Easter Mints Kids Can Make
1/3 c Soft butter
1/3 c Light corn syrup
1/2 ts Salt
1 ts Flavoring
3 1/2 c ( 1 lb ) sifted confectioner’s sugar
Large bowl
Wooden spoon
Paper plates
Pencils
This is a no-cook recipe the children can mix with their hands. Flavor it with any of the liquid flavorings in the supermarket, such as strawberry and lemon. If you want, you can instead divide it into three portions and add a few drops of food coloring to tint it yellow, red, and green. The knead a small amount of flavoring into each one. This recipe makes about 1 1/2 lbs of candy.
Help the children measure all the ingredients into the large bowl. They can take turns stirring it with the wooden spoon until it becomes too stiff. Then they can knead it with their hands. They should continue kneading until the dough is smooth.
Give each child a paper plate and a pencil. Tell them to turn their plates OVER and write their names on the Bottom to prevent pencil lead from getting on their mints. Help them hold their pencils correctly. Make sure they use upper and lower case letters.
Give each child a portion of dough on his or her plate. The children can pinch off pieces, roll them into balls, and press them lightly with a fork to make a fancy butter mint. Children who cannot roll the candy into balls can make snakes, cut the snakes into pieces, and press the pieces with a fork. They might eat the pieces with the fork, but that’s ok too. Leave the mints on the plates and refrigerate them for 30 minutes, until they become firm. Easter Mints taste even better the second day, if you can keep everyone from eating them all on the first
day. Cover with plastic wrap and keep them in the refrigerator.
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
SLOW-COOKER CANDY
* 2 lbs. white almond bark
* 4 oz. bar German chocolate
* 12 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 24 oz. jar dry roasted peanuts
Put all ingredients in Crock Pot; cook 1 hour on high. Do not stir. Turn Crock Pot to low and stir every 15 minutes for 1 hour.
Drop on waxed paper and cool. Store in an air-tight container.
Bunny Salad
1 Chilled pear half
2 Raisins
1 Red cinnamon candy
2 Blanched almonds
-cottage cheese ball
Place crisp lettuce leaf on plate. On top of it, place pear upside down. Make bunny, using narrow end for face. Two raisins for the eyes, 1 red cinnamon candy for the nose and 2 blanched almonds for the ears. The cottage cheese ball makes the tail.