Every Day is Candy Day with these Chocolate Candy Recipes

Candies and chocolates are a match made in heaven and add a few other ingredients to it coupled with a little cooking and cooling, you’ll have the perfect batch of chocolate candies. You can gift them for Christmas, Diwali, Easter or just make it when the craving hits. These chocolate candy recipes will taste the same as the store-bought ones, minus the added chemicals and preservatives.

1. Chocolate Peanut Butter Jelly Cups

(Makes 24 pieces)

Ingredients

For the chocolate

• 120 ml coconut oil, melted
• 45 gm Cadbury cocoa powder
• 3-4 tbsp honey, to taste

For the filling

• 125 gm creamy peanut butter
• 125 gm sugar-free jelly or jam

Instructions

1. Line a 24-cavity mini muffin tin with small cupcake liners or use a peanut butter cup mold.
2. In a bowl, mix melted coconut oil, cocoa powder, and 3 tablespoons of honey until well combined. Taste the chocolate mixture and adjust the sweetness.
3. Spoon a small amount of the chocolate mixture into the bottom of each muffin cup, just enough to cover the base. Refrigerate the tin for 10 minutes to let the chocolate harden.
4. Once the chocolate bases are firm, add about ½ tbsp of peanut butter on top of each cup, then top with ½ tbsp jelly or jam.
5. Pour the remaining chocolate concoction over the peanut butter and jelly, ensuring each cup is fully covered. If the chocolate becomes too thick to pour, briefly reheat it in the microwave.
6. Sprinkle the tops with crushed peanuts or freeze-dried fruit.
7. Return the muffin tin to the refrigerator and let the cups harden completely.
8. Store the finished cups in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

2. Pumpkin Chocolate Candy

(Makes 16 candies)

Ingredients

• 130 gm pumpkin seeds
• 175 gm dates, pitted
• 125 gm Cadbury Bournville 70% Dark Chocolate

Instructions

1. Soak the pumpkin seeds in water for an hour or overnight to sprout.
2. Rinse and drain the soaked pumpkin seeds, then blend them with the dates in a food processor or blender until combined. You may need to scrape down the sides occasionally.
3. Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave or bain-marie method.
4. Line a pan with greaseproof paper. Tip the pumpkin-date mixture into the pan and use your fingers to press it into an even layer.
5. Pour the melted chocolate over the pumpkin-date base and tilt the pan to spread the chocolate to the edges.
6. Refrigerate the candy until the chocolate is set, then slice it into pieces.
7. Enjoy the pumpkin seed sweets within 3 days, as the sprouted seeds have a shorter shelf life. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

3. Nougat Candy Bars

(Makes 24 bars)

Ingredients

• 200 gm granulated sugar
• 250 gm honey
• 120 ml water
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 egg whites, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 170 gm Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate, chopped
• 170 gm Cadbury Bournville 70% Dark Chocolate
• 60 ml coconut oil

Instructions

1. Grease two 8-inch brownie pans with butter and line parchment paper both ways.
2. Add sugar, honey, water, and salt into a medium-sized saucepan, and stir until smooth. Put it on the stove, and cook for a few minutes, without stirring. Scoop up a little portion once it thickens, to see if it holds shape when squeezed in water. This is called the softball stage.
3. Add the egg whites to a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment or use a plain bowl with a hand mixer. Once the softball stage is achieved, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
4. Remove the pan from heat when the mixture has thickened further. Increase the mixer speed to high and extremely carefully, slowly add the hot syrup into the whipped egg whites.
5. Beat until very thick and glossy, about eight minutes. At the last minute, add the vanilla paste.
6. Scoop the mixture into both brownie pans evenly. Spread the mixture using an offset spatula. Place parchment paper on top of each pan of nougat. Press down to make sure it's flat and even.
7. Let the nougat sit at room temperature overnight.
8. The next day, slice each pan's worth of nougat into six long strips with a very sharp knife. Clean the knife after every slice as nougat will be fragile and sticky.
9. Refrigerate the nougat uncovered overnight.
10. The next day, melt the chocolate and coconut oil together in a large, shallow dish. Coat each nougat slice in the melted chocolate using 2 forks to transfer, dip, flip over, and remove.
11. Chill until chocolate hardens, then serve.