Turtles
You can also use hazelnuts, peanuts, walnuts, Brazil nuts or a combination of these in place of pecans.
2 ½ cups heavy cream
2 tbs. butter, chopped
1 ½ cups corn syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
Dash of salt
1 tbs. vanilla extract
3 ¼ cups pecans
14 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 tbs. vegetable shortening
1. Lightly oil two baking sheets.
2. Over medium heat, using a heavy bottom saucepan cook the first 6 ingredients until the sugar dissolves and the butter melts.
3. Bring the mixture to a low boil stirring frequently, and cook for 1 hour until the caramel reaches the soft ball stage*, about 238 degrees F. using a candy thermometer.
4. Place the saucepan in a pan office water to stop the cooking or transfer the caramel to a smaller saucepan.
5. When the mixture has cooled stir in the vanilla extract.
6. Stir the nuts into the mixture until it is well coated.
7. Using an oiled tablespoon, drop by spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets one inch apart. If the mixture hardens return it to the mixture and heat to soften it.
8. Using a metal palette knife transfer the clusters to a wire rack to catch the drips.
9. In a medium saucepan, over a low heat, melt the chocolate and vegetable shortening, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly.
10. Spoon chocolate over each cluster covering each completely. You could also, instead use a fork to dip the clusters into the chocolate and lift them out to dry.
11. Please the finished candies on a wire rack over a baking sheet to catch any drips and allow to set for 2 hours.
* The soft ball stage means that when you drip a small ball of the material into cold water it will form a soft ball when you roll it between your fingertips.
Yield: 2 ½ dozen pieces
Salt Water Taffy
2 ½ cups sugar
1 ¼ cups white corn syrup
1 tbs. butter
2 tsp. salt
Food coloring
2 drops peppermint oil
1. Combine the sugar, syrup and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil while stirring constantly.
2. Boil it without stirring until the temperature reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
3. Remove it from the heat and add butter and salt.
4. Pour it out onto buttered platters until it is cool enough to handle.
5. Drop food coloring and your flavoring on top and pull the candy, folding in the corners and flattening and pulling until it glistens and hardens.
6. Cut it into bite size pieces and wrap it with wax paper.
Rocky Road
Makes a lovely holiday gift wrapped in pretty boxes.
26 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons grated orange peel or lime peel
3/4 cup walnut halves
3/4 cup dried tart cherries or dried cranberries
3 tablespoons finely chopped crystallized ginger
22 large marshmallows or 66 small ones
40 paper or foil candy cups
1. Line 11×7-inch baking pan with foil, extending over sides.
2. Place chocolate in medium bowl.
3. Set over saucepan of simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch water).
4. Stir until melted and candy thermometer registers 115 degrees F.
5. Remove bowl from over water.
6. Mix in orange peel, then next 3 ingredients. Fold in marshmallows.
7. Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly.
8. Chill until chocolate is just firm enough to cut, about 1 hour.
9. Using foil as aid, lift candy from pan and fold down the foil sides.
10. Cut candy crosswise into 8 strips.
11. Cut lengthwise into 5 strips, forming total of 40 squares.
12. Transfer rocky road squares to paper or foil candy cups.
13. Cover and refrigerate.
14. Let stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving.
Yield: 3 ½ dozen pieces
Note: Can be made 2 weeks ahead of time. So it is a perfect recipe to get done in advance and have ready on the day of your event.
Pralines
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 1/4 cups pecan pieces (5 oz), toasted
Special equipment: a candy thermometer with a clamp
Butter a 9-inch square metal baking pan.
• Sift granulated sugar through a sieve into a bowl to remove any lumps or large crystals.
• Then rub brown sugar through sieve into bowl.
• Pour sugars into a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan, being careful not to get sugar on side of pan.
• Add cream, butter, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook over very low heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon and washing down any sugar crystals on side of pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until sugar is dissolved (do not let simmer) for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Clamp on candy thermometer and then boil syrup over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until it registers 236 degrees F and a teaspoon of syrup dropped into a small bowl of cold water holds a very soft ball when pressed between your fingers, 3 to 6 minutes.
• Remove pan from heat, leaving thermometer in place, and cool, leaving undisturbed until syrup registers 220 degrees F for 1 to 3 minutes.
• Stir syrup with a cleaned and dried wooden spoon until thickened and creamy for 1 to 2 minutes.
• Then immediately stir in pecans.
• Working very fast (syrup hardens quickly), pour it into a baking pan, scraping the sides of the saucepan with your wooden spoon.
• Let mixture harden at room temperature for about 45 minutes.
• Cut and break into pieces.
Yield: 1 ½ dozen 2-inch pieces
Pecan Penuche
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
• In a 3-quart saucepan combine the sugars and milk, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
• Continue cooking without stirring until the mixture reaches the soft-ball stage (236 degrees F on a candy thermometer).
• Remove from the heat.
• Add the butter and vanilla, but do not stir.
• Let the mixture cool without stirring until it reaches 110 degrees F and the outside of the pan feels lukewarm, about 40 minutes.
• While the mixture is cooling, butter an 8-inch-square pan.
• With a wooden spoon beat the mixture until it becomes thick and begins to lose its gloss. Quickly stir in the pecans, and pour into the pan. (Don’t scrape the sides, since they may be sugary.)
• Cut with a sharp knife into 1-1/2-inch squares.
Yield: 3 dozen
Maple Taffy
1 cup maple syrup
1 ¾ cups of corn syrup
1 tbs. butter
1 tbs. vinegar
¼ tsp soda
1 tsp. vanilla
1. Combine the first four ingredients in a saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Stir it until blended.
2. Cook to 265 degrees on a candy thermometer.
3. Remove from the heat and add the soda and vanilla.
4. Beat until smooth and creamy.
5. Pour it into a shallow greased pan.
6. Once it is cool enough to handle pull the strips ¾ inch in diameter with buttered hands and cut the strips into 1 inch pieces with scissors.
7. Wrap each piece in wax paper.
Maple-Pecan Candy Popcorn
1 cup pecans (3 1/2 oz), toasted and coarsely chopped
About 8 cups plain popcorn
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
Special equipment: a candy thermometer
• Toss together pecans and popcorn in a large bowl.
• Line a large shallow baking pan with foil, then lightly oil foil and a wooden spoon.
• Melt butter in a 1- to 1 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat.
• Add syrup and salt, then boil, without stirring, until mixture registers 300°F on thermometer, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Pour syrup over pecans and popcorn, stirring briskly with oiled spoon to coat. Immediately spread popcorn in baking pan.
• Cool completely, and then break into bite-size pieces.
Yield: 10 cups
Honey and nut clusters
These need to be kept refrigerated. They are sticky but good.
2/3 cup blanched almonds
1 cup shelled hazelnuts
Whites of 2 eggs
1/3 cup honey
½ cup sugar
1. Preheat the oven to the lowest possible temperature.
2. Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment paper.
3. Spread the almonds and hazelnuts on separate sheets and toast for 1/2 hour in the oven.
4. Cool them on a cloth and rub off the skins. Coarsely chop them.
5. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and stir in the nuts.
6. Put he honey and sugar into a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil.
7. Stir in the nut mixture and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.
8. Turn the mixture out onto the prepared pan and smooth the top.
9. Cover the top with another piece of parchment paper and chill for two days with weights on top like canned goods.
Yield: 4 dozen clusters
Chocolate Truffles
Despite the name “Truffles,” this is not hard to do!
1/2 pound chocolate
1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/4 cup liqueur - any flavor
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 pound chocolate for covering
• Melt the chocolate with the butter, cream and liqueur.
• Beat well to blend together.
• Pour into a bowl and chill.
• When firm enough to shape, roll into balls.
• It helps to roll them in cocoa powder and set on a sheet of waxed paper.
• Leave in the freezer to chill and meanwhile slowly melt the remaining chocolate.
• Dip the truffles into the chocolate, allowing the excess to drip off.
• Let set on sheets of waxed paper.
Note: This makes an extravagant dessert to serve with whipped cream, chocolate sauce, hot coffee and liqueurs. This is an easy and delicious recipe for making truffles. It can be varied by the liqueur used for flavoring and by the addition of different fruits or nuts. It also works especially well with white chocolate.
Yield: 2 dozen truffles
Chocolate Rum Balls
½ cup butter (1 stick) at room temperature, softened
1/3 cup granulated white sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tbs. rum
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
¼ cup best quality cocoa powder
1 cup pecans, minced
Powdered sugar for dusting
Cream the butter and sugar and egg in a large glass bowl until light and fluffy.
Blend in the rum and vanilla.
Stir in the flour, cocoa and nuts, mix well.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Grease cookie sheets or line them with parchment paper.
Shape the dough into one inch round balls.
Place them 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until firm.
Remove to wire racks to cool.
Roll these in powdered sugar.
Yield: 3 dozen balls
Chocolate mint and Coconut Squares
These are ideally presented on small muffin papers.
½ cup sugar
2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
7 ounces semisweet dark chocolate, chopped
4 tbs. toasted dried
• Bring to a boil and continue boiling until the sugar reaches 280 degrees F. on a candy thermometer.
• Remove the pan from the heat and add the peppermint extract.
• Then pour it onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Leave it until it is set and completely cool.
Break up the peppermint mixture in a bowl using the end of a rolling pin.
Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler.
Take the bowl off the heat and add the mint pieces and the coconut.
Lightly oil a large baking sheet.
• Place the sugar and water in a small, heavy bottomed saucepan and heat over a low heat.
• Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Coconut. Take a 12 x 10 inch piece of parchment paper and spread the mixture on it on top of a baking sheet. Allow it to set and when it is firm cut it into small squares.
Yield: 7 ½ dozen pieces
Chocolate Fudge
1 cup minus 1 tbs. whole milk
2 cups sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1. Butter an 8 inch square pan.
2. Using a large heavy saucepan, bring the milk to a boil.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat
Caramels
When making candy, the syrup gets very hot. Kids, don’t try this without the help of an adult!
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, plus extra for greasing
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Equipment Required:
1. 10-inch-square pan
2. Waxed paper
3. A heavy, tall-sided saucepan
4. Candy thermometer
Be sure to use a larger saucepan than you think you will need. One with tall sides is best. Because this recipe has cream in it, it will tend to bubble up a lot.
1. Prepare your pan by greasing it with butter and/or lining it with waxed paper.
2. Place all ingredients except for the butter and vanilla into the saucepan.
3. Stir the mixture over medium heat with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves.
4. Add the 4 tablespoons of butter and stir until it melts and is well-incorporated and the mixture begins to boil.
5. Then cook without stirring until the syrup is above 248° F, the firm-ball stage.
6. Add the vanilla, mix well and then pour the mixture into the pan.
Allow to cool, then cut into 1-inch squares.
Store in an airtight container between layers of waxed paper at room temperature.
Yield: 1 pound
Broken Bottle Candy or Almond Brittle
1 ½ cups sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
1 tsp. lemon juice
Pinch of cream of tarter
2 cups blanched whole almonds
Sweet almond oil
In a heavy skillet (cast iron) combine sugar, light corn syrup, water, lemon juice and a pinch of cream of tarter and cook the mixture over low heat, stirring for 2 – 3 minutes. Discontinue the stirring and rotate the pan gently, washing down the sugar crystals clinging to the sides of the pan with a brush dipped in cold water. Increase the heat to moderately high and cook the syrup, rotating the pan constantly, until it reaches the soft ball stage, or a candy thermometer registers 240 degrees F. Add two cups of blanched almonds and cook the mixture, rotating the pan, until it is golden. Transfer the mixture to a metal or a marble surface, oiled with sweet almond oil, and flatten it with an oiled metal spatula. Let the brittle stand for at least 4 hours and break it into pieces. Store the brittle in a decorative airtight container. The brittle will keep for 2 – 3 weeks.
Yield: 1 ½ pounds
Bourbon Balls
2 ½ cups crushed vanilla wafers
1 cup walnuts, ground fine
¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
½ cup granulated sugar
2 tbs. corn syrup
½ cup bourbon
Powdered sugar for rolling
1. Combine the vanilla wafers and walnuts.
2. Melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler over low heat, stirring until smooth.
3. Stir in the sugar and corn syrup.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the bourbon.
5. Add the vanilla wafer mixture all at once and blend to forma thick dough.
6. Break off pieces of dough and form it into balls.
7. Roll each ball in powdered sugar.
8. Store in an airtight container until ready to serve
Cappuccino Squares
Flour; all purpose
1/2 c Confectioner’s sugar
1/2 c Butter; softened
3 ts Instant coffee crystals
-dissolved one by one in 1 tb -Hot water
-Butter for greasing pan
——————————–SECOND LAYER——————————–
2 c Confectioner’s sugar
1 tb Instant coffee crystals
-dissolved in 2 tb Hot water
1 Egg; lightly beaten, at room
-temperature 1/2 c Butter; softened
1/2 c Milk
———————————TOP LAYER———————————
4 oz White chocolate; 4 squares
1 tb Butter
2 oz Semisweet chocolate;2 sq-opt
Preheat oven to 350F. FIRST LAYER: Grease 8 inch square cake pan with butter. Mix together thoroughly flour, confectioner’s sugar (icing sugar), softened butter and coffee dissolved in hot water. (You can use food processor or electric mixer). Press mixture evenly into pan bottom. Bake 10 minutes in preheated 350F oven. Cool on wire rack.
SECOND LAYER: Meanwhile in large bowl, combine confectioner’s sugar (icing sugar), 1 Tbsp coffee crystals dissolved in 2 Tbsp hot water, softened butter and 1 egg (lightly beaten with a fork at room temperature.) Mix until thoroughly combined. (can use food processor or electric mixer). Put milk in pot over medium heat and scald (heat until bubbles appear around sides but milk is not a rolling boil). Add mixture from bowl and heat 7 minutes over medium heat , stirring frequently at first, constantly after the mixture bubbles. (If mixture starts to stick on bottom, lower heat slightly). Let cool slightly, then pour over first layer. Tilt pan to cover base layer evenly. Chill in refrigerator half an hour or more till set. THIRD LAYER: Combine 4 oz white chocolate with 1 Tbsp butter in double boiler and melt (or melt 1 -1 1/2 minutes in microwave on High and stir ). Spread over chilled second layer with spatula or blunt knife (layer will be quite thin).
OPTIONAL MARBLED EFFECT: Melt 2 oz semisweet chocolate in double boiler (or in microwave 1 - 1 1/2 minutes on High and stir). Pour melted semisweet chocolate into small ziploc bag and seal. Snip corner of bag with scissors. Squeeze out horizontal lines of semisweet chocolate onto white chocolate layer. With a blunt knife, swirl the two chocolates together to create a marbled effect. Chill. Before the third layer is completely set, score into bars. VARIATION: Mocha Squares: substitute semisweet chocolate for white chocolate (this variation is easier as the middle layer and semisweet chocolate are similar in colour.)
MAKES: approx 32 bars (they are very sweet, therefore the bars should be small)
Amigthalota - Almond Pears
3 c Ground almonds
1/2 c Icing sugar; sifted
1/4 c Egg whites (1/4 c = 2 whites
1/2 ts Grated lemon rind, optional
2 dr Almond essence
Whole cloves Additional icing sugar Rose or orange flower water - (optional) Makes: 30 Cooking time: 20 minutes Oven temperature: 160 C (325 F) Blend ground almonds with icing sugar measured after sifting. Add lightly beaten egg whites with lemon rind if used and almond essence. Mix to a firm dough with hands. Clean hands and rub with a little butter to prevent dough sticking while shaping. Break off small pieces of dough the size of a walnut and form into pear shapes. Insert a whole clove in the top of each to resemble a stem and place upright on a buttered and floured baking sheet. Bake in a moderately slow oven for 20 minutes, covering with brown paper if tops begin to brown.
Sift 2 cups icing sugar into a bowl and dip hot Amigthalota into it. If desired, a little rose or orange flower water may be brushed onto Amigthalota before dipping into icing sugar. Place on a wire rack to cool. Sift remaining sugar from bowl into base of a container and arrange cooled Almond Pears upright in a single layer. Sift more sugar thickly over tops and sides, seal and store for a day or two before using.
Almond Splinters
9 oz Milk chocolate, broken into
Pieces 6 oz Slivered almonds, toasted
Melt chocolate in top of a double saucepan over simmering water. Stir until smooth or microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Combine almonds and chocolate, drop teaspoonfuls of mixture onto foil-covered trays. Allow to set in a cool place; store in airtight container in cool place. Makes about 25.
Almond Shorts
1 c Sugar
1 c Sugar, brown
1 ts Baking soda
1 ts Vinegar
1 ts Vanilla extract
3 Eggs
1 lb Butter
6 c Flour
2/3 c Almonds, slivered
Combine sugars, baking soda, vinegar, and vanilla. Stir in eggs. Cut butter into small pieces and work into mixture. Add flour, a cup at a time, and mix well. Knead in almonds. Gather dough into ball and divide into five equal pieces. Roll each piece into a cylinder. If you wish, roll each cylinder in colored sugar. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350. Cut each log into 1/4″ slices. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. “This recipe is a tradition in my husband’s Swedish family. It makes enough cookies to feed the Swedish Army.”