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Payday Candy Bar with Chocolate: A Salty Sweet Snack
A Payday candy bar packs a sweet and salty crunch in every bite. And with the addition of chocolate–their newest release–what’s not to love? Learn how to make these delicious bites using only a few ingredients!
America has some pretty unique candy bars, and Payday is definitely one of them. Payday candy bars find their home here in the United States where they were created in 1932. This combination of chewy caramel coated with whole, crunchy peanuts makes this candy bar a favorite for Americans of all ages.
In 2020, the Hershey company came out with a new twist to the candy bar by dipping it in chocolate. Buyers have their choice of milk or white chocolate depending on preference. And honestly, there aren’t many things that are ruined by a dip in chocolate! The Payday candy bar is no different!
These candy bars are super easy to make and only use a couple ingredients. They’re also very customizable. Once you get comfortable making the basic recipe, the possibilities and ways you can personalize your candy bars are endless!
For my readers around the world who don’t have access to this good ol’ fashioned American treat, try making them at home. They’re a fun way to taste a piece of American history without booking a trip.
Table of Contents
- Backstory of the Payday Candy Bar
- How Payday Candy Bars Are Made
- Should You Temper Your Chocolate When Making Payday Candy Bars?
- Payday Candy Bar Recipe Variations
- Serving And Storing Payday Candy Bars
- American Payday Candy Bar Recipe
- How You Can Celebrate American Culture
BACKSTORY OF THE PAYDAY CANDY BAR
Believe it or not, the Payday candy bar was created back in 1932 as a meal replacement bar. You read that right… This peanut candy bar was originally marketed as health food!
In the early 1930s, Americans were in the midst of the Great Depression. Many were without jobs and food was costly and difficult to get. The payday candy bar was originally touted as a meal replacement bar because of its high protein count. Peanuts were a cheaper protein source compared to meat. Eating it in a candy form made it easier for Americans to get enough protein in a smaller, cheaper, snack.
The Payday bar was first produced by Frank “Marty” Martoccio, a macaroni and candy manufacturer from Minnesota. Legend states that the employees were trying to come up with a name for the creation. It just so happened to be “payday” that day, and one of the employees made the suggestion. The name Payday candy bar stuck ever since!
Paydays have gone through a few variations since its creation nearly 100 years ago. But one thing remains the same: Americans love it!
HOW PAYDAY CANDY BARS ARE MADE
Aside from its taste, one of the best things about making your own Payday candy bar is that it requires no fancy equipment. If you have a stove top or hot plate, saucepan, and spoon, you have all the equipment you need. It’s the perfect recipe for beginner candy makers and it’s almost foolproof!
Making traditional nougats and candies often requires a candy thermometer. The original recipe for Payday candy bars likely uses the technique of melting sugar and water to the correct temp and adding in milk at the end. Making caramel this way has a lot of room for error. It’s tedious and frustrating, especially for beginner bakers.
And when you’re craving chocolate, the last thing you want to do is get frustrated. Amirite?
There’s a solution. A very similar (and tastier, in my opinion) technique to make caramel uses condensed milk as the base. This technique doesn’t require you to use a thermometer or work with hot syrup. It’s great for beginners, quicker to make, and still tastes like the real thing.
SHOULD YOU TEMPER CHOCOLATE FOR MAKING PAYDAY CANDY BARS?
The short answer is no. Don’t worry about tempering chocolate for this recipe for Payday candy bars.
Tempering refers to a technique used to heat up, and then cool down chocolate. This process helps create a specific crystal structure that changes the look and texture of chocolate. You would want to temper your chocolate for a few different reasons:
- Tempering chocolate is what gives candy bars a snap when you break them.
- It has a smooth, glossy finish.
- Tempered chocolate is more stable than non-tempered chocolate. It’s less likely to bloom, which is a white film that can form on the surface of chocolate.
BUT… professional techniques aren’t necessary for Payday candy bars! The chocolate coating should be smooth, not crispy.
There are a few shortcuts that can help you get perfect chocolate for these candy bars every time:
Candy Melts Method: Candy melts are prepackaged discs of chocolate that are used as candy coatings. These chocolate discs don’t (usually) contain real chocolate. They’re a mix of oils and sugar to create a smooth coating that mimics chocolate. These are the easiest to work with because it’s hard to mess them up. They melt easily and generally do not form a white coating when they dry.
Mock Temper Chocolate: This method uses any chocolate that you have on hand. This can be chocolate bars, chocolate morsels, or chunks. For this method, take ¾ of your chocolate and place them in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on medium heat in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until melted. When the chocolate is melted, add in the remaining ¼ of your chocolate. Mix them into the melted chocolate mixture until everything is smooth and melty.
This method helps give your chocolate a glossier finish that doesn’t (usually) bloom. It doesn’t give it the same snap as tempered chocolate, though. But that’s okay because we don’t want that in this recipe.
PAYDAY CANDY BAR RECIPE VARIATIONS
The original Payday candy bar can’t be beat–let’s face it. There have been a couple “official” variations of the candy bar over the last century. These include a honey glazed and a chocolate dipped version.
If you’re like me, you like to experiment. And what better way to do it than in a candy bar?
The Payday candy bar is made up of two main components: caramel chew and a crunchy coating. The chocolate coating is optional. If you’d like to put your own twist on these delightful eats, here are a few ideas to start with:
- Java Payday: When making the caramel, add in 1-2 teaspoons of instant espresso powder.
- Turtle Payday: Substitute the peanuts with pecans for another American candy, the turtle.
- Black Sesame: Fold in 2-3 tablespoons of ground black sesame seeds to the caramel while it’s cooking. Either coat with more black sesame seeds or keep the peanuts. Dip in chocolate for a decadent Japanese twist!
- Green Matcha: Fold in 2-3 teaspoons of matcha powder into the caramel. Coat with matcha chocolate.
- Peanut Butter and Jelly: Mix in some finely chopped raisins or dried strawberries in with the peanuts. Fruit spreads and peanut butter are a classic American comfort food!
SERVING AND STORING THESE PAYDAY CANDY BARS
If there’s even one Payday candy bar leftover from this batch, you have more willpower than me. But, in the event that you do want to store them for later or give them as gifts, here’s how you do it!
How to Store Payday Candies
As with most chocolate confections, keeping them away from heat is a must. Store them at room temperature if you’re in a climate that isn’t too humid or hot. Otherwise, keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Candies last a lot longer than cakes or cookies, so these can last for a few weeks if kept in the fridge.
I like to layer the candies in parchment paper or paper confection cups to avoid scuffing the chocolate. It also helps to catch any excess moisture hanging around your container that might make your chocolate turn color.
Packaging for Gifts
Payday candy bars make the perfect homemade gift. The original American Payday candy bar is sold individually wrapped, but these are great packaged up in pretty boxes or containers. If you want to “go the extra mile” and wrap them individually, you can use small candy and confection wrappers. Or, you can use pieces of wax paper to package them up.
Experiencing American Candies
There’s a whole subculture of people who are interested in trying snack foods from around the world, and I’m a part of it! Is it you, too? If so, these candies are the perfect way to experience another culture without traveling. Buying candies from around the world can be costly and definitely comes with some risks. When you make them at home, you not only get to try something new, but you have the skills to make them again and again. I encourage you to try making these candies, too!
Yield: 15-20 Mini Bars
American Payday Candy Bar Recipe
These peanut candies hit all the right notes! They're crunchy, chewy, salty, sweet, and of course dipped in chocolate. They're so good, it's like waking up on pay day!
Prep Time
20 minutes
Total Time
20 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 Cups of Whole Roasted Peanuts
- 14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
- 1 Teaspoon Vanila Extract
- 12 oz Chocolate of Choice
Instructions
- In a heavy bottomed saucepan or non-stick pan, combine the condensed milk and sugar. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. It should just start to pull away from the side of the pan. This takes about 15-20 mintues.
- Remove from heat and cool slightly.
- When the caramel is cool enough to work with, grab about a tablespoon of the caramel and form into a 1.5-inch by 0.5-inch log. Wet your hands with water to prevent sticking.
- Place the log into a pile of the whole peanuts.Cover the log with peanuts and press together. Continue pressing peanuts into the mixture until the log is completely covered. Place on parchment. At this point, this is the original Payday candy bar.
- To dip in chocolate, place the candies into the freezer for 15 minutes to harden. Meanwhile, melt the chocolate.
- Microwave method: Add about 3/4 of the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between each interval, until completely melted. Add in the remianing 1/4 of chocolate and stir to combine. The residual heat of the melted chocolate will melt the remaining 1/4.
- Double Boiler Method: boil about 1 inch of water in a medium sauce pan. In a heat-safe, non-reactive bowl, add 3/4 of the chocolate and place on top of the sauce pan. Be careful not to allow the steam to escape. Any moisture in the bowl will cause the chocolate to seize and clump up. Heat the chocolate, stirring constantly until melted. Remove from heat and add the remaining 1/4 of chocolate. Allow the residual heat to melt the chocolate.
- When the candy bars are chilled, remove from the freezer. Dip into the chocolate with a dipping fork. Tap off the excess chocolate. Let sit on a piece of parchment paper to set completely.
IF YOU LIKE THE PAYDAY CANDY BAR, YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
Paydays use a milk caramel that can be used in a couple different ways! As long as you’re making milk caramel, check out these recipes:
HOW YOU CAN CELEBRATE AMERICAN CULTURE
At Olivia Goes Global, we believe every day has something wonderful to celebrate! Payday candy bars are one of America’s beloved candy bars that have been on our shelves for nearly a century! We eat them for snacks, hand them out during halloween, and use them to celebrate new jobs and promotions. But, a Payday candy bar is good anytime of the year. Try them for yourself and take a salty and sweet bite into American culture!