Ca$hew Cows from the Candy Manufactory

Two boxes of cashew candy bars from Zingermans's Candy sit next to two cut candy bars, revealing cashew and nougat wrapped in chocolate.

Taking craft candy bars to new levels of excellence.

by Ari Weinzweig

If you still haven’t had one of these amazing artisan candy bars, you might not yet know what you’re missing. Thanks to the hard work of the crew at the Candy Manufactory, what most of us knew as junk food and a quick way to get a sugar fix, has been transformed into a set of candy bars so complexly flavored and so compellingly good that they’re pretty much redefining the category. There’s a good bit of magic and mystery in every bite!

How we make the Ca$hew Cow.

The very catchily named Ca$hew Cows have a homemade cashew brittle (made from cashews, sugar, butter, and a hint of sea salt) base, blended with a mix of milk chocolate, cashew butter and some crisped-rice on the inside, along with pieces of cashew that have been roasted in butter and sea salt. All of which is again dipped in that very dark chocolate. You get a really nice texture, a touch of crunch from the rice, and a really lovely modest, mouth-filling flavor that never strikes me as overly sweet. A great way to boost your energy in the afternoon and/or end your evening. If you want to make them an elegant dessert, simply slice the bars into half-inch thick slices and serve them on a beautiful plate with toasted nuts and dried fruit.

Why we love the Ca$hew Cow!

How good are they? Jamie LeBoeuf, long time confectioner, Candy Manufactory production manager, and a Staff Partner this year and next says:

For me, the Ca$hew Cow and Peanut Butter Crush bars have some substance and a satisfying texture to them. Where the Original Zzang!® and Wowza have the airy, sweet nougat, and the What The Fudge has the dense, sweet fudginess to them, the Ca$hew Cow and Peanut Butter Crush present a totally different texture. They are not quite as sweet as other candy bars. I love the mild, buttery flavor of cashews. The big cashew pieces and cashew butter have lots of protein and nutty richness, plus the crisped rice cereal keeps them from being too dense and heavy. The little hint of salt brings out the cashew flavors and brittle bits add some roasty, caramelly sweetness. I like to think of them as breakfast bars. When I skip breakfast and need a little mid-morning snack, a Ca$hew Cow mini is just the thing to hold me to lunch time.

And Dane Peterson at the Deli describes them as:

10 out of 10. Best candy bar on the planet. Better than any other candy bar. “It is ELITE” The cashews are roasty, toasty, and glowing. He even loves that it sticks to your teeth slightly because then he can taste it for like 20 minutes, he is literally praising God for the existence of this bar.

Stop by the Roadhouse or the Candy Manufactory for your Ca$hew Cow fix today!