CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER NOUGAT SQUARES

CHOCOLATE AND PEANUT BUTTER NOUGAT SQUARES image

Yield 100 pcs

Number Of Ingredients 13

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Ingredients

Based on a recipe in Peter Greweling's Chocolates and Confections (Wiley, 2010), these candies taste best with a pinch of sea salt sprinkled on top.
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups light corn syrup
1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 egg white
1 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup dry powdered milk
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 lb. semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp. vegetable shortening
Sea salt, to garnish

Steps:

Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Combine sugar, 1 cup corn syrup, molasses, and 3/4 cup water in a 6-qt. saucepan and heat over medium-high heat. Attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 250. Meanwhile, put remaining corn syrup, vanilla, and egg white into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk. In a medium bowl, combine peanut butter, powdered milk, and confectioners' sugar and stir until smooth; set peanut butter mixture aside. When syrup reaches 235, begin to whip egg white mixture on high speed. Once the syrup reaches 250, remove pan from heat and let sit 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to medium and carefully pour hot syrup into the center of the egg whites in a slow, steady stream. After all the syrup is added, increase speed to medium-high and beat for 4 minutes. Remove bowl from mixer and, using a rubber spatula, fold in peanut butter mixture gently but quickly until well combined. Transfer to prepared baking pan and smooth with a rubber spatula; let cool to room temperature. Remove nougat from pan and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 1" squares and set aside. Combine chocolate and shortening in a medium heat-proof bowl and set over a pot of simmering water. Heat, stirring often, until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from pot and let chocolate cool until an instant-read thermometer reads 89. Using two toothpicks or a candy dipping fork, dip a square of nougat into the chocolate, shake off excess coating, and place candy on a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper. Sprinkle squares with a small pinch of sea salt while chocolate is still liquid; repeat with remaining nougat squares, chocolate, and sea salt. If chocolate cools below 86, set the bowl over the pot of simmering water and heat, stirring constantly, until it returns to 89, then continue coating nougat squares. Let chocolate cool to room temperature and set before serving.