Cashews Caramel

• Prepare a 12 x 17" sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper. Leave 3" overhang of parchment on the two short sides, so you can easily lift the bars out when you need to cut them.
• In a large, heavy duty, thick bottomed pot, combine all caramel ingredients except for cashews.
• Heat the ingredients over medium heat until all sugar is dissolved and butter is melted. Bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Increase the heat to medium high. Cook over medium high until final temperature reaches 240F. This will take approximately 30-40 minutes. Your temperature will go very slowly between 220-230F, and much faster between 230-240F. When you see steam coming off of the caramel, it's still cooking! Don't give up because you "think" it's done. Get it to the final cooking temperature of 240F.
• Once you've hit 240F, turn off heat. Stir in cashews. Pour caramel on prepared pan. Allow caramel to cool for a minimum of 4 hours before layering with other ingredients. Caramel MUST rest for 24 hours before cutting and dipping bars.

Cappuccino Nougat

Nougat: Prep

• Prepare a 12 x 17" sheet pan by lining it with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment with cooking spray. Set aside.
• Combine powdered sugar and instant espresso powder. Mix well. Set aside.
• Melt shortening in microwave. Set aside.

Nougat: Egg White Meringue

• In the bowl of a 5 quart planetary mixer, combine two egg whites and 100 grams of corn syrup. Mix to combine, but do not start mixing for good. Set aside while you prepare the syrup.

Nougat: Syrup Slurry.

• Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Cook over high heat until 234F. When mix reaches 234F, turn your mixer on and begin whipping your meringue ingredients on high. Continue cooking syrup slurry until 252F.
• When syrup reaches 252F, turn off heat.
• SLOWLY stream hot syrup until whipping egg whites. You need to go slowly so you do not collapse your meringue. You also need to go slowly so you don't burn yourself.
• Once all syrup has been incorporated, mix on high for 4 additional minutes.

Nougat: Graining & Fats

• Turn mixer to low. Add in powdered sugar and espresso mix. Mix for 30 seconds to combine.
• Add in melted shortening. Nougat will appear to separate briefly. Turn mixer to high for 10-20 seconds to incorporate fat.
• Spread on prepared parchment. Top with additional sheet of parchment paper to smooth out. Cool and rest for 12-24 hours.

Dark Chocolate Filling

• Melt dark chocolate and palm oil together in the microwave in 30 second intervals until smooth.
• Pour filling over cooled cashew caramel.
• Allow filling to set up until firm enough to support the weight of the nougat. You can put the caramel / chocolate tray in the fridge to speed this process up.

Assembling bars.

• Place nougat on top of the dark chocolate filling. Let rest until filling is completely firm and bars can be cut without falling apart. If you place the entire three layers of bars in the fridge before cutting, please make sure you PULL THEM OUT and let them come to room temperature BEFORE cutting and dipping.

Bottoming, Cutting, Dipping, Decorating

• Cut bars into 1" x 3".
• Bottom bars with melted chocolate by lightly dipping the caramel side into melted and tempered chocolate. Place on parchment paper. Repeat with all bars.
• Run a knife along the edge of bottomed bars to clean up your lines before dipping. Throw away excess chocolate.
• Fully dip bas until melted and tempered chocolate. Place on parchment. Dust with espresso powder.

Storage and Shelf Life

• Store bars in sealed containers under normal room temperatures. Bars will have shelf life of 4 months under room temperature.