Unreal Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Bars Recipe (Better Than Store-Bought!)

Did you know that most candies that you buy at stores claim to be healthy, like unreal snacks, but they often hide some things from you, such as excessive sugar, palm oil, and preservatives like sorbic acid? 

Just a few years back, in 2023, a study conducted by a consumer report found that 70% of so-called “better-for-you” snacks have so much sugar that they exceed your daily limits.

This means if you consume them, plus you eat whatever you want to eat at home, you end up eating more sugar than the daily limit. 

But what if I tell you that you can create these recipes at home? 

In this article, I will give you a Homemade Unreal Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Bar, which is much healthier than you get outside and cheaper, and you can customize it based on your preference, too. 

So, you will learn the following things:

• I’ll teach you how to make nougat so pillowy it will rival gourmet chocolatiers (and without corn syrup, promise!).
• After that, we’ll whip up a date-based caramel that’s secretly low-glycemic but still luxuriously drippy.
• Plus, you’ll learn pro-tier chocolate tempering so your bars snap, shine, and stay shelf-stable like a boss.
• Most importantly, if you’re health-conscious like me, then I’ll also share some dietary hacks to make this recipe vegan, sugar-free, and allergen-friendly swaps without sacrificing its original texture. 

 

Ingredient that You Need to Make Unreal Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Bars

If you want to keep your unreal dark chocolate caramel peanut nougat bar more healthy than what you buy at the store, then you should use high-quality ingredients. Here are the tips on what and how you can select the recipe:

1. Dark Chocolate (70-85% Cocoa)

The first ingredient to make a real dark chocolate caramel peanut nougat bar is dark chocolate. 

So, you would want to go with a high-quality dark chocolate that gives you a satisfying snap and a rich flavor. 

When you choose the chocolate, make sure it’s not overly processed. And preserve its natural depth and texture. 

Some dark chocolate brands that I recommend to you are Valrhona Guanaja, Ghirardelli, Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Chips, Callebaut, etc.

2. Nougat’s Key Ingredients: Honey, Egg Whites, and Vanilla

After the dark chocolate, the second ingredient you will need is Nougat. So here are the ingredients that you will need to make Nougat at home. 

• You first want to use honey as it acts like a natural binder and keeps the Nougat soft and sweet, too. 
• Secondly, you will need egg whites, which will provide the necessary airiness, but if you are vegan, you can substitute them with aquafaba. 
• Lastly, to enhance flavor, you will need vanilla. It is good as it won’t even overpower other elements that you will have in the recipe, but make sure you are using it in a limited amount.

3. Caramel, Reinvented with Dates

The third thing is date paste, so to make this, you will need 1 cup of date with ¼  cup of water to form a naturally sweet, fiber-rich, and caramel alternative. 

You can also add a tablespoon of arrowroot starch when simmering; it will help the caramel smooth and prevent it from being separated.

4. Peanuts for the Crunch

The last thing to make an unreal dark chocolate caramel peanut nougat bar recipe is Peanut. 

You will need to dry roast raw peanuts at 325°F for 15 minutes. It will enhance your peanut flavor. 

If you like, you can also lightly salt them after roasting them for extra flavor. I personally like salty peanuts, so you can try them too.

 

Step-by-Step unreal dark chocolate caramel peanut nougat bar recipe

Now you know what ingredients you need to make an unreal dark chocolate caramel peanut nougat bar recipe at home. 

Now, let’s learn how you will use these ingredients for a homemade Nougat Bar:

1. Make the Date Caramel

Okay, so first, you would want to make date caramel. And for this, you will need dates; I recommend Medjool dates. 

Although, you can take whatever dates you are using (but ensure they must be of high quality):

1. Soak dates in hot water with ½ tablespoon of baking soda for around 20 minutes.
2. After that, you drain and blend these dates with two tablespoons of almond butter and one tablespoon of vanilla extract until they become completely smooth. 

Pro Tip: One thing that I would suggest you do is layer cream between parchment sheets. If you aren’t using it immediately, it will help prevent them from browning and will keep them fresh for a bit longer.

2. Prepare the Nougat

Here is the step-by-step recipe on how you can prepare Nougat:

1. Firstly, you’d whip room-temperature egg whites until stiff peaks form.
2. After that, take a separate pan and then cook honey until it reaches 250°F (hard-ball stage)—this temperature is really important for a firm yet chewy nougat.
3. Then, you need to gently fold in ½ cup powdered erythritol (it will dissolve more uniformly than granulated sugar) into the whipped egg whites.
4. Finally, you can spread the nougat evenly in your prepared pan.

3. Temper the Chocolate

Now, the third important thing is to temper your chocolate. So how will you do it? Here is the step-by-step process:

1. You can use the seed method in which you will melt 75 percent of your dark chocolate to about 115°F. Then, you will add 25 percent chopped chocolate to cool it to around 82°F. 
2. Test: However, you need to spread a thin layer of foil and set it to glossy and firm within three minutes.

4. Assemble your chocolate Bars

Now you have done all of the important things, so to assemble your chocolate bar is the final step; here is how you need to assemble it:

1. In the second step, you learn to prepare Nougat. So once it is properly set, you want to pour some caramel caramel over it. Then, allow it to rest for about 20 minutes. Minutes just to firm up.
2. After that, you carefully want to spread your tempered dark chocolate on it (on the top).
3. When you are assembling, you want to freeze each layer for around 20 minutes before you add the next. Next, this will help you prevent seepage and keep the layers distinct.
4. Finally, they will be ready to serve. And when you are serving, you can use a heated chef’s knife for clean and smooth cuts. By the way, you can run a heated chef’s knife under hot water and dry it off.

 

Common Issues When Making Unreal Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Bar

When you make this chocolate bar recipe, chances are high that you will make a few mistakes. 

I made them, too, and I have seen other beginners making them. So, here are some things that you want to keep in mind to ensure a perfect chocolate bar. 

• Grainy Caramel: Sugar crystallization during cooking is normal, and the solution is very simple. You just want to add one tablespoon of non-GMO corn syrup to your caramel mixture, and it will inhibit crystallization. It’s very simple, but it’s true that too many people make mistakes.
• Nougat Collapsing: If you see that Nougat is collapsing, honey syrup may not have reached the hard boil stage. So the solution is you want to reheat that to 250°F and re-whip the mixture to avoid this Nougat collapsing problem.
• Chocolate Bloom: Temperature fluctuations when you try tempering or storage are also normal. So, the solution is you need to re-temper your chocolate, for which you can use the seed method we discussed above. Plus, you want to ensure that your chocolate is stored in a cool and consistent environment—it can be the fridge or your room.

 

Nutritional Powerhouse: How This Recipe Compares

If you remember, in the beginning, I said that when you buy chocolate at the store, it is not as healthy as it claims to be because it hides some things like preservatives, sugar, etc. 

But now, let’s compare our homemade Unreal Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Bar recipe with other chocolates.

• Commercial Bars: Most chocolate bars that you buy at the store have around 140 calories, 12g sugar, and 3g protein per bar.
• Homemade Version: When you’re making it at home, it’ll have around 110 calories, 6g sugar (thanks to the date caramel), and 5g protein per bar.
• Extra Boost: If you are a gym goer or health conscious like me, then you can boost protein. You can mix one scoop of collagen peptides into the nougat for an extra 10 grams of protein per serving. You can even experiment by adding half a scoop of whey protein. I myself have not tested this, but you can try this for more protein.

 

Unreal Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Variations

Here are some variations that can change the taste of your chocolate a bit. I am mentioning three, but you can also try others if you have in mind. 

• Salted Maple Pecan Variation: You can replace peanuts with pecans and use maple syrup reduction instead of dead caramel. It will give you a rich and autumnal flavor.
• Espresso Crunch: You can add one tablespoon of instant espresso to your chocolate coating. I will give your chocolate a subtle coffee kick.
• Protein Bar Edition: If you are health conscious, you can incorporate ½ cup of pea protein or whey protein into your nougat and then eat that bar post-workout. It won’t be just indulgent but will also be a nutritious chocolate bar.

 

Storage & Gifting Hacks: Keeping It Fresh and Presentable

This Homemade Unreal Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Bar is awesome. You can even gift it to your friends or family members. 

Or you can just make it in advance and then keep eating it for months. Here is how you can properly store it for gifting and for a longer duration.

• For Long-Term Storage: If you want to store these chocolate bars for a longer duration, you need to wrap them individually in wax paper and then keep those chocolates in an airtight container in the freezer. By doing so, you can keep them fresh for up to 3 months and eat whenever you want.
• Gifting Ideas: As I said, it’s also a good gift that you can give to others. So, you need to wrap individual bars in eco-friendly beeswax wrap and tie them with natural twine, which is usually perfect for holiday baskets or farmer’s market stalls.
• Serving Tip: If the chocolate bar gets soft after storage, then you can chill it in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving to regain a firm texture. Because this recipe includes chocolate, it’s natural for the chocolate to get soft because of temperature fluctuation.

 

What to Serve Your Nougat Bars With

The nougat bar is not just a simple treat that you can eat because you can pair it perfectly with other snacks and beverages. 

If you do so, these bars can give you a better experience. So here is what you can try.

For a Cozy Coffee Break:

You can serve your bars with a cup of freshly brewed coffee or an espresso. I really like their taste because the coffee has a little bitterness, while the nougat has some caramel sweetness, and when you eat it together, it will taste amazing. 

You can also use a hot cocoa, especially one that has cinnamon included, or you can also have this with other dark chocolate beverages.

At a Holiday Brunch:

During the holiday season, you can serve this unreal dark chocolate caramel peanut nougat with fresh fruit platters. 

And you can have fruits like oranges, grapefruit, grapefruits, grapefruits, strawberries, or anything you like. For example, I personally like oranges. 

Plus, you can also have light pastries such as almond croissants or spiced muffins; they taste good, too.

For an Elegant Dessert:

You can also serve this chocolate bar with a glass of dessert wine, such as a sweet port or rich red wine. This will give you a complex flavor. 

You can create an ice cream sundae. For that, you need to crumble the bars over a scoop of vanilla or coffee ice cream.

Savory Pairings:

If you are fond of savory things, then you can have a cheese and cracker platter, which includes mild cheese like brie, havarti, etc. 

They are savory and taste good with bars. So you will have a savory and sweet taste. Besides this, you can also serve it with lightly seasoned mixed nuts.

 

Final Word

This was a homemade unreal dark chocolate caramel peanut nougat recipe, which you can make with just a few ingredients and simple instructions. 

I highly recommend you make these chocolate bars at home because when you go and buy them in the market, they are more expensive and less healthy. 

On the other hand, if you make it at home, you can save money, you can customize the whole recipe according to your diet preference, plus you can also increase the protein amount by including whey protein or pea protein, etc.

Plus, you can try some variations because everything will be in your hands when you make it at home. 

 

Can I make nougat bars without a candy thermometer?

Yes, of course, you can make a Nougat chocolate bar without a candy thermometer. You just want to drop a small spoonful of your honey syrup into ice water. If it forms a hard, flexible ball, then it means it is ready to use.

 

Why does my caramel layer turn grainy?

The reason why your caramel layer turns grainy is because of undissolved sugar. So, you would want to wipe down the side of your pan with a wet brush when you are cooking to help the sugar dissolve properly.

 

Can I make these bars vegan?

Absolutely, it is 100% possible to make Unreal Dark Chocolate Caramel Peanut Nougat Vegan. 

You would just want to use Aquafaba instead of egg whites. Plus, you can use half a cup of chickpea brine and one tablespoon of tartar cream. 

Besides this, if you want to replace honey, you can use agave syrup as a vegan alternative. And for chocolate, you can opt for vegan dark chocolate, which is dairy-free and aligns with plant-based diets. Some popular brands are Enjoy Life Foods, Lily’s Sweets, Hu Kitchen, etc. (they’re vegan)

 

How do I ensure each layer is set properly?

You want each layer to rest for at least 20 minutes. Besides this, you can also keep them in the fridge for a short time if you’re in a hurry or want quicker results. 

Before adding the next layer, ensure the previous one has been set properly. This will keep your layers distinct and prevent them from mixing. That’s how you set your layers correctly.