Ingredients of Candy Bars

...
Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images

Some candy bars are limited to one or two main ingredients, while others are a combination of many flavors in one snack. Candy bars are so varied it is difficult to list all the ingredients, but a few ingredients are common among most candy bar manufacturers.

Chocolate

Chocolate is the main ingredient in many candy bars. Made from the cocoa bean, candy bar chocolate ranges from milk to dark to white. Chocolate often coats the rest of the candy bar ingredients. Some candy bars, such as chosen varieties of Hershey Kiss candies, use a hard chocolate shell to envelope a melted chocolate center.

Nougat

Nougat is the tan-color center in candy bars, such as Mars or Snickers bars. This popular candy bar ingredient comes from the seeds of the nougat tree, which grows in the southern hemisphere of the globe. Much like the cocoa beans, the nougat seeds are pressed, processed with sugars and formed to create a sweet treat.

Nuts and Pretzels

Nuts and pretzels add a crunchy surprise to the velvet feel of a candy bar. Nuts commonly used in candy bars are peanuts and almonds. Pretzels have been used in Mars M&M's candies. Peanuts wrapped around caramel create the Hershey's Payday candy bar. Other popular candy bars including nuts are Snickers and Almond Joy.

Caramel and Coconut

Caramel and coconut are used extensively in candy bars to add extra flavor. Milky Way candy bars include layers of nougat and caramel wrapped in chocolate. Mounds are dark chocolate encasing caramel filling. The natural sweet taste of coconut compliments the chocolate and caramel adds a soft filling to candy bars.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter and chocolate seem to have a natural marriage of popular taste. Reese's peanut butter cups are a huge success for Hershey. The peanut butter is formed and solidified, then wrapped with chocolate to create a portable candy bar mixing sharp peanut butter taste with silky chocolate.

Fudge

Fudge is melted or solidified for candy bars. Some candy makers will combine fudge with chocolate to create a smoother surface for the candy bar. Fudge filling comes in candy bars, such as Hershey's Cadbury Egg varieties. Fudge brings an added sweetness to the chocolate and enhances the chocolate taste.