A Snickers Milkshake, in a Cup Made of (Homemade) Snickers
When Thrillist New York editor Andrew Zimmer says he wants a candy bar milkshake, he gets a candy bar milkshake. Knowing that ice cream and milk mixed with candy bars simply wouldn't cut it for a man who Instagrams like this, I decided to challenge myself with the near-impossible feat of building a completely edible candy bar cup.
Now, I'm no certified snack engineer or anything, but this thing holds up! At least long enough for you to chew and slurp your way to the bottom. The sides of the cup are made of chocolate, caramel, peanuts, and nougat -- just like a Snickers -- and the base is made of a shortbread cookie and caramel, just like a Twix.
Click here for more original Thrillist Recipes
What you'll need to succeed
Because this is a hot and sticky job, you'll need some heat-resistant spatulas. Some will be used for stirring melted caramel, nougat, and chocolate. Some will be greased up and used to spread those ingredients into smooth, even layers. Have several spatulas on hand to avoid washing one spatula over and over half a dozen times. I used six altogether for this recipe. These spatulas by Get It Right can withstand heat up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, including the gooey lava grip of hot candy.
Candy Bar Milkshake Recipe
Total Time: 2 hours, 45 minutes
Yield: 2
- 2 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips, divided
- 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter, divided
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup evaporated milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups Marshmallow Fluff
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15 ounces caramels, divided
- 1/4 cup, plus 1 tablespoon, heavy whipping cream, divided
- 1/2 cup salted peanuts
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 heaping tablespoons sugar
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 (12-ounce) bag fun-size Snickers
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 cups vanilla ice cream
- 1/2 cup whipped cream
- Spray a 9.5 x 13-inch (quarter-size) baking sheet with cooking spray and line it with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on each side. Spray two heat-resistant spatulas with cooking oil and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, boil 1 inch of water. Put half the chocolate chips (1 1/4 cups) and half the peanut butter (1/4 cup) in a medium heat-safe bowl. Place bowl over the boiling water (don’t let bowl touch the water) and stir with a spatula until fully melted and combined. Spread in an even layer in the prepared baking sheet and place in the freezer while you make the nougat. Return the chocolate bowl to the saucepan (off heat) and set aside.
- In another medium saucepan, combine sugar, milk, and butter over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, until sugar is completely dissolved, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, add Marshmallow Fluff, peanut butter, and vanilla. Stir until combined. Using an oiled spatula, spread nougat evenly over chocolate layer. Return pan to freezer while you make the caramel.
- In a small saucepan, combine 12 ounces of caramels and 1/4 cup of cream over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until melted. Turn off heat and stir in peanuts. With the other oiled spatula, spread the caramel over the nougat layer. Work quickly, because the caramel sets really fast. Return to the freezer while you make the last chocolate layer. Reserve the caramel saucepan because you’ll need it again.
- Return the pot of water to a boil and combine the remaining chocolate and peanut butter in the heat-safe bowl. Melt it just like you did before and spread it evenly over the caramel. Return to the freezer while you make the cookie base.
- Mix together the butter and sugar in a small bowl with a spatula until just combined. Add the flour and mix until the dough comes together. Divide dough in half and shape into two balls with your hands. Place a ball loosely in a sheet of plastic wrap and use the bottom of a glass to flatten it into a 3-inch wide, 1/2-inch thick disk. Repeat with the other dough ball. Wrap them snugly in the plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Transfer cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until the edges begin to brown, 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely.
- While cookies cool, remove the candy bar from the freezer and transfer to a cutting board. Cut a 1/2 inch off all sides then cut the slab in half crosswise. Let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, until pliable but not completely soft. Ease the torture of waiting by eating the edge pieces.
- When the candy bar slabs are elastic enough to bend, carefully roll each one into a cylinder. Use a drinking glass or rolling pin to help guide. Connect the edges and gently push them together to seal. Place the cylinders on a plate or tray and return them to the freezer. [PHOTOS BELOW]
- In the caramel saucepan, melt the remaining caramels and cream over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Remove candy bar cylinders from the freezer. Spread caramel over the cookies, completely covering the tops. Place the cookies, caramel sides down, on top of the cylinders, glueing them together. Again, you’ve got to work fast! Stick them back in the freezer for 10 minutes. [PHOTOS BELOW]
- To make the milkshake, combine Snickers and milk in a blender. Blend for about 1 minute, until the Snickers are completely chopped up. Add ice cream and pulse until combined. Flip the candy bar cups over and fill them with milkshake. Top with whipped cream. Eat the cup as you drink and refill as necessary.
