 tbsp) of whipped (chipped) cream alongside or on top of each bar. Drizzle remaining caramel sauce over the bars or on the plate. Finish with a chocolate cigarette placed across the top of each bar. Let glaze set at room temperature (10–15 minutes) or refrigerate briefly (5–10 minutes) before serving.
- 9
Serve
Serve chilled or at cool room temperature. Store leftover bars in the refrigerator in an airtight container up to 3 days; bring to room temperature for 10–15 minutes before serving for best texture.