The American’s are coming! The American’s are coming! My brother and his family from Minneapolis are coming! They’re “the American’s” in my world. I can wait to see them and celebrate Canada day AND the 4th of July!
Since we have family, friends and lots of viewers from the United States, I wanted to do another 4th of July video for all of them. Last year I did an American Flag surprise inside cake, so I knew topping that would be a challenge. What’s better than cake? CHOCOLATE!
In Canada we call small bars covered in chocolate “chocolate bars” but my research told me that in the States, they are called “candy bars”. They’re the same thing though. This candy bar uses my sugar cookie recipe for the crunchy base, and a chewy nougat for the top. Cover the entire thing in chocolate, and you have your own giant chocolate bar!! I found red and blue M&M’s easily (they come in the regular pack of M&M’s), but I had to order the white M&M’s off of Amazon.
I had never experimented with making candy before this recipe, so I was a little intimidated. Turns out, it’s only a lesson in patience! Watching the candy thermometer slowly climb seems as effective as watching paint dry. It takes a long time to get to 250F!! Ok, well, maybe it was only 10 minutes, but it seemed like a long time. The only caution I have is that the candy is HOT, so be careful.
Since this is a chocolate bar of sorts, I strayed away from my usual candy melts, as I wanted to have a true chocolate coating. Working with real chocolate (as opposed to the candy melts) is a little bit more tricky as the real stuff takes longer to solidify, so time in the fridge was necessary when I was shaping the sides to be vertical. Cover, swipe sides, fridge, repeat.
When you’re ready to serve your guests, slice off a piece of the candy bar, and each person will get their own American flag!
Giant American Flag Candy Bar
Ingredients:
- Prepared sugar cookie dough, one disc coloured red, one white
- 1-2 cups melted chocolate
- Nougat shaped to 8″ loaf pan size
- red, blue and white M&M’s (or other similar candy)
- white dragees (small round white sprinkles)
Nougat:
- 2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup corn syrup
- ½ cup water
- 2 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- blue gel paste
- Roll chilled red cookie dough disc out about 1/8″ thick and cut into 8″x4″ rectangle slices. Place rectangle on a piece of parchment paper on a baking tray.
- Cut as many rectangles as possible from the red dough, and then repeat with the white dough.
- Place sheets of rectangles back into the fridge for 30-60 minutes, or until chilled once again.
- Once chilled, stack rectangles on top of each other alternating red and white rectangles.
- Bake in preheated 350F oven for 30-40 minutes or until cookie reaches desired crunchiness. Allow to cool.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip egg whites until stiff. Set aside.
- In a medium sized pot, combine sugar, water and corn syrup. Heat on medium heat until sugar dissolves, and the increase heat to medium high, and continue to stir until the candy’s temperature reaches 250F (use a candy thermometer for this reading).
- Once candy reaches temperature, slowly add to egg whites, beating on slow speed.
- Add vanilla and blue colouring. Continue to mix until mixture thickens, and cools slightly.
- Pour into parchment lined 8″ loaf pan and allow to cool completely.
- Once nougat is cooled, remove from loaf pan and place on top of cookie portion.
- Cover entire candy bar with melted chocolate.
- Layout the American flag using the red, blue and white candies.
- Slice, serve and enjoy!
I hope you enjoy this Giant American Flag Candy Bar.
Your recipe has been featured here > https://sweetmeetsbakeshop.com/2016/07/04/light-no-bake-cheesecake-4th-of-july-history/
Happy Independence Day and keep on desserting!