Homemade Baby Ruth Candy Bars

Baby Ruth candy bars are like Snickers with a double dose of peanuts - making them my favorite candy bar by far.  It doesn't get better than nougat, caramel, peanuts and chocolate.  Now you can make Baby Ruth at home - and let me tell you, this is hands-down the best candy bar I've ever made!  It's just. . . I can't describe it. It's soooo good.  You're just going to have to try it yourself.

There are a few differences with this Baby Ruth recipe than you will find anywhere else on the web.  For starters, I really wanted to make a candy bar that looks like a Baby Ruth.  And I wanted it to be easy.  So the construction technique is different.  Secondly, I wanted to capture that not-quite-chocolate candy-bar-chocolate flavor.  So I added a handful of butterscotch chips to the milk chocolate.  It was the perfect subtle boost that took this candy bar from obviously-homemade to out-of-this-world.

The great thing about making homemade candy bars is that you know exactly what goes into it, and can adjust the recipe to accommodate food allergies or dietary restrictions. And you can make them as big or as small as you like.

One person, upon tasting my homemade Baby Ruth bars, said I had ruined him on candy bars forever.  Now that's how you make a first impression!  I hope you give these a try!

Hardware:



Software:

• 1/4 cup milk or cream
• 25 caramels - or make your own! 
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons water
• 2 cups cocktail peanuts
• 12 ounces milk chocolate chips
• 2 ounces butterscotch chips

In a small saucepan, combine the milk, 5 of the caramels, the corn syrup, butter, vanilla, and salt over low heat.  Stir continuously until the caramel is completely melted. 

When the mixture is smooth, add 3/4 cup of the powdered sugar and stir. 

Bring the mixture up to 230F, stirring often.  Use a candy thermometer to check your progress.

When mixture has reached 230F, remove from the heat.

Whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar, and stir vigorously until mixture begins to thicken.

Pour the nougat layer into your prepared pan

Melt the remaining 20 caramels with 1 1/2 teaspoons of water in a small saucepan over low heat. 

Stir until the caramels are completely melted. 

Pour the caramel layer over the nougat layer

Mash as much of the peanuts into the caramel layer as you can before it sets up.

Melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips together, either in a chocolate melter, bain marie, or microwave on medium power in 20-second bursts. 

Pour a layer over the peanuts.  You'll use the rest of the chocolate to dip the sides and bottom of the bars later.

Place in refrigerator to chill until completely set.

Cut the bars into whatever size pieces you want.  This pan made 6 regular sized candy bars.

Re-heat remaining chocolate and dip sides and bottoms of candy bars.  You can dip the whole thing, like I did, but that actually ends up being too much chocolate and throws the rest of the flavors out of balance.


Enjoy!