I oftentimes come across a recipe and I end up pinning it. If I bookmark it, it is a recipe that I think one day I may actually get around to trying. Some recipes remain in my mind longer than others.
This happened to be one of them. I found the recipe on an Italian food blog I don’t usually read. I stumbled upon it probably through someone else’s blog. And with all the delicious blogs and recipes I see every day, I sometimes forget about some really nice recipes. I’m usually not compelled to try out a copycat candy recipe. When I was thinking of how to change up a Twix muffin recipe I posted 2 weeks ago, I knew I had to make my own bars and finally had the chance to make these scrumptious copycat Twix bars.
I used the ganache recipe I like the best and posted here on some Nutella Peanut Butter Ganache Brownies a while back. I may even add Nutella next time to the ganache for these bars. Too bad I didn’t have any on hand.
It’s not as complicated as it seems. It does take a little time to make the three parts. It’s also messy and even more messy if you don’t let certain things cool enough (like I did;). Messy and so delicious! If Twix bars are a favorite of yours, you have to try these out! Cookie dough covered in caramel and chocolate-since they are small portions there is less guilt when you eat one.
Homemade Twix Bars
inspired by: Vera in Cucina
Cookie Base Ingredients:
70 grams (1/2 cup) all-purpose flour (*I ended up using about 2/3 cups of flour to get to right consistency for me to work with the cookie dough)
1.25 grams (1/4 teaspoon) baking soda
pinch of salt
50 grams ( 4 Tbsp.) butter, softened
25 grams (3 Tbsp.) sugar
1 egg
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.
With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated. The dough should be firm and that is why I added more flour as I was mixing to get to the right consistency. As I mention in the list, it was about 2/3 cup. Shape the dough into a log and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.
In the meantime, make the caramel.
Caramel Ingredients:
14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
85 grams (6 Tbsp.) butter
3 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
In a small pan over medium heat, stir the sweetened condensed milk and sugar together. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the butter and vanilla. Stir until all combined. Let cool while you make the chocolate glaze.
Chocolate Ganache:
1/4 cup heavy cream (I used organic heavy cream)
5 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
(while making the chocolate, I preheated the oven to 350 F. for the cookies).
Bring the heavy cream to a boil in a medium sauce pan on medium-high heat. Make sure to stir occasionally. Remove pan from heat, and stir in the chopped chocolate until it is combined. Let the ganache cool in a metal bowl with plastic wrap on top of bowl. The wrap will stop the ganache from forming a skin. Stir the ganache occasionally while the cookie dough is chilling.
Bake the cookies!
Remove your cookie dough log from the refrigerator and slice into small bars (I didn’t measure it. Just eyed the size).
Poke surface of each bar with a fork. Bake the cookies on parchment lined cookie sheet at 350 for about
12-15 minutes.
Let cookies cool for about 10 minutes. Spread a little caramel over each bar.
This is the really messy part. Take each bar and spoon a little chocolate over. I sort of dipped the edges in the chocolate bowl. I placed them on a rack to drip on top of parchment paper while I decorated the rest.
I told you it was messy but so good!
Happy baking! xo
Lora
Amelia says
September 21, 2012 at 2:45 pmHi Lora, wow… excellent twix bars. Yours look awesome, yum yum.
Have a nice weekend.
Annamaria says
September 21, 2012 at 2:47 pmThese look so good. I'll have to give them a try.
Helene Dsouza says
September 21, 2012 at 3:04 pmOh I have the same problem. See a nice recipe somewhere and then I forget where it was, then I ll search like a mad woman through my feeds and sometimes I end up giving up searching.
Cool, home made twix bars. My husband is going to love that!
Laura (Tutti Dolci) says
September 21, 2012 at 4:38 pmHomemade twix bars are such a good idea!
Swathi Iyer says
September 21, 2012 at 5:14 pmDelicious, I too forget where I keep bookmarked recipes.
Kristina @ spabettie says
September 21, 2012 at 8:31 pmyum!! I made twix bars last week for someone's birthday, and today I see TWO twix bars elsewhere! 🙂 yours look SO good!
Lizzy Do says
September 22, 2012 at 12:55 amOh, I won't forget these beauties, Lora! I'm game for anything with chocolate and caramel 🙂
Jen @ Savory Simple says
September 22, 2012 at 12:42 pmThose look SO delicious!
Lisa says
September 22, 2012 at 7:24 pmI LOVE Twix and these photos are slaying me! I have yet to make them from scratch, but you better believe I will now!! xo
Winnie says
September 22, 2012 at 8:31 pmThese are AMAZING !!
They look soooooooooooo delicious
Angie's Recipes says
September 23, 2012 at 4:17 amThese Twix bars look fantastic!
Christina @ Sweet Peas Kitchen says
September 23, 2012 at 4:24 amHomemade twix?? Count me in! These look incredible! 🙂
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
September 23, 2012 at 4:56 pmThere's a reason why I stay away from baking treats like this… because I know that I'd eat half of these in one sitting. They look awesome!
Jean (Lemons and Anchovies) says
September 23, 2012 at 7:09 pmLaura, oh my gosh, I love Twix bars but I bet this homemade version would eclipse the store-bought kind only too easily. I'm glad you made these to share with us. Love!!!
Janet Rudolph @ DyingforChocolate says
September 23, 2012 at 7:52 pmAmazing… can't wait to make thse. Great photos, too!
Andrew's Mom says
September 23, 2012 at 11:10 pmThose look fantastic!
Kate | Food Babbles says
September 23, 2012 at 11:36 pmThese sound SO good Lora! I love them and must make them! I bet these are so much better than the store-bought kind.
Kim Bee says
September 24, 2012 at 2:52 amThese are pure genius. You are a candy bar genius!
Baker Street says
September 24, 2012 at 6:30 amThis is such a fantastic idea, Lora! Ever since you mentioned you used homemade twix bars in the muffin I've been hoping you'd do a post around it. 🙂
Jamie says
September 24, 2012 at 10:20 amI love them! Love them! I'll bet they are even better than the original and I am thinking that one can make the caramel plain or salted, the chocolate dark or milk which makes a recipe fantastic when we can adjust it to our own tastes. LOVE! And soooo much better than store bought!
Parsley Sage says
September 24, 2012 at 12:24 pmWonderful! These look fabulous 🙂 And as far as I'm concerned…the messier the better!
Carolyn says
September 24, 2012 at 12:42 pmI saw these come up on my Instagram and I Instantly (haha) showed my husband. He was all over that!
Monet says
September 24, 2012 at 2:25 pmTwix were one of the few candy bars I enjoyed growing up. And after seeing these…I am going to have to make my own! Thank you for sharing such a great recipe Lora!
Patty says
September 24, 2012 at 2:52 pmLora these look like fun, I haven't made candy in quite awhile. I like the dipping part of this operation and I bet they tasted good 😉
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
September 24, 2012 at 5:55 pmHow amazing! You make homemade twix and you must be making a lot of things homemade! 🙂 My kids would love to make and eat homemade bars…even though it's going to be super messy!
Bunkycooks says
September 25, 2012 at 12:06 amHomemade with real caramel and dark chocolate…these have to be SO good! I'm not a candy fan, but Twix bars were one candy that I used to enjoy. These would be a great treat adults as well as kids.
Shulie Foodwanderings says
September 25, 2012 at 1:53 pmWow nice. I am happy you posted them. I never attempted making twix bars or any other commercial candy/treat at home. The idea really appeals to me for the sheer challenge in replicating something that is classic American! 🙂 I really like che crumb showing through the candy in the first photograph.
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
September 25, 2012 at 9:00 pmThis looks so fun! Need to make it for Halloween 🙂
Lorraine Joy Alegria-Vizcarra says
October 17, 2012 at 5:09 amOhhhh twin. I love this recipe.