Log Roll

These candy log rolls are old-school confectionery, the kind of homemade treat your grandmother might have wrapped in wax paper and tucked into holiday gift boxes. A cooked sugar fondant gets shaped into small rolls, dipped in melted milk chocolate, and rolled in chopped nuts for a candy bar you made from scratch.

The fondant starts with sugar, corn syrup, milk, and butter cooked to the firm-ball stage (about 245°F/118°C on a candy thermometer). This is the critical step. Undercooked and the rolls won’t hold their shape. Overcooked and they’ll be rock-hard instead of creamy.

Once cooled, vanilla gets beaten in and the mixture is worked until it firms up into a smooth, moldable mass. Shape it into rolls about 1 ½ inches thick and candy-bar length. Let them cool completely before dipping.

Melt the chocolate over hot water (a double boiler), not direct heat. Direct heat scorches chocolate and turns it grainy. Dip each roll, let the excess drip off, then roll immediately in chopped nuts while the chocolate is still tacky.

Pro Tips

• Use a candy thermometer. Firm-ball stage (244-248°F / 118-120°C) is not something you can eyeball reliably.
• Beat the cooled fondant vigorously. The more you work it, the creamier and smoother the final texture.
• Let the rolls cool completely before dipping in chocolate. Warm fondant will melt the chocolate coating.
• Slice with a sharp knife after the chocolate has fully set for clean, even rounds.

Variations

• Use dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate for a richer, less sweet coating.
• Roll in toasted coconut instead of nuts for a different texture.
• Add a tablespoon of peanut butter to the fondant before shaping for a nutty center.