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A sweet taste for Christmas
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By JANE CLINE KABLER
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Just in time to help you get your act together for the holidays, I thought I should give you a few delicious and easy candy recipes to try. Candy made for the holiday makes a nice gift for the shut-in and elderly, as well as your parties at home.
Candy making can be both rewarding and fun. Have a candy party with friends and then divide up what you have made. Make a few appetizers, put on a good movie for the kids, or grandchildren and get busy. Recipes are usually easy and now many recipes use only the microwave. I hope to share some tips which will make your candy making fun and successful.
My experience with the microwave has been 100 percent successful. Chocolate melts easily, fudge is not grainy, too dry or too limp and it's always creamy. Tip: When melting chocolate, melt for 15-20 second increments, stir and repeat, that way you won't scorch it while melting. Use the basic microwave fudge recipe and change it by adding nuts, white chocolate, dried cranberries, maple flavoring with walnuts, etc. I will also share with you the famous Mamie Eisenhower Fudge, which is a cooked fudge and makes a huge amount. It is so very, very good.
I am sharing several recipes with you that I have made many times and tips for success. Cream candy is a bit tricky, but on a clear, cold day you can make it. The recipe is easy, contains just a few ingredients, and is actually fun to make. The best way to make cream candy is to have every thing ready before you start. Grease the cold marble with margarine, set out the vanilla, wash the candy thermometer, set out the measuring cup, cream, sugar and salt. Get out a small pan to boil the water and you are ready. Once you get all ingredients in your pan, stir and never stir again, do not scrape down the side at any time. Always pull the candy outside in the cold air until it is white in color and getting hard to pull. They you cut it. I leave mine out on a table in the kitchen overnight and the next day place it in candy tins, with waxed paper between layers. It will keep for a couple of weeks. It will become creamy in a few hours or a couple of days, depending on the weather.
Divinity is also quite easy and there are many variations. Try adding powdered Jell-O while beating for color and a little flavor, chopped candied cherries, coconut or chopped nuts at the end before spooning it out on waxed paper. One tip when making divinity is to never scrape the sides of your pan. Have all of your ingredients ready and once you start there is no stopping.
Pralines are a true southern sweet treat and big in Kentucky. It took me a couple of times before I got them like they should be. These candies are temperamental and need to be made on a non-humid, non-rainy day. Always use fresh chopped pecans for great flavor and store them in candy tins after they are completely cooled. These keep well.
Check out the recipe today for hard candy. You can make a batch in a matter of minutes. Purchase flavoring or oil of peppermint or spearmint at the local pharmacy. Tiny little bottles are very strong. It just takes a little for each batch. Color coordinate with food coloring the type of candy you are making. My favorite is cinnamon with red coloring. You make the flavor you enjoy. Tip, the recipe says cover a cookie sheet with powdered sugar, that is right, because you are going to pour the hot syrup on it like brittle, to harden. Just as quickly as you pour out the liquid, then also dust the top with powdered sugar, this will keep it from sticking when you store the candy. When the candy cools, break into bite size pieces and store.
Kentucky cooks are big on peanut butter rolls. They are delicious, but there are several ways to make them. The old fashioned way was to make a fondant and roll it out and etc., then along came a short cut using a hot moist cooked potato with powdered sugar, never my favorite, but now comes an easy recipe that the texture is like velvet and easy to make. Try this one for the holidays. This recipe is included in the newspaper today.
You will find an assortment of fudge recipes to try and all of these work. I have found that my fudge made totally in the microwave is always perfect. No over or under cooking. Tip: When making any candy that you pour out into a 9 by 13 dish, line the dish with heavy duty foil and bring the foil up 1 inch above the edges of the dish. Spray the foil with vegetable oil before pouring in the candy. When the candy is cool and firm, lift out the whole block of fudge and cut it on the counter. It will not stick to the foil and you won't mess up a piece when getting out the first piece. I also do this with cookie bars and brownies.
Last but not least, tips for getting ready for the candy making season. Stock your pantry with the basics: salt, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, light brown sugar, light Karo syrup, vanilla, Eagle Brand Sweetened Milk, condensed milk, milk chocolate tidbits, white chocolate tidbits, candied cherries, pecans, walnuts, maple flavoring, butter, margarine, waxed paper, heavy duty foil, and a candy thermometer. These are the basics and will help you in organizing your needs for the recipes. I start getting these items by the first of December and then I am ready to go.
Crispy Treats
1 1/2 cups of Rice Krispies
1 cup of peanut butter
7 oz. of marshmallow cream
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Toss and mix. Shape into balls with your hands. Melt milk chocolate tidbits in the microwave and dip each ball into chocolate. After it cools, drizzle melted white chocolate on top for decoration.
Easy Quick Lemon Truffles
14 oz. of white chocolate tidbits
10 oz. of lemon curd ( found in the jelly section at our local market)
3 cups of finely ground vanilla wafers
1 cup of confectionary sugar, sifted
Melt all of the tidbits, remove from heat and then add curd, ground wafers, sugar and mix well. Refrigerate until very hard and firm. Dip out and roll into small balls and roll into finely ground pecans. Variation is to use raspberry curd and roll into toasted coconut.
Kentucky Cream Candy
3 cups of sugar
1/2 cup of whipping cream
1/2 cup of boiling water
Tiny pinch of salt
Place in a large, deep pan. Mix and stir together, with a wooden spoon, all ingredients. DO NO STIR AGAIN. Do not scrape the sides down at any time. Secure the candy thermometer. Boil on medium high until it reaches 255 degrees. Have a cold piece of marble, lightly greased and pour the hot mixture on the greased marble. Do not scrape the sides. Pour about one and one half teaspoons of vanilla down the middle of the hot candy. Let it cool just enough to pick up in your hands and not burn you. Fold in the sides and ends to encase the vanilla and start pulling, pull until it is white and stiff. When it gets to where you can't pull, quit and cut into bite size pieces. Lay on waxed paper and leave on the kitchen table overnight. Next day pack into candy tins, putting a layer of waxed paper between each layer. It will cream in a few hours to a few days, depending on the weather.
Creme de Menthe
1 lb. of confectionary sugar, sifted
1 stick of margarine, room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons of Creme de Menthe
2 drops of green food coloring
Mix all together with your hands. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours and then roll into balls. Melt 14 oz. of white chocolate tidbits with one teaspoon of cooking oil. Melt in the microwave and stir at every 15 second increments until dissolved. Dip each ball into melted white chocolate and place on waxed paper. Cool completely and store in candy tins.
Microwave Pecan Fudge
24 oz. of milk chocolate fudge
1 14 oz. can of Eagle Brand Milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla
2 cups of chopped pecans
Melt chocolate in the milk in the microwave and stir every 15 seconds until chocolate is dissolved. Fold in vanilla and pecans. Line a 9 x 13 inch pan or glass casserole with heavy foil, spray the foil and pour the hot mixture into the foil. Cool until firm, lift the foil out of the pan and cut into squares.
Southern Pralines
3/4 cup of cream
1/4 cup of milk
1 1/2 cups of light brown sugar, packed
1 1/2 cup of granulated white sugar
1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
2 cups of rough chopped pecans
Mix sugars, milk, cream and cream of tartar. Heat enough to dissolve the sugars. Cook and stir. Cook to 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Set aside for 5 minutes. Stir in butter, vanilla. Beat until it becomes a little dull looking and creamy, quickly fold in pecans. Drop quickly onto waxed paper by the spoonful and cool, store in candy tins.
Candied Cherries and Nuts Fudge
( This is also very good plain, add whatever you like, it has to be kept in the refrigerator)
32 oz. of white chocolate tidbits
Melted with 2 tablespoons of butter, add
8 oz. of cream cheese
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Beat for 7 minutes with the electric mixer.
Fold in 1 cup of chopped candy cherries, red and green or one or the other
and 1 cup of chopped pecans. Pour into a greased foil lined pan. Refrigerate. Cut into squares and place on waxed paper in a candy tin.
Creamy Peanut Butter Roll
( New creamy recipe, so much better than the old way)
8 oz. of cream cheese
2 lb. of sifted powdered sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 stick of softened margarine
Mix well with your hands. Divide in half and roll out on powdered sugar. Spread each with peanut butter and roll up like a jelly roll. Wrap tight in foil. Keep in the refrigerator until time to slice and serve.
Maple Nut Fudge
14 oz. of white chocolate tidbits
1 can of Eagle Brand Milk
1 teaspoon of Maple Extract
1 cup of chopped walnut
Melt tidbits in milk, stir every 15 seconds in the microwave. Add Maple flavoring and nuts and pour into a greased foil lined pan.
Hard Candy
1 1/2 cups of white Karo
1 cup of water
3 3/4 cup of sugar
Mix the above and stir until it comes to a boil. Cook to 298 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove and stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of any flavor and three drops of coloring to match the flavor. Immediately pour out on a cookie sheet which is covered with a thin layer of powdered sugar. Immediately dust the top of the hot candy. When cool break into pieces and store in candy tins. Sift your sugar and reuse.
Mrs. Dwight D. Eisenhower's Fudge
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup of butter, divided
3 milk chocolate candy bars (two 7 oz. and one 1.55 oz.) broken into pieces
4 cups of semisweet chocolate chips
1 7 oz. jar of marshmallow cream
1 12 oz. can of evaporated milk
4 1/2 cups of sugar
2 cups of chopped walnuts
Line a 13 x 9 inch pan with foil, butter the foil with one tablespoon of butter. In a large bowl, combine candy bars, chips, and marshmallow cream. In a large heavy pan over medium high heat, combine the milk, sugar and remaining butter. Bring to a boil, stir constantly, boil and stir for 4 1/2 minutes. Pour over chocolate and marshmallow cream. Stir until well blended. Fold in nuts and pour into greased foil. Lift out of the pan when cooled and cut into one inch squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes 6 pounds.
Microwave Peanut Brittle
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of white Karo
1/8 teaspoon of soda
1 1/2 cups of raw peanuts
1 teaspoon of margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 teaspoon of soda
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a 1 1/2 quart glass dish. Stir in peanuts. Microwave on High for 4 minutes, stir and cook 4 more minutes. Stir in butter and vanilla. Microwave for one more minute. Stir in soda. Pour immediately onto a lightly buttered cookie sheet and spread out thin. Cool and then break into pieces.
Rocky Road Fudge
2 cups of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Tidbits
14 oz. can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
Melt together in microwave, stir often.
Add: one teaspoon of vanilla, 3 cups of miniature marshmallows and
1 1/2 cups of chopped walnuts
Line pan with foil, spray with vegetable oil. Pour hot mixture into foil. Refrigerate until firm, Lift foil from pan and cut into small pieces. |
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