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Homemade chocolate Whatchamacallits

Make your own version of this 1980s candy bar.

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The Pastry Chef's Baking
Crisp rice, caramel, and peanuts enrobed in a chocolate coating make a delicious a DYI Whatchamacallit.

Remember Whatchamacallits? I used to love these candy bars when I was a kid – crisp rice, caramel, peanuts and chocolate, a no-fail combo. I don't know if they even make these anymore since I don't shop the candy aisle unless I'm buying them on sale after Halloween for brownie add-ins but I don't recall seeing them in recent years.

This recipe from the blogosphere caught my eye and the pictures looked so yummy, I had to try them for myself.

I did modify this though; instead of caramel topping, I used dulce de leche and instead of making the chocolate topping, I melted some milk chocolate candy melts and enrobed bar-size pieces to make a more authentic-looking Whatchamacallit bar. 

After having tasted these, they were good but to make them a little closer to the original Whatchamacallit bar, I would consider cutting back on the flour and adding more rice krispies to get the crunch.

Homemade Whatchamacallits
Adapted from Bru Crew Life 

2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup dulce de leche
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1-3/4 cups flour
3/4 cup caramel bits
3/4 cup chopped peanuts, toasted
2 cups rice Krispies
Milk Chocolate Candy Melts (I used Wilton's Premium)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a 9" x 13" baking pan with foil and spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.  

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, vanilla, dulce de leche, and salt and beat on low until fluffy.

Sift the baking powder and flour and slowly add to the butter mixture. Stir in the caramel bits, peanuts and rice Krispies (in this order) by hand. Batter will be thick. Smooth top with small metal spatula. 

Bake for 28 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

Cut blondies into bar-size rectangles (your choice on how big or small you want them to be). Melt candy melts over low heat, stirring smooth. Spread over bars, using small metal spatula, encasing top and sides with the melted chocolate.  Set on wax paper and let cool until chocolate is set.

Related post on The Pastry Chef's Baking: Twix Brownie Bars

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