Candy bar pie

Preparation

Baking Directions:

To prepare the candy bar pie:1. Pour the salty caramel into the crust.

Return it to the fridge to set for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Heat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Spread the pretzels out on a sheet pan and toast for 20 minutes, or until they have slightly darkened in color and the kitchen smells pretzely.

Set aside to cool.

Fetch the pie from the fridge and cover the face of the hardened caramel with the nougat.

Use the palms of your hands to press down and smooth the nougat into an even layer.

Return the pie to the fridge and let the nougat firm up for 1 hour.

Make a chocolate glaze by combining the chocolates and the oil in a microwave-safe bowl and gently melting them on medium in 30-second increments, stirring between blasts.

Once the chocolate is melted, whisk the mixture until smooth and shiny.

Use the glaze the same day, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.

Finish that pie: Remove it from the refrigerator and, using a pastry brush, paint a thin layer of the chocolate glaze over the nougat, covering it completely.

(If the glaze has firmed up, gently warm it so it is easy to paint on the pie.)

Arrange the pretzels evenly around the edges of the pie.

Use the pastry brush to paint the remaining chocolate glaze in a thin layer over the pretzels, sealing their freshness and flavor.

Put the pie in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to set the chocolate.

Wrapped in plastic, the pie will keep fresh in the fridge for 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months; defrost before serving.

Cut the pie into 8 slices, using the pretzels as your guide: each slice should have a whole pretzel on it.

To make the salty caramel:1. Put 105 g (1/2 cup) heavy cream, butter, vanilla and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Make a caramel: Heat the sugar and glucose in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat.

As soon as the sugar starts to melt, use a heatproof spatula to move it constantly around the pan — you want it all to melt and caramelize evenly.

Cook and stir, cook and stir, until the caramel is a deep, dark amber, 3 to 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, bloom the gelatin.

Once the caramel has reached the target color, remove the saucepan from the heat.

Very slowly and very carefully pour the remaining 105 g (1/2 cup) heavy cream into the caramel.

The caramel will bubble up and steam; stand away until the steam dissipates.

Whisk the mixture together.

If it is at all lumpy, or there are any clumps of hardened caramel floating around the cream, put the saucepan back over medium heat and heat the mixture, whisking constantly, until all of the caramel has dissolved and the mixture is smooth; remove the pan from the heat.

Whisk the bloomed gelatin into the caramel.

Once all of the gelatin has dissolved, pour the caramel through a fine-mesh sieve into the bowl with the butter.

Let the mixture sit, undisturbed, for 2 minutes, then begin whisking.

Whisk slowly at first to prevent the hot cream from splashing up and burning you, then continue whisking until the mixture is completely homogenous.

Use immediately, or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.

When ready to use, simply melt it in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring between blasts until it is completely liquid.

Tip: Powdered gelatin can be substituted for the sheet gelatin: use 1/2 teaspoon.

In a pinch, substitute 35 g (2 tablespoons) corn syrup for the glucose.

Instead of a whisk, use a hand blender to mix the caramel base.

To make the peanut butter nougat:1. Put the first measures of sugar and water in a tiny saucepan and gently slush the sugar around in the water until it feels like wet sand.

Do the same thing with the second measures of sugar and water in another tiny saucepan.

Place both saucepans on the stove and begin heating them up: turn the heat up to medium under the first sugar measurement and keep the heat low under the second measurement.

Heat the first sugar up to 115 degrees C (239 degrees F), keeping track of the temperature with an instant-read or candy thermometer.

While the sugar is heating up, put the egg white in the bowl of a stand mixer and, with the whisk attachment, begin whipping it to medium-soft peaks.

If the white reaches medium-soft peaks before the first sugar hits 115 degrees C (239 degrees F), slow your mixer way down and let the sugar catch up.

Or, if you notice that the sugar is almost to 115 degrees C (239 degrees F) and the white is still a bit off, turn the heat way down under the sugar and turn the speed way up on the mixer.

Ideally, the white will reach medium-soft peaks at exactly the same time as the first sugar measurement hits its mark.

If you can achieve this on your first try, then we have a job waiting for you in our kitchen.

Once the first sugar measurement reaches 115 degrees C (239 degrees F), remove it from the heat and very carefully pour it into the whipping egg white, being careful to avoid the whisk: turn the mixer down to a very low speed before you do this, unless you want some interesting burn marks on your face.

Once all of the sugar is successfully added to the egg white, turn the mixer speed back up, and turn the heat way up under the second sugar measurement.

Once this sugar reaches 120 degrees C (248 degrees F), remove it from the heat and pour it into the whipping egg white, taking the same precautions as with the first sugar measurement.

Let the egg white whip until cool.

While the white is whipping, mix the peanut butter, peanut brittle, and salt in a large bowl until well blended.

Once the white has cooled to room temperature, turn the mixer off, remove the bowl, and, using a spatula, fold the white into the peanut butter mixture.

Use immediately in the candy bar pie assembly.

Once it cools, the nougat is only acceptable as a ridiculously delicious snack, sure to steal any peanut butter lover’s heart.

To make the chocolate crust:1. Pulse the chocolate crumbs in a food processor until they are sandy and no sizeable clusters remain.

Transfer the sand to a bowl and, with your hands, toss with the sugar and salt.

Add the melted butter and knead it into the sand until it is moist enough to knead into a ball.

If it is not moist enough to do so, melt an additional 14 grams (1 tablespoon) butter and knead it in.

Transfer the mixture to a 10-inch pie tin.

With your fingers and the palms of your hands, press the chocolate crust firmly into the tin, making sure the bottom and sides of the pie tin are evenly covered.

Wrapped in plastic wrap, the crust can be stored at room temp for up to 5 days or in the fridge for 2 weeks.

To make the peanut brittle:1. Line a quarter sheet pan with a Silpat (parchment will not work here).

Make a dry caramel: Heat the sugar in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat.

As soon as the sugar starts to melt, use a heatproof spatula to move it constantly around the pan — you want it all to melt and caramelize evenly.

Cook and stir, cook and stir, until the caramel is a deep, dark amber, 3 to 5 minutes.

Once the caramel has reached the target color, remove the pan from the heat and, with the heatproof spatula, stir in the nuts.

Make sure the nuts are coated in caramel, then dump the contents of the pan out onto the prepared sheet pan.

Spread out as thin and evenly as possible.

The caramel will set into a hard-to-move-around brittle mass in less than a minute, so work quickly.

Let the brittle cool completely.

In a zip-top bag break the brittle up into pieces as small as possible with a meat pounder or a heavy rolling pin — we grind our brittle down in the food processor to the size of short-grain rice (you don’t want anyone to chip a tooth on it!).

Eat or cook with it at will.

Store your brittle in an airtight container, and try to use it up within a month.