Candy Bar Pie

Directions

1. 1
   Pour the salty caramel into the crust.
2. 2
   Return it to the fridge to set for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
3. 3
   Heat the oven to 300F.
4. 4
   Spread the pretzels out on a sheet pan and toast for 20 minutes, or until they have slightly darkened in color and the kitchen smells pretzely.
5. 5
   Set aside to cool.
6. 6
   Fetch the pie from the fridge and cover the face of the hardened caramel with the nougat.
7. 7
   Use the palms of your hands to press down and smooth the nougat into an even layer.
8. 8
   Return the pie to the fridge and let the nougat firm up for 1 hour.
9. 9
   Make a chocolate glaze by combining the chocolates and the oil in a microwave-safe bowl and gently melting them on medium in 30-second increments, stirring between blasts.
10. 10
    Once the chocolate is melted, whisk the mixture until smooth and shiny.
11. 11
    Use the glaze the same day, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks.
12. 12
    Finish that pie: Remove it from the refrigerator and, using a pastry brush, paint a thin layer of the chocolate glaze over the nougat, covering it completely.
13. 13
    (If the glaze has firmed up, gently warm it so it is easy to paint on the pie.)
14. 14
    Arrange the pretzels evenly around the edges of the pie.
15. 15
    Use the pastry brush to paint the remaining chocolate glaze in a thin layer over the pretzels, sealing their freshness and flavor.
16. 16
    Put the pie in the fridge for at least 15 minutes to set the chocolate.
17. 17
    Wrapped in plastic, the pie will keep fresh in the fridge for 3 weeks or in the freezer for up to 2 months; defrost before serving.
18. 18
    Cut the pie into 8 slices, using the pretzels as your guide: each slice should have a whole pretzel on it.
19. 19
    In this recipe, we make a chocolate glaze for the top of the pie using dark chocolate, white chocolate, and oil.
20. 20
    I like to refer to it as cleverly avoiding tempering chocolate, which is a fussy, somewhat temperamental way of structuring chocolate so that it sets with a shiny, crisp coat.
21. 21
    But stirring oil into melted chocolate allows us to glaze the top of the pie with a brush and set it in the refrigerator.
22. 22
    The chocolate still has a nice, thin crispness while maintaining a certain malleability, ensuring a clean cut down through the many layers of the pie.
23. 23
    Toasting pretzels deepens their flavor significantly.
24. 24
    Note that the nougat must be made within 5 or 10 minutes of when you want to press it into the pie.