Homemade Butterfinger Candy

Do I have your attention?   I know when I saw another blogger post this recipe, I knew that I absolutely had to try it and share it with you.
I like many different candy bars, but when I buy Halloween candy, I always make sure I have Butterfingers and I usually hold those back until the end, so if I have leftover candy, well....I have something that I like.  There's nothing wrong with that is there??

To make this recipe, you will need a good candy thermometer.  When you make candy having an accurate temperature and controlling the heat so you don't burn the sugar mixture is key.
I know there are new fangled candy thermometers available, but I use the one I've had for the last...cough..ahem...30 years or more and it works just fine.

Because of the need to mix the ingredients quickly, it is essential to have everything measured and prepared and ready to go before starting to cook.  Because the candy is cooked to nearly hard crack it sets up very quickly and you have limited time to stir things together and get them into the pan.  Because of the time constraints,  I have only a few photos.  There just wasn't time to stop the process to snap any pictures. 

I won't lie, getting these bad boys out of the pan wasn't easy, even after liberally greasing the pan as stated in the recipe.  You have to chip away at a corner so you can get enough leverage to pry the entire slab out of the pan and then cut it on your cutting board with long bladed chefs knife.

The extra effort is so worth it.  Be sure you hang on to all those wonderful crumbs because the candies can be crushed and mixed in with good quality vanilla ice cream for a wonderful creamy treat.


Homemade Butterfinger Candy

Ingredients:

1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup (heaping) chopped bittersweet chocolate (chocolate chips work too)

Directions:

1. Butter an 8-inch square pan and set aside.
2. In a small, microwave-safe bowl, combine the peanut butter, vanilla and salt.  Set aside.
3. In a very clean medium saucepan combine the sugar corn syrup and water.  Combine those ingredients and remove any grains of sugar from the sides of the pan with a pastry brush wet with water.
4. On medium-high heat, cook the sugar until it reaches 290 degrees F., just under hard crack.  While the sugar cooks, warm the peanut butter mixture in the microwave for 30 seconds.  (I did this when the temp was about 280 degrees F. so it was ready to mix in.)
5. When the sugar has reached 290 degrees, quikly add the peanut butter mixture and stir to combine.  The mixture thickens quickly (can't emphasize this enough) so once combined put the mixture into the buttered pan.
6. Let cool beirfly for a few minuteson a wire rack.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over the top and let sit for a few minutes.  Using the back of a spoon, spread the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter candy.  Please the pan in the fridge to set for about 30 minutes.
7. After cooling, run a knife around the edge of the pan then invert.  The candy should pop out.  Mine didn't, and I needed to get my three tined "granny" fork under the edge to pry it out.  Once I did that, the entire slab popped out just fine.
8. Cut the candy into the desired shapes.  Keep any crumbs to use as mix ins for ice cream.

  

and that my friends is What's Cooking at Cathy's.....Enjoy!