Miniature Candy Bars

These no-bake candy bars are basically homemade Butterfingers crossed with a Snickers. A sweet fondant center made from powdered sugar, condensed milk, and both vanilla and almond extract gets sandwiched between two layers of melted chocolate and butterscotch studded with chopped Spanish peanuts.

The fondant is kneaded by hand until smooth, then rolled between plastic wrap into a neat rectangle that drops right into the pan. That plastic wrap trick is essential. The fondant is incredibly sticky, and rolling without it means fighting a losing battle against sugar-coated hands and a lumpy, uneven layer.

The chocolate-butterscotch combination is what sets these apart from plain chocolate candy. Butterscotch chips melted with semi-sweet chocolate create a toffee-like flavor base that’s richer and more complex than either one alone. The chopped peanuts add salt and crunch to every layer.

Pro Tips

• Knead the fondant thoroughly until completely smooth. Lumps of dry powdered sugar create gritty pockets in the finished candy.
• Remove from the fridge 10 minutes before cutting. Straight from the cold, the chocolate layer cracks and shatters instead of cutting cleanly. A brief warm-up lets the chocolate soften just enough for neat bars.
• Use a sharp, heavy knife and press straight down rather than sawing. Sawing tears the fondant layer and makes ragged edges.

Variations

• Coconut layer: Mix shredded coconut into the fondant for a Mounds-style center.
• Dark chocolate version: Use all dark chocolate chips instead of the semi-sweet and butterscotch mix for a more intense, less sweet candy bar.