Carnival Magic Bars: An Easy-to-Make Dessert that will Leave Everyone Wanting More

Carnival magic bars are a popular treat that is often enjoyed during the festive season. These delicious bars are made with a combination of ingredients that come together to create a truly magical taste experience. The base of the carnival magic bars is typically made with a mixture of crushed graham crackers and melted butter. This creates a crumbly and buttery crust that serves as the foundation for the bars. The crust is usually pressed into a baking dish and baked until golden and set. Once the crust is prepared, a variety of toppings are added to create layers of flavor and texture.

In addition to the brush attachment we tested, the Dyson Airwrap system comes with drying and curling attachments plus a luxe leather case. Photo: Rozette Rago

But looks can be deceiving, as like the Game of Thrones women, both the One-Step and the Airwrap are capable and powerful, though each in their own contrasting ways. Manufacturers designed cooking appliances to look like their non-electric counterparts with the thought that something familiar can be reassuring and would entice buyers to take a second look.

Once the crust is prepared, a variety of toppings are added to create layers of flavor and texture. One of the most common toppings is sweetened condensed milk, which is poured evenly over the crust. This adds a creamy and rich element to the bars.

The Dyson Airwrap Costs 10 Times As Much As the Revlon One-Step. But Does It Deliver a Better Blowout?

If you regularly style your hair using a blow dryer and a round brush, a tool that functionally combines these two items might be appealing. The $60 Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer, a hot-air brush that’s beloved by nearly 63,000 sleek-hair-seeking reviewers as well as members of the bustling Peloton Mom Facebook group, and the $550 Dyson Airwrap, a coveted styling system with as many add-ons as a high-end vacuum, are two such tools. We tried both and found that although they can do the same thing—dry and style damp hair—and produce similar results, the experience of using each tool is radically different.

For starters, the One-Step is much larger than the brush-attachment-equipped Airwrap. It looks like it would kick the Airwrap’s ass in a fistfight, too, as it bears a strong resemblance to what a medieval morning-star torture club would look like if pinkwashing marketing were prevalent in the 1400s. Were the One-Step a person, it would be Ser Brienne to the Airwrap’s Queen Sansa. But looks can be deceiving, as like the Game of Thrones women, both the One-Step and the Airwrap are capable and powerful, though each in their own contrasting ways.

Three other Wirecutter staffers and I tested the styling tools, blowing out and styling our own hair. Our approximate hair types: 2A (mostly straight), 3C (kinky curls), 3A/3B (loose-to-medium curls), 2B (medium waves). I also tested the One-Step and Airwrap on my 5-year-old daughter’s medium curls. I do not regularly blow out my own hair, whereas my colleagues who tried the tools do.

Our results with each tool were roughly the same: Each provided an adequate blowout, similar to the type a professional could do. It would be difficult to distinguish an Airwrap blowout from one done with the much-cheaper One-Step, especially after an hour of two of humidity. Experience-wise, however, the One-Step and the Airwrap couldn’t be further apart.

Dyson Airwrap vs. Revlon One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer: Blow by blow

In addition to the brush attachment we tested, the Dyson Airwrap system comes with drying and curling attachments plus a luxe leather case. Photo: Rozette Rago

In addition to the brush attachment we tested, the Dyson Airwrap system comes with drying and curling attachments plus a luxe leather case. Photo: Rozette Rago

The Airwrap is a six-piece kit with interchangeable attachments that Dyson markets as a complete blowout and curling system, while Revlon’s One-Step Hair Dryer and Volumizer—as its name promises—is a much simpler device that can dry and straighten some people’s hair but not curl it. For the purpose of a comparative review, we used only the Airwrap brush attachment that’s most similar in size and form to the One-Step’s head.

Our findings: The One-Step is a no-frills workhorse, a utilitarian beast that dries hair adeptly if brusquely, while the Airwrap feels like a warm comb, the hair-tool equivalent of freshly baked cookies. The One-Step is far louder than the Airwrap and feels much hotter. My daughter, who begged me to blow-dry her hair, ran away screaming the second I tried to drag the One-Step through her curls but sat happily and colored while I dried her hair with the Airwrap—an unheard-of feat for a tender-headed elementary-schooler.

Dyson covers the Airwrap with a two-year parts and labor warranty. Revlon warranties the One-Step against defects for four years (returns require a $6 handling fee).

✅= In our testing, it did.
¯_(ツ)_/¯ = We found that this depends on hair type and technique.
❌ = In our testing, it did not.

Two testers who regularly blow out their own hair generally preferred using the Airwrap overall, but not so strongly as to justify the added cost of buying it over the One-Step—at least for the purpose of at-home blowouts—alone. “I loved the Airwrap’s curling iron and blow dryer attachments,” our 3A-hair-type tester said. “I could see myself getting really into these attachments after I get over the learning curve.” If you covet Dyson’s Supersonic hair dryer and regularly use a curling iron to style your hair, it might make sense to spend an extra $150 on the Airwrap, as its dryer attachment, while not as powerful as the Supersonic’s, performs similarly. A long-term tester, who has type 2A hair, found that while it takes her longer to create the type of curls she prefers with the Airwrap compared to a conventional curling iron, the resulting style typically lasts longer.

Although both tools dried my kinky-curly hair, neither enabled me to successfully accomplish a salon-style blowout. To be fair, I expected this result, as without additional heat from a flat iron, my 3C hair is impossible to straighten—it starts reverting to its natural curl within minutes, thereby wasting all the time, money, and energy I spent on trying to straighten it into submission. As my hair-type twin YouTuber Amber Ansah proclaimed, if she’s blow-drying her hair, “it’s because I am going to flat-iron it.” Like Ansah, were I seeking a salon-style blowout, using either the Airwrap, One-Step, or the unconventional-yet-effective RevAir hair dryer would be merely a first step. Miracle tools aside, the fact remains that whether you’re using a hot-air brush, one of our upgrade pick blow dryers, or our budget recommendation, your blowout results depend more on your hair type and technique than on the drying tool you use.

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The acceptance of portable electric cooking appliances was not a foregone conclusion. A cultural shift had to take place which addressed consumers’ specifically women’s concerns over safety, cost and design. Even then women only slowly began to take these devices seriously. This shift would begin in the 1920s with the appliance craze when items could be bought on credit and government mandated rural electrification of the 1930s put more people on the grid. More users meant that electric costs came down opening the way for people to consider buying appliances. Until then, portable electric cooking appliances remained somewhat of a novelty.

Additionally, a layer of chocolate chips is often added. As the bars bake, the chocolate chips melt and create a gooey and decadent layer. Another common addition to carnival magic bars is shredded coconut. This adds a chewy and tropical flavor to the bars. The coconut is typically sprinkled on top of the chocolate chips before baking. Some variations of the bars also include chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts, for added crunch and richness. Once all the toppings are added, the bars are baked in the oven until the edges are golden and the middle is set. After baking, the bars are allowed to cool completely before cutting into squares or rectangles for serving. Carnival magic bars are a favorite at gatherings and potlucks due to their simplicity and crowd-pleasing flavors. They are often enjoyed alongside other traditional holiday desserts and treats. These bars can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container for several days, making them a convenient option for busy hosts. In conclusion, carnival magic bars are a delightful treat that combines a buttery crust with layers of sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, coconut, and nuts. These bars are easy to make and perfect for any festive occasion. Whether enjoyed at a carnival or in the comfort of your own home, carnival magic bars are sure to bring joy and delight to all who taste them..

Reviews for "Carnival Magic Bars: The Perfect DIY Dessert for Any Celebration"

1. Emily - 1/5 - I was really disappointed with the Carnival magic bars. The flavors were all over the place and didn't blend together well. The chocolate was too sweet and overpowering, and the caramel was too sticky and didn't have the right consistency. Overall, the bars just tasted artificial and lacking in any real flavor. I wouldn't recommend them to anyone looking for a satisfying treat.

2. Matthew - 2/5 - The Carnival magic bars fell short of my expectations. The texture was off-putting, with the bars being too dense and chewy. The flavors also didn't come through as prominently as I had hoped. The advertised mix of chocolate, caramel, and cookie just didn't work for me. The bars felt more like a mishmash of artificial flavors rather than a well-balanced dessert. I can't say I enjoyed them and wouldn't purchase them again.

3. Sarah - 2/5 - I tried the Carnival magic bars and unfortunately, they didn't live up to the hype. The chocolate coating was waxy and lacked richness, while the caramel filling was overly sweet and left an artificial aftertaste. The cookie layer was also disappointing, lacking in texture and flavor. Overall, I found the bars to be underwhelming and not worth the calories. I won't be buying them again.

4. John - 1/5 - The Carnival magic bars were a real letdown. The flavors were so bland and lacking in any excitement. The chocolate didn't taste like real chocolate, and the caramel was just too sugary without any depth. The overall texture was also unappealing, with a strange greasiness that made them hard to finish. I wouldn't recommend these bars to anyone craving a delicious treat.

Carnival Magic Bars: A Mouthwatering Combination of Chocolate, Caramel, and Crunch