"Sweets"

"Chocolate Truffles"



Ingredients:

1 16-ounce package (1 cup) semisweet chocolate pieces

1/3 cup butter (no substitutes)

1/4 cup milk

1 beaten egg yolk

2 tablespoons either;

rum, brandy, kirsch, amaretto,

hazelnut liqueur, coffee liqueur, praline liqueur,

orange liqueur, or orange juice

Melted chocolate(optional)

Foil candy cups (optional)

Finely chopped nuts, candy sprinkles,

coconut,or melted white baking pieces (optional)



Directions:

In a microwave-safe 4-cup measure combine chocolate pieces, butter, and milk. Microwave, uncovered, on 100 percent power (high) for 1 to 2-1/2 minutes or till soft enough to stir smooth, stirring once during cooking.



Gradually stir about half the hot mixture into beaten egg yolk. Return to the 4-cup measure. Microwave, uncovered, about 1 minute or till bubbly, stirring after every 30 seconds.



Stir in liquor, liqueur, or orange juice. Cover and chill about 1 hour or till mixture is cool, evenly thick, and smooth, stirring occasionally.



Beat chocolate mixture with an electric mixer on medium speed about 2 minutes or till slightly fluffy and lighter in color. Cover and chill about 15 minutes or till mixture holds it's shape.



Drop from a slightly rounded teaspoon measure onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Cover and chill about 30 minutes or till firm. If desired, dip in melted chocolate; place in foil candy cups. Sprinkle with nuts, candy sprinkles, or coconut, or drizzle with melted white baking pieces. Or, instead of dipping, roll balls in nuts, candy sprinkles or coconut. Makes 48 pieces (about 3/4 pound).



Make-Ahead Tip: Up to 1 week ahead, make truffles. Place in an air tight container and store at room temperature.

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"WHITE & DARK CHOCOLATE CURLS:"



For dark curls, in heavy 1-quart saucepan over low heat, heat six 1-ounce squares semisweet chocolate with 2 tablespoons shortening, stirring frequently, until melted and smooth. Pour melted chocolate into 15 1/2" by 10 1/2" jelly roll pan; use rubber spatula to spread chocolate evenly to cover pan. Refrigerate until firm but not brittle, about 10 minutes. When chocolate is ready, place jelly roll pan on damp cloth on work surface. Holding teaspoon at 30 angle, scrape chocolate into curls (if chocolate softens and sticks to spoon, place pan in refrigerator several minutes). With toothpick, transfer curls to another jelly roll pan; refrigerate until ready to use.



For white curls, in heavy 1-quart saucepan over very low heat, melt 6 ounces white chocolate (or, use two 3-ounce Swiss confectionery bars or one 6-ounce package white baking bar) with 1 tablespoon shortening. Repeat cooling and scraping as above to make white curls.

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"Five Minute Fudge"



Ingredients:

1 stick butter

4 1/2 cups sugar

1 can carnation milk

1 large bag chocolate chips

1 large hershey bar, cut up into pieces

1 pint marshmallow cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chopped walnuts



Directions:

In a large sauce pan add butter, sugar, and milk. Stir this together. Use a medium heat, when mixture bubbles, and starts to boil, stir until it reaches a full boil, time starts after the rolling boil stage, cook without stirring 5 minutes. prepare the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl, except the nuts and vanilla. When the 5 minutes are up pour hot mixture over the ingredients in the bowl. Beat until thick, add vanilla and nuts and mix real good. beat another 2 minutes, then pour into a long pan, that has been buttered good. Let set to harden.

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"Cherry Chocolates"



Ingredients:





3 cup icing sugar

4 tbsp butter or margarine

4 tbsp milk

3 cup fine coconut

1 small bottle whole cherries

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 bar paraffin wax



Directions:

Combine sugar, butter and milk. Add coconut. Form a little of the mixture around each cherry and roll into a small ball. Chill well. In a double-boiler melt chips and paraffin. Dip the balls into the chocolate. Freeze.

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"Turtles"



Ingredients:





1/2 block paraffin wax

1 pkg chocolate chips (12 oz)

1 cup peanut butter



Melt wax, then add peanut butter and chocolate chips.

ADD:

1 cup peanuts

1 cup icing sugar

2 cups Rice Krispies



Directions:

Mix well together, then add by teaspoon on waxed paper to cool.

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"Peanut Brittle"



Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 pound shelled peanuts (not roasted)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup water



Directions:

Start by greasing 2 cookie sheets (best to use ones with 1/4 to 1/2 inch sides to prevent overflow). Mix the baking soda with 1 teaspoon of water and the vanilla, set aside. Now mix the sugar with 1 cup water and the corn syrup in a sauce pan. Cook over a medium heat to 240 degrees (if you have a candy thermometer) to test for doneness drip a drop of the mixture into a cold glass of water if the drop forms a round bead and then flattens slightly when it is removed from the water, then you know you are ready for the next step. Stir butter and peanuts into the mixture. Continue on medium head - be sure to stir constantly to avoid sticking. When the drip into water test turns the drop into threads that are hard and brittle, remove the saucepan from the burner and mix in the baking soda mixture. Now dump the candy mixture half on each cooky sheet and quickly spread to about 1/4 inch thick with a spatula. When mixture cools, you can break it into pieces. This is a great gift item that can be put into a tin. It is best to first wrap candy in wax paper. It can also be wrapped in tissue paper...first place pieces in a plastic bag, then set bag in middle of a 12 inch square piece of paper. Gather up sides and then tie together with a ribbon. This recipe makes about 2 pounds of candy.

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"Popcorn Snowmen"



Ingredients:

32 c Popcorn (about 1 1/2 -cups unpopped)

4 c Sugar

1 1/3 c Light corn syrup

2 Cherry or -raspberry-flavor chewy -fruit rolls

1/2 lb Green gumdrops

3 Dark seedless raisins

1/3 c Confectioner's sugar

2 ts Vanilla extract

2 Purple gumdrops

1 1/3 c Water

1 c Margarine or butter

1 t Salt



Directions:

About 2 hours before serving or day ahead: Place popped corn in a large open roasting pan and set in 225 F oven to keep warm. Meanwhile, in a 5-qt.Dutch oven over medium heat, heat sugar, corn syrup, margarine or butter, salt and water to boiling, stirring constantly until sugar completely dissolves. Set candy thermometer in place and continue cooking, without stirring, until temperature reaches 250 F or hard ball stage. Remove saucepan from heat; quickly stir in vanilla. Pour hot syrup mixture over popcorn, tossing to coat well. Set aside about 2 cups popcorn mixture for snowman's hat. Wearing clean rubber gloves (for handling hot mixture), shape remaining mixture popcorn into 2 balls, one slightly larger. On large plate, place smaller popcorn ball on top of larger popcorn ball to form snowman's body. Shape reserved popcorn mixture into coneshaped hat; place on top of snowman's head. In a mall bowl, mix confectioner's sugar with 1 1/4 tsp water to form a thick pasty frosting. Cut snowman's mouth from fruit roll; cut remaining fruit rolls into strips. Attach strips around neck for scarf and on hat for decoration. With frosting, attach 1 green gumdrop to snowman' face for nose, and 2 purple gumdrops for eyes. With frosting, attach remaining green gumdrops around base and on tip of hat. With frosting, attach raisins to snowman's body for buttons.

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"Pecan Rolls"



Ingredients:

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons corn syrup

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

1 cup regular sugar

2/3 cup milk



Directions:

In a good sized sauce pan (3 qts or so) heat brown and white sugar, milk, the corn syrup and the salt. Set at medium heat and stir constantly until all sugar is dissolved. Continue to cook until the candy reaches 230 degrees on a candy thermometer (if you happen to have one). If you do not have a candy thermometer you can test for doneness by dropping a small bead into a cold cup of water. If the bead forms a soft ball that flattens when removed then remove the candy from the burner and add the butter. Let the mixture cool, unstirred, until the bottom of pan is merely lukewarm (be careful about this test - it will be 120 degrees for those with a candy thermometer). Now vigorously mix the mixture with a wooden spoon until the candy is thick. This could take as long as ten minutes of continuous work. You will know you are done when the mixture will hold its shape when dropped from the spoon. Also it will lose its glossy sheen. Place candy on waxed paper and shape into a 12 inch roll. Roll candy into pecans. Wrap the candy in wax paper and refrigerate, remove and cut later at your convenience. You can make candies as small as 1/4 inch or as large as the whole roll.

This recipe will make one 12 inch roll.

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"Caramels"



Ingredients:

1 c Butter or margarine

2 c Light corn syrup

2 ts Vanilla extract Recipe

2 c Whipping cream; divided

2 c Sugar



Directions:

Preparation Time: 0:15 Combine butter, sugar, corn syrup, and 1 cup whipping cream in a large Dutch oven. Cook over low heat, stirring gently, until sugar dissolves. Cover and cook over medium heat 2 to 3 minutes to wash down sugar crystals from sides of pan. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until candy thermometer registers 224 degrees. Stir in remaining 1 cup whipping cream. Continue to cook mixture over medium heat to firm ball stage (248 degrees). Stir in vanilla. Pour into a buttered 13- x 9- x 2-inch pan. Let cool about 5 hours. Cut into squares, and wrap individually in wax paper.

Yield: 2-3/4 pounds (88).

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"Rock Candy (3 ways)"



2 c. sugar

1 c. water

3/4 c. Karo light syrup

1/2 tsp. coloring

1/2 tsp. oil (flavored with lemon, cloves, peppermint, spearmint, wintergreen, cinnamon)



Cool sugar, water and Karo syrup to 290 degrees on candy thermometer. Add coloring and oil and stir. Pour into a cool buttered pan. Break into pieces as soon as you can handle it.



or this one.........

2 c Sugar

1/2 c Water

1/2 ts Cream of tartar

1/4 ts Flavoring oil

Food coloring



Stir sugar, water and cream of tartar until dissolved. Copok on High until mixture boils to hard crack(300 Degrees) Add 1/2 tsp flavoring oil and food coloring. Pour mixture into powdered sugar, when cool enough to handle, cut into pieces.



or the native indian way............

5 Cups sugar

2 Cups water



Dissolve 5 c. sugar in 2 c. water, and cook until it reaches 250 F. (hard ball stage). Don't stir after you've dissolved the sugar. Pour the hot liquid into a pie pan that has a string suspended across the top. You'll have to weigh the the ends so that it doesn't touch the bottom of the pan. Or you can punch holes in the edge of the pan and tie the string. You can also lay a skewer across and out of the pan. The string should be 3/4" under the surface of the sugar water. Cover the pan with tin foil and DON'T TOUCH IT FOR A WHOLE WEEK!! In 7 days, lift out the string or stick and it will be covered with sugar crystals!

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"Salt Water Taffy"



Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup water

(1/2 stick) butter

4 tablespoons

1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons of salt

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla or mint flavoring, or a few drops oil of mint or rum or brandy extract



Directions:

Combine the sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt in a 4-quart saucepan. Stir until boiling, and wash down any undissolved sugar from the sides of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in water. Add the butter and continue boiling without stirring until the candy thermometer registers 256 to 264 degrees. The lower temperature will give a chewier taffy, and the higher heat a more brittle product. Turn out on a marble slab or large platter or pan that has been oiled well with vegetable oil. If using a large marbles slab, turn out the hot batch into two pools. A few drops of food coloring can also be added to the top of the candy now. Or you may wait until it is being pulled and add several colors.



The edge of the taffy will cool fairly quickly, and when it can be comfortably touched with well-buttered or oiled fingers, turn it inward to form a mass. Taffy is ready to pull as soon as it can be handled, which is usually sooner than expected. Have the palms and fingers well greased. You'll probably like the flavor of butter for this, although margarine or vegetable oil can be used. Take the warm, flowing candy up with the fingertips and pull out about 12 inches at first. Quickly turn the candy back from the fingertips of one hand to the other hand, then catch the center and again pull, always with the fingertips. This incorporates air in the mixture and gives its typical texture.



If adding a food coloring at this point, pause briefly and put a drop or two of color along the taffy and flop the mixture over on the color, and continue pulling until the color is mixed evenly.



When the taffy is very hard to pull and will hold its shape if laid out on the marble slab or pan, it is ready to break off into pieces, but preferably it should be cut with greased scissors. If making several colors of taffy, you may pull each out until thin and then twist them together. For a completely round candy, like a peppermint candystick or cane, roll this twisted mixture on the marble slab to make it even. Store taffy in airtight containers, such as cookie tins, between sheets of wax paper or foil, for any moisture in the air will make it quite sticky. It is for this reason that taffy is generally sold with the pieces individually wrapped.

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"Chocolate Caramels"



Ingredients:

1 c Butter

3 oz Unsweetened chocolate

2 1/4 c Sugar

3/4 c Light Karo

1/2 c Coarsely chopped walnuts or almonds

14 oz Sweetened condensed milk

1 ts Vanilla



Directions:

Melt butter and chocolate in 3-quart heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir in sugar, condensed milk and Karo until well blended. Cook over medium heat stirring freqently, to firm ball stage, 248 degrees, 15-18 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour into well-buttered 9-inch square pan. When candy is firm, cut into 1-inch squares. Wrap in plastic wrap. Store in cool place.

Makes 2 1/2 pounds.