Vegan Icebox Milk Chocolate Bars with Caramel Core (Kinder Maxi King)
So far, we’ve already developed a lot of sweet copycat recipes for you like ourvegan icebox chocolate bars
, vegan no-milk slices, a homemade vegan Twix bar, or vegan cereal chocolate bars. But today’s recipe is about a sweet that you've been asking for for a long time. So let’s roll out the red snack carpet for our vegan Kinder Maxi King! It's a very popular and deeply loved chocolate bar in Germany. Therefore it's embarrassing, but I have to confess that I've never eaten it. Luckily, we have enough test eaters in the office who still remember the taste well. So we ended up with a recipe that we think leads to the perfect vegan substitute for the original! Our freezer is now filled with this sweet snack, and after every lunch, a few of them are defrosted and enjoyed. It's simply delicious!
A classic "Kinder Maxi King" consists of a caramel center within a milky cream that’s covered by a wafer layer and chocolate with crunchy hazelnuts. If that doesn't sound like something, you'd want to dive right in, right? Instead of dairy cream, we made a delicious vegan vanilla cream. For the vegan caramel, we mixed canned coconut sugar and coconut milk that are simmered down to reach a smooth texture. Using only the thick part of the coconut milk, which usually settles at the top of the can, the caramel gets the perfect consistency. You can buy coconut sugar in any organic store, but you should also be able to find it in larger supermarkets. The waffle layer might be harder to get. We've seen them only online so far, but maybe you will find them in Russian or Turkish supermarkets as well. If you have an insider tip for us, let us know. For the hazelnut chocolate layer, we toasted the hazelnuts ) in a fat-free pan although we already bought chopped and roasted ones. But this way, they become extra crunchy.
The layering of the various components is actually easy-peasy. The most important thing here is to take your time and stick to the cooling times, as this makes the preparation much easier.
Our vegan “Maxi King“can be stored in the freezer! It's best to take them out about 20 minutes before eating, so the cream and the caramel thaw a bit and become softer – that's how they taste best. If you've made them, we'd love to see your photos and hear about your opinions in the comments below!
Vegan Icebox Milk Chocolate Bar with Caramel Core (Kinder Maxi King)
Ingredients
For the cream layer:
- 400 ml (1.66 cups) vegan whipping cream
- 16 g (2 tbsp) cream stiffener
- 16 g (1.5 tbsp) vanilla sugar
For the caramel core:
- 120 g (0.5 cup) coconut sugar
- 120 g (0.5 cup) coconut milk (only the thick layer from the top of the can)
For the chocolate hazelnut coating:
- 350 g (12.33 oz) vegan milk chocolate
- 50 g (1.75 oz) chopped hazelnuts
- 1-2 tbsp coconut oil (optional)
Also:
- 2 vegan flat wafer sheets (each 25 cm x 25 cm / 10 x 10 inch)
Instructions
Pour vegan cream in a tall container and whip with a mixer until stiff. While whipping, slowly add the cream stiffener and vanilla sugar. Then let the cream cool in the fridge.
Cut the vegan wafer sheets to get 24 smaller pieces measuring 4.5 cm x 9.5 cm (18 inches x 37 inches) each. Round off the corners with a knife to get the perfect Maxi King shape.
Toast the chopped hazelnuts in a fat-free pan until browned and set aside. Melt the vegan milk chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave, then stir in toasted hazelnuts.
Spread the hazelnut chocolate on one side of the 24 wafer sheets with a spoon or brush and let dry in the refrigerator.
For the vegan caramel, add coconut sugar and coconut milk (only use the thick layer of coconut milk that usually settles in the top of a can)to a saucepan and let it simmer for approx. 5-6 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and let cool.
Once the chocolate has set on the wafer sheets, transfer the vegan cream to a piping bag and spread a cream layer about 2 cm (1 inch) high on half of the wafer sheets. In the middle of the cream layer, form a longish well of approx. 7 cm (3 inches) with a spoon and fill the cooled caramel in. Then spread another layer of cream about 2 cm (1 inch) thick with a piping bag over it and carefully press a new wafer sheet on top. Let the bars cool in the freezer for about 2-3 hours until they are fully frozen.
If the remaining hazelnut chocolate has become firm, melt it again over a double boiler or in the microwave. If the chocolate is too thick, you can add some coconut oil to thin it out. Remove the bars from the freezer and coat the edges with chocolate. Transfer the icebox chocolate bars to the fridge or freezer one last time until the chocolate has set. Make sure to get them out of the freezer before eating to allow them to thaw and the caramel to soften.
