HOMEMADE OH HENRY! BARS: Three recipes for National Chocolate Candy Day!

Today is National Chocolate Candy Day.  Of the 'oldtime' candies, I really like Oh Henry! Bars. Of course you can buy one to celebrate the day, but why not make your own?

So what exactly is an Oh Henry! Bar?  

From Wikipedia:

Oh Henry! is a chocolate bar containing peanuts, caramel, and fudge coated in chocolate. It was first introduced in 1920, by the Williamson Candy Company of Chicago, Illinois. According to legend, Oh Henry! was originally named after a boy who frequented the Williamson company, flirting with the girls who made the candy. The name is also said to be a homage to American writer, O. Henry. However, there is no definitive explanation as to the exact origin of the name.

Another theory is that the candy bar was invented by a man named Tom Henry of Arkansas City, Kansas. Tom Henry ran a candy company called the Peerless candy factory, and in 1919 he started making the Tom Henry candy bar. He sold the candy bar to Williamson Candy Company in 1920 where they later changed the name to "Oh Henry!". Henry's family now runs a candy factory in Dexter, Kansas that sells "momma henry" bars, which are nearly identical to the original candy bar.

In 1923, an employee of Williamson, John Glossinger, announced that he was going to make the Oh Henry! bar a national best seller. Company officials said it was impossible and denied him the funds for an advertising campaign. Glossinger went into the streets and pasted stickers saying merely "Oh Henry!" on automobile bumpers. People became curious as to what an Oh Henry! was and sales for the bar rose quickly.

1926 Oh Henry! Advertisement

Nestlé acquired the United States rights to the brand in 1984, and continues to produce the bar. In Canada, the bar is currently sold by The Hershey Company and manufactured at their Smiths Falls, Ontario facilities. Because of Canada's different chocolate standards, the Canadian "Oh Henry!" is not considered a "chocolate bar" and is labelled instead as a "candy bar." In fact, unlike the American version, which labels the bar as "milk chocolate," the Canadian version makes no mention of chocolate on the front of the wrapper. Hershey sells Oh Henry! bars made in Canada on a very limited basis in the United States as Rally bars, using the trademark of a Hershey product introduced in the 1970s and later discontinued.

Want to make your own Oh Henry! Bars? Here are three different recipes. Funny, but several of them include oats. I'm partial to #3 because it doesn't include oatmeal, but that's just me. The first two recipes really capture the flavor. Why not try all three?

1. Oh Henry! Candy Bars

Ingredients
4 cups oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup butter (melted)
1 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup peanut butter

Directions
Mix together oatmeal, brown sugar, white sugar, and melted butter.
Press into greased 9 x 13 pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Melt chocolate chips and peanut butter.
Spread over baked bars.
Put in fridge so frosting hardens completely.

2. Oh Henry! Candy Bars 

Ingredients
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup white Karo syrup
2 cups oatmeal

Directions
Melt butter, sugar ,and syrup.
Add oatmeal.
Press in well buttered 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Melt:
1 c. crunchy peanut butter
1 (6 oz.) chocolate chips

Cool bottom layer and spread mixture over the top.
Refrigerate.
Cut in squares.

3. Oh Henry! Candy Bars (my favorite recipe)

Part One
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup water
3/4 cup peanut butter

Directions:
Combine over heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved.
Cook until it reaches the hard boil stage (265 degrees).
Let cool
Add peanut butter.
Stir, then shape into rolls 3/4 inch thick and 1 inch long.
Set aside.

Part Two
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 pounds peanuts, chopped fine
8 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

Directions:
Cook corn syrup and sugar together until it reaches the hard boil stage (265 degrees).
Dip candy from first mixture into second mixture, then roll in peanuts while still hot.
Melt dark chocolate and dip rolls into melted chocolate
Place on parchment paper.

HOMEMADE MOUNDS BARS: National Chocolate Candy Day

Today is National Chocolate Candy Day. So many recipes to choose from! But since I love Retro Ads, especially those with recipes, I chose this one from Welch's for Chocolate Covered Cocoanut Bars aka Mounds Bars. Mounds Bars are now made by Hersheys not Welch's. The recipe on the Ad is for Chocolate Covered Cocoanut Bars with the final line on the recipe:

"But why go to all this work when no one makes cocoanut bars better than Welch!"

So if you're inclined to make your own, here's the recipe! 

Truffles: Recipe Round-Up for National Chocolate Candy Day

Today is National Chocolate Candy Day. Chocolate Truffles are my favorite kind of candy -- be they filled, covered, rolled, or dipped! Chocolate Truffles are a chocolate confectionary, traditionally made with a chocolate ganache center coated in chocolate, cocoa powder, or chopped nuts, and usually in a round shape. Their name derives from their traditional shape, which resembles a 'Truffle' which is the edible part of the tuber fungus.

Here's a round-up of 50+ Chocolate Truffle Recipes that have been posted on DyingforChocolate.com over the last few years. Make one or more and enjoy these truffles today as you celebrate National Chocolate Candy Day. No time to make truffles? Buy some great truffles at your local chocolatier and celebrate!

Do you have a favorite truffle recipe? Post below.

Absinthe Truffles

Almond Joy Truffles with Orchid Vanilla

Amaretto Truffles

Avocado Truffles  (Dark Chocolate)

Bailey's Irish Cream Truffles

Black Currant Tea Chocolate Truffles
 
Black Russian Truffles

Blueberry Truffles

Blue Cheese Truffles

Cappuccino Truffles

Candy Cane Truffles 

Caipirinha Truffles

Champagne Truffles

Chevre Chocolate Truffles 

Chocolate Cherry Truffles

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles

Real Coffee Truffles  

Cognac Truffles

Death and Taxes Truffles 

Eggnog Truffles  (Dark Chocolate)

German Chocolate Cake Truffles

Gingerbread Truffles

Goat Cheese Truffles

Grand Marnier Truffles

Guinness Chocolate Truffles

Guinness Pretzel Truffles

Chocolate Heart-Shaped Truffles 

Honey Truffles

Irish Coffee Truffles

Kahlua Truffles

Kentucky Derby Truffles 

Lavender Chocolate Truffles

Lemon Chiffon Truffles 

Maple Truffles

Milk Chocolate Truffles

Margarita Truffles 

Mexica Truffle Recipes (3)

Chocolate Mint Truffles

Mint Julep Truffles 

Mojito Truffles

Nutella Truffles

Orange Creamsicle Truffles 

Oreo Truffles

Parisian Chocolate Truffles 

Peanut Butter Truffles

Peanut Butter & Jelly Truffles 

Pecan Pie Truffles

Pumpkin Pie Truffles

Raspberry Vodka Truffles 

Rocky Road Truffles

S'mores Truffles 

Tequila Truffles

Toasted Almond Truffles 

Amaretto Truffles: National Chocolate Candy Day

Today is National Chocolate Candy Day! During WWII, the U.S. Government commissioned Milton Hershey to create a candy bar to include in the soldiers' rations. The recipe his company created is now the famous Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar. Today, chocolate is still an American favorite treat, and over 2.8 billion pounds are consumed annually in the U.S. On average each person consumes over eleven pounds per year--I think I account for much more, and if you're reading this blog, you probably do, too!

To celebrate National Chocolate Candy Day, enjoy these fabulous and easy Amaretto Truffles.

AMARETTO TRUFFLES

Ingredients
10 ounces dark chocolate (70-75% cacao, fair-trade), finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup sweet butter
1/4 cup Amaretto
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup crushed amaretto cookies

Directions
Simmer cream in saucepan. Stir in butter.
Remove from stove and add chocolate, place pot over ice water.
Blend in liquor and nuts, whip lightly as mixture thickens, do not beat.
Cover and refrigerate until hardened.
With teaspoon, rolls into balls and place on cookie sheet, refrigerate again until hardened.
Dip truffles in crushed amaretto cookies.

Chocolate Truffles Recipe Round-Up for National Chocolate Candy Day

Today is National Chocolate Candy Day. So in order to celebrate, I thought I'd do a Truffle Recipe Round-up. Most of these recipes are simple, and you probably have all the ingredients.  Besides links to specific truffle recipes, I've added a new recipe for Kahlua Truffles. Scroll to the end! Simple and delicious!

Don't have time to make truffles? Your favorite chocolatier has lots of varieties!

Chocolate Honey Truffles

Milk Chocolate Truffles

Blue Cheese Truffles

Chocolate Espresso Truffles

Eggnog Truffles

Champagne Truffles

Oreo Truffles

Candy Corn Truffles

Mexican Chocolate Truffles

Kahlua Chocolate Truffles

1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons Kahlua
7 ounces dark chocolate, 60-75% cacao, broken
4 tablespoons sweet butter, softened
Unsweetened cocoa

Heat cream in a small heavy pan until reduced to 2 tablespoons.
Remove from heat then stir in kahlua and chocolate.
Return to low heat and stir until chocolate melts.
Whisk in softened butter.
When mixture is smooth pour into a shallow bowl and refrigerate about 40 minutes.
Scoop chocolate with teaspoon or small cookie scoop and shape into 1" balls.
Roll balls in unsweetened cocoa.
Store truffles covered in refrigerator.
Let truffles stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

National Chocolate Candy Day: Oreo Truffles

December 28: Chocolate Candy Day. Chocolate Candy can be whatever you want it to be: Snickers, Kit Kats, M&Ms, Whitman Samplers, See's Candy or chocolate from great chocolatiers such as Recchiuti, Green & Black, Dagoba, Askinosie, and many others.

What's your favorite Chocolate Candy?

For great coverage, reviews and news on Chocolate Candy, Chocolatiers and more, go to The Nibble.

And how could I not have a recipe today. So here it is. Easy, of course. I'm giving the brand names of the products.. it's one of those recipes.

Easy OREO Truffles
adapted from Baker's Chocolate as seen on Allrecipes.com

Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Directions
1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
2. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
3. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

How to Easily Dip Truffles
Place truffle ball in melted chocolate to coat; roll if necessary. Lift truffle from chocolate using 2 forks (to allow excess chocolate to run off) before placing on wax paper