Many of us know Daim bars from the furniture giant Ikea, and the two have one thing in common: they’re both Swedish. This homemade version of the beloved candy are a sheer indulgence. Daim bars are known for their crunchy, caramelised almond toffee center enveloped in a smooth milk chocolate coating. Whether enjoyed as a sweet snack or shared with friends, these homemade Daim Bars are sure to delight your taste buds.
How are Daim bars made?
Creating these heavenly Homemade Daim Bars takes a little patience and speed at the same time, but it’s actually quite easy and not much can go wrong! We want to give a big shoutout to Barry Lewis for inspiring this recipe, he’s nailed the ingredients to give the right flavours. It all starts with a mixture of sugar, butter, corn syrup, and ground almonds. This mixture is caramelised to perfection, resulting in a golden caramel that’s mixed with ground almonds. The mixture is then spread out, we prefer a very thin caramel layer, cooled, and coated with creamy milk chocolate. Once set, it’s ready to be cut into the iconic, bite-sized bars that we all know and love.
In case of dietary restrictions (vegetarian, halal, gluten-free etc.), here is what you need to know about each ingredient:
- Sugar: The base of a caramel, you can use refined, white sugar or brown sugar
- Butter: We recommend unsalted butter, but you could use salted one if you’d like a salted caramel flavour. You can also use plant-based, vegan butter alternatives. Margarine can be tricky because some brands have a higher water content, so make sure to avoid those
- Corn syrup: This is essential to keep the caramel from getting fully crystallised and hard; corn syrup helps retain a slightly chewy and biteable texture
- Ground almonds: Give texture and flavour to the caramel filling. You can buy ground almonds or if you have a strong food processor, grind your own
- Chocolate: The real deal is made with milk chocolate, but you can use dark or even white chocolate depending on your preferences. You can also use plant-based, vegan chocolate to make this a fully vegan treat. We recommend melting it in a water bath
Is Daim vegetarian (or vegan)?
Daim Bars, in their classic form, were not vegetarian. The reason lies in the use of rennet in the production of their milk chocolate coating. Rennet is often sourced from the stomach lining of animals, making it unsuitable for those following a vegetarian diet. More recent information from the manufacturer label the bars as vegetarian though. In full transparency, we are not sure whether rennet is still being used in their production or not.
However, making your own Daim bars certainly allows you to use ingredients that align with your dietary preferences. Whether it’s vegetarian, halal or vegan, source the appropriate ingredients to create your own version of this recipe.
Still deciding? You might also like these 3-ingredient Reese’s cups, healthy cookies or chocolate truffles
Homemade Daim Bars offer a taste of pure indulgence, with their irresistible blend of buttery caramelised toffee and rich milk chocolate. Whether you savour them on your own or share them with loved ones, these bars are a sweet delight that captures the essence of pure indulgence. So, go ahead, whip up a batch of these delightful treats, and experience the magic of Daim Bars in the comfort of your own kitchen.
Daim Bar Recipe
Ingredients
Caramel filling
- 250 g sugar
- 100 g butter
- 50 g corn syrup
- 75 g ground almonds
- 400 g milk chocolate
Instructions
- Prepare a mould: It's easiest to spread the caramel on aluminium foil. You can use a cutting board to shape it into a shallow mould. You'll need a mould that measures approximately 35×24 cm.
- Make caramel: Add butter, sugar and corn syrup to a pot and let it caramelise on low heat for 4-5 minutes until it reaches a lightly golden colour. You don't need to stir it, it'll make itself
- Add ground almonds: Once it reached the desired colour, take it off the heat and add ground almonds to the pot, mix well. It will slightly harden so put it back over heat for a couple of minutes to soften a little. Make sure to stir so the bottom doesn't burn
- Flatten caramel layer: Quickly pour the almond-caramel in the mould and quickly flatten it. It hardens fast to use a spatula or rolling pin to get a thin, flat layer. Once it's in shape, cut it into pieces, you can make large bars or bite sized pieces. It's good to cut the caramel before it's too hard and cold. Set it aside
- Chocolate cover: Melt chocolate in a water bath and then cover the caramel bars in chocolate. You can use a brush, spoon or pour it over. Make sure both sides are covered
- Chill: Let it cool and harden on parchment paper in the fridge
