Sea Salt Caramels

Sea Salt Caramels

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup sugar
1 can evaporated milk
3/4 cup heavy cream
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 Tbsp. coarse sea salt
Oil or cooking spray


Directions:

Active time: 30 minutes
Total time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring sugar, evaporated milk, and heavy cream to a boil over medium heat. Add corn syrup and continue cooking until mixture reaches 230°.

Add butter and vanilla; continue cooking, stirring constantly, until caramel reaches 240°. Remove from heat, stir in salt, and carefully pour into a lightly oiled 9″ x 13″ baking dish (parchment paper in the bottom of the pan is helpful).

Let cool at least 1 hour. Invert onto a cutting board covered with waxed or parchment paper and cut into 1-inch pieces with a sharp, lightly oiled knife. Caramels can be wrapped in waxed or parchment paper or cellophane. (To serve candy-store style, wrap individual pieces in parchment paper and secure the ends with a simple twist.) Store airtight at cool room temperature (around 65°) or in the refrigerator; will keep up to 3 weeks.

Chocolate Oreo Fudge

Chocolate Oreo Fudge


Ingredients:

1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
4 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 12 ounce package semi sweet chocolate chips
1 13 ounce jar marshmallow cream
4- 1.55 ounce Hershey’s milk chocolate bars, chopped
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups crushed Oreo cookies

Directions:

1. In a large saucepan, heat the evaporated milk and sugar until boiling. Continue heating over medium-high heat and at a low boil for about 10-12 minutes, or until it has reached the soft ball stage. (Check this by adding a small drop to a bowl of cold water. If you can roll it into a soft ball, it is ready.)
2. In a mixer, add the butter, chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, and chocolate bar chunks. Pour in the milk and sugar mixture and whip until all the ingredients are melted and smooth. Add in vanilla extract. Stir in the Oreo’s.
3. Pour directly into a greased 9X13 pan and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.

English Toffee

English Toffee 

Ingredients:

1 lb. butter
2 Tbs. white corn syrup
2 Tbs. water
2 cups sugar
1 (12oz.) pkg. semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 lb. sliced almonds
1 large Hershey milk chocolate bar - the huge one

Directions:

Butter a jelly roll pan and sprinkle with chocolate chips and sliced almonds. Set aside. Melt butter, corn syrup, water, and sugar in a large pot  over medium (slightly medium high) heat. Cook until sugar is dissolved, stirring occasionally. Stir and cook until mixture is 280 degrees. When mixture comes to 280 degrees, remove from heat and pour over chocolate chips and almonds. Break up Hershey Bar and lay pieces over toffee. Let the chocolate start to melt and then spread with a spatula. Let toffee set in the refrigerator. Break in to pieces.

Peppermint Patties

Peppermint Patties
 
Ingredients:

14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon peppermint extract
6 cups powdered sugar
24-32 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine the sweetened condensed milk and peppermint extract. Slowly add the powdered sugar and beat. Knead on a surface sprinkled with more sugar until dough is stiff. (The stiffer the better when it come to the dipping part!) Add more sugar while kneading if the dough is sticky. Roll 1/4 inch thick. Cut into approximately 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inch circles. If they are much bigger than that they fall apart when you dip them. My girlfriend said she uses a screw-off wine bottle cap! Let the cut patties dry for at least 2 hours on *each* side. They need to be really dry.

Melt chocolate & shortening it a double boiler; stirring constantly until smooth. Using 1 Tbls of shortening for every 6 oz. of chocolate. Keep chocolate hot for dipping. Dip patties in melted chocolate. The method my friend has found to work best: she places them on a long 3-tined fork, puts them in the chocolate (it should be no more than 1 1/2 inches deep), flips them over to coat the other side, lifts them out again with the fork underneath the patty, shakes the fork to shake off the excess chocolate & then places the patty on waxed paper to harden.

Marshmallow Chicks

Marshmallow Chicks

Ingredients:

4 TB unflavored gelatin
2 cups sugar
1 TB light corn syrup
2 egg whites, room temperature
1 TB vanilla extract

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1 cup potato starch

Directions:

Prepare candy molds by making sure they are perfectly clean and dry. Spray them lightly with cooking spray, then sprinkle them with colored sugar to coat. Or, line a 9 by 13 pan with a piece of plastic wrap large enough to cover the bottom and sides and overhang the edges to act as handles. Spray the wrap with cooking spray so it can be easily removed from the finished marshmallow. Sprinkle colored sugar over the surface.

Combine gelatin with 3/4 cup water in a small bowl and let dissolve. Be sure the gelatin dissolves entirely and does not turn spongy. If necessary, heat in the microwave or over a stove to keep it liquid while you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1 cup of water in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. Continue cooking without stirring until the mixture to come to a boil.

Continue cooking until mixture reaches 260°F, hard-ball stage. While the mixture is cooking, prepare egg whites. Place them in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. When the sugar syrup reaches 245°F, begin whipping the egg whites on medium high speed until they form firm peaks. Do not overwhip.

When the sugar syrup has reached 260°F, remove from heat. Pour in the fully dissolved gelatin mixture into the saucepan and swirl to incorporate.

With the stand mixer running on low, pour the sugar syrup in a slow, steady stream into the egg whites; pour down the side of the bowl to avoid having hot syrup spatter out.

Once all the syrup is added, turn the mixer up to high speed and whip for about 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture is very thick and glossy white.

Add vanilla extract and mix to incorporate.

Spoon the mixture into prepared molds and smooth off the tops with an offset spatula. Or, use a rubber spatula to scrape the marshmallow into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top and let the pan sit for a couple hours at room temperature to let the marshmallow set.

After the marshmallows have set, unmold them and fit the halves together to form 3-D shapes. Roll them in more colored sugar to coat.

Or, if you've made a pan of marshmallow, combine the confectioners’ sugar and potato starch into a bowl. Sprinkle some of the mixture over a clean counter. Turn out the marshmallow onto the surface, and dust the surface and sides liberally with more of the mixture to prevent sticking. Using a sharp chef’s knife, cut the marshmallow into cubes. Run the knife under hot water and wipe clean between cuts to prevent sticking and to keep the cut edges neat.

Roll the marshmallows in the mixture to coat all over.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pops

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pops

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
dash of cinnamon
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Assorted candy melts:
1/2 package white chocolate candy melts
1/2 package chocolate candy melts
1/4 cup light blue candy melts

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, and dash of cinnamon. In a second larger bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips. Roll the mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet lined with wax paper (Should make approximately 20) and insert a lolly pop stick. Chill for several hours or freeze for 15-20 minutes until firm.

Melt candy melts in the microwave per directions on package. (30 sec intervals, stirring in between.) Gently dip the cookie dough ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered (if your lolly pop stick falls out, just dip the end in the melted chocolate and put it back in the ball). Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Place in a styrofoam block to dry.

To decorate with drizzled chocolate, place chocolate in a sandwich bag on a microwave safe dish and microwave in 30 second intervals moving the chocolate around between. Using scissors, cut the very tip off the sandwich bag. The smaller your cut, the smaller the drizzle. Use the sandwich bag to pipe the chocolate back and forth over the cookie dough pop until you reach the desired look. Return to styrofoam block to dry.

S'mores Cookie Dough Pops

Ingredients:

1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, divided
1/4 tsp salt
dash of cinnamon
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar
3/4 cup mini-marshmallows, halved

Assorted candy melts:
1/2 package white chocolate candy melts
1/2 package chocolate candy melts

Directions:

In a medium bowl combine the flour, 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, salt, and dash of cinnamon. In a second larger bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth. Stir in the chocolate and marshmallows. Roll the mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet lined with wax paper (Should make approximately 20) and insert a lolly pop stick. Chill for several hours or freeze for 15-20 minutes until firm.

Melt candy melts in the microwave per directions on package. (30 sec intervals, stirring in between.) Gently dip the cookie dough ball into the candy coating by holding the lollipop stick and rotating until covered (if your lolly pop stick falls out, just dip the end in the melted chocolate and put it back in the ball). Once covered remove and softly tap and rotate until the excess chocolate falls off. Sprinkle with remaining graham cracker crumbs. Place in a styrofoam block to dry.

http://www.bakedperfection.com/2009/04/cookie-dough-pops.html

Pulled Taffy

Pulled Taffy

Ingredients:

3 cups pure cane sugar
1/3 cup white vinegar
2/3 cup water
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon or other flavoring

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a white enamel pan (if possible). Cook on high heat until mixture turns a caramel color. Pour into buttered 9x13" pan. Set pan in sink with cool water on the bottom. Corners will begin to get stiff. With a fork, lift corners to the center. When thick enough, put it over the handle of a wooden spoon. It will stretch and fall. As it falls, lift back up over spoon with buttered fingers. As it cools, it gets harder. Before it is set, stretch into long 3/4 inch strip and stretch. Let set completely. Break with a knife.

5-Minute Cranberry-Orange Fudge w/ Almonds

5-Minute Cranberry Orange Fudge with Almonds

Ingredients:

12 oz chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup of orange flavored dried cranberries
1 cup of chopped almonds

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray the inside of the cookie cutters with a non-stick cooking spray. Place on parchment paper & set aside.

Over low-medium heat, melt the chocolate & butterscotch chips. Add the Sweetened Condensed Milk & Vanilla. Remove from heat & add Cranberries & Almonds. Pour into cookie cutters and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Wrap in a cellophane bag & tie with ribbon.

Spiced Pecans

Spiced Pecans

Ingredients:

2 TB butter
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/8 tsp allspice
2 cups pecan halves
2 TB sugar

Directions:

Melt butter over medium-low in a non-stick skillet. Stir in salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Stir in pecans, and toast until color just starts to deepen, 6-8 minutes. Toss in a bowl with sugar and spread on a plate to cool.

Sugared Almonds

Sugared Almonds



Ingredients:



slivered almonds
1-2 cups sugar
About 1/8-1/4 c. water
Dash of cinnamon



Variations:
pecans, walnuts



Directions:


Mix water and sugar in skillet. Add almonds and continue to stir mixture until sugar makes a syrup and water evaporates. When water evaporates turn almonds onto wax paper on cookie sheet to dry and crisp up. Sugared almonds will keep in a Ziploc bag so you can make a big batch and use some later on.