Growing up in Chile, I have many candy memories. The most popular ones, like Super8, have chocolate, and I have never been a chocolate person. That may be why I was always happy to buy a Mantecol.
Mantecol is a popular peanut-based candy bar in Argentina. It is known for its smooth and creamy texture, making it a beloved treat among Argentinians and people in other parts of South America. It tastes like peanut butter fudge but less intense, with cinnamon hints.
The main ingredients of Mantecol are peanuts, sugar, and sometimes honey or other sweeteners. Peanuts are ground and mixed with sweeteners to create a smooth, creamy paste. This paste is then solidified into a bar, making it easy to slice and serve.
Mantecol is widely available in Argentina, Chile, and other South American countries at grocery stores, markets, and street vendors.
Different varieties have emerged with time: some with other nuts, chocolate, and even Nutella. It’s not commonly made at home, but I ask around for a recipe since I live in the USA and am not readily available.
Powdered milk is ubiquitous in Chile, almost always in the pantry in case of a power outage.
This homemade Mantecol can be the perfect addition to the Holiday baking to take to parties or exchanges. It’s a people pleaser.
You may also like the recipe: Wine Jelly.
Homemade Mantecol
A tasty and easy peanut butter fudge.
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 20
Ingredients
Units
Notes
Some instant powdered milk doesn’t work in this recipe; I have tested twice with the old-fashioned milk powdered without problems. It needs to be powder-like flour milk, not with small granules.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Snack
- Method: Food processor
- Cuisine: Argentinian
Keywords: mantecol, peanut fudge
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