| CHRISTMAS CANDY |
| Quick candy for gifts and for you. |
| Here's how to stand out from the cookie crowd this holiday season. Make your own candy. Whether you want to host an open house, sweeten a dinner party, or give indulgent gifts, these candies couldn't be any easier or more special. Our recipes require no tricky tempering (the complicated melting and cooling technique that most often scares off the amateur candy maker.) Many of the recipes require melting chocolate or candy coating in a microwave. If you prefer, you can melt the chocolate in a double boiler or a bowl over a pot of simmering water. To give the candy as gifts, arrange on a holiday dish covered with plastic wrap, fill a decorative glass jar, place in cellophane bags tied with ribbon or raffia, tuck into a pretty basket, arrange in decorative boxes lined with tissue paper, or try simple take-out cartons decorated with a holiday embellishment. |
| Caramel Corn |
| Chocolate-Coated Cherry Surprises |
| Peppermint Chocolate Bark |
| Candied Candy Canes |
| Amaretto Truffles |
| White Christmas Mix |
| Chocolate Torrone |
| Peanut Butter Fudge |
| Croccante |
| Crunchy Chocolate Toffee |
| (Makes about 1 pound) |
| 1 cup butter |
| 1 1/3 cups sugar |
| 1 tablespoon light corn syrup |
| 2 tablespoons water |
| 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla |
| 2 cups chocolate chips |
| 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans |
| Line a 13 x 9-inch baking sheet with foil. |
| Lightly grease it with butter. |
| In a 2-quart microwave safe bowl, combine butter, sugar, corn syrup and water. |
| Microwave on high 10 minutes, or until golden brown. |
| Stop and stir the mixture twice during this time. |
| Remove from microwave, and stir in vanilla. |
| Pour the mixture onto prepared baking sheet. |
| Sprinkle with the chocolate chips and let sit for 2 minutes. |
| Spread the chocolate evenly. |
| Sprinkle the chopped nuts and gently press them into the chocolate. |
| Chill the mixture until cold. |
| Break into uneven pieces to serve. |
| Place in a decorative container or on a platter to give as a gift. |
| Caramel Corn |
| 1 (3 ounce) bag plain microwave popcorn |
| 1/2 cup butter |
| 2 cups light brown sugar |
| 1/2 teaspoon salt |
| 1 teaspoon vanilla |
| 1 teaspoon baking soda |
| 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts (optional) |
| Pop corn in microwave and allow to cool in a large bowl. |
| Line a large baking sheet with foil. Lightly grease it with butter. |
| Preheat the oven to 250° F. |
| In a saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt. |
| Bring mixture to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes without stirring. |
| Remove from the heat. Stir in vanilla and baking soda. |
| Add the peanuts now, if desired. |
| Pour the butter mixture over the popcorn. Stir to coat evenly. |
| Spread the popcorn on the prepared baking sheet. |
| Bake for 1 hour, stirring the mixture every 20 minutes. |
| Cool and refrigerate. |
| Chocolate-Coated Cherry Surprises |
| (Makes 25-28 candies) |
| 1/2 cup creamy-style peanut butter |
| 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar |
| 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature |
| 2 teaspoons vanilla |
| 25-28 maraschino cherries with stems (about one 8-ounce jar) |
| Dipping Chocolate: 5 ounces chocolate (milk, semi-sweet, or bittersweet work equally as well) |
| 1 tablespoon vegetable oil |
| Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. |
| In a small bowl, combine the peanut butter, sugar, butter, and vanilla. Mix well. |
| Shape into 25-28 balls about 1-inch in diameter. |
| Set the balls on the baking sheet and chill well. |
| Pat the cherries dry with a paper towel. |
| Press each peanut butter ball flat and carefully wrap around each cherry. |
| Each cherry should be encased to the base of the stem. |
| Return to baking sheet and chill 2 hours. |
| Microwave chocolate and oil in a small glass bowl about 1 minute or until melted and smooth. |
| Hold each cherry by the stem and dip into the chocolate. |
| If necessary, use a spoon to completely cover each cherry to the base of the stem. |
| Return the cherries to the baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. |
| Peppermint-Chocolate Bark |
| (Makes about 32 pieces) |
| This recipe can also be made without the chocolate layer, if desired. |
| 10-12 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate |
| 10-12 ounces vanilla-flavored white candy coating |
| 8-10 drops red food coloring |
| 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes *see below |
| Line a large baking sheet with foil. |
| Place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. |
| Microwave on high 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. |
| Remove when melted and smooth. Spread evenly onto baking sheet. |
| Place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 30 minutes. |
| Melt the vanilla-flavored candy in the same way that you did the chocolate. |
| Spread it evenly over the chocolate layer. |
| Add food coloring, drop by drop, over melted vanilla candy. |
| Use a toothpick or skewer to swirl color through the while candy coating. |
| Sprinkle with peppermint pieces, pressing them lightly into the candy. |
| Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill 30 minutes. |
| When ready to serve, break into irregular pieces. |
| Store covered in the refrigerator for up to a week. |
| * Before sprinkling on the peppermint candies, sift the crushed candies |
| through a fine strainer to remove any ultrafine, dustlike pieces. |
| Candied Candy Canes |
| (Makes 12 candy canes) |
| 1 cup white baking pieces or semi-sweet chocolate |
| 1 teaspoon unsalted butter |
| 12 candy canes (about 5 1/2 inches long) |
| Decorative candy sprinkles or coarse colored sugar |
| Line a large baking sheet with foil. Lightly grease with butter. |
| Place baking pieces or chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. |
| Microwave on high 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. |
| Remove when melted and smooth. |
| Dip the top half of each candy cane into the melted chocolate. |
| Immediately sprinkle with candy sprinkles or decorative sugar. |
| Place on prepared baking sheet. |
| Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill 30 minutes. |
| Amaretto Truffles |
| 2 cups bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate |
| 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature |
| 2 egg yolks * See note below |
| 3 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature |
| 1/3 cup amaretto liqueur |
| 1 cup finely chopped toasted almonds |
| Place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. |
| Microwave on high 1-2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. |
| Remove when melted and smooth. |
| Stir in butter, one tablespoon at a time. |
| Add cream cheese and amaretto. Mix until smooth. |
| Cover and chill until firm, about 1 hour. |
| Shape into 1 1/2-inch balls. Roll in chopped almonds. |
| Refrigerate until firm. |
| To serve, place each truffle in a mini-cupcake liner. |
| White Christmas Mix |
| 4 cups Corn or Rice Chexcereal (or a combination of both) |
| 1-2 cups mini pretzels, unsalted |
| 2 cups dry roasted peanuts, unsalted |
| 16 ounces plain M&M's (preferably red and green) |
| 1 pound vanilla-flavored white candy coating |
| Line 2 large baking sheets with foil. Set aside. |
| Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. |
| Melt the candy coating until smooth in a microwave. |
| Pour the candy coating over the cereal mixture. |
| Use you hands to mix the coating into the cereal mixture. |
| Spread the mixture onto the baking sheets. |
| Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. |
| Break into irregular, chunky pieces. |
| You can store this covered in your refrigerator for several weeks. |
| Chocolate Torrone |
| 1/2 lb. honey 1 cup sugar 2 tbsp. water 2 egg whites 1 3/4 cups cocoa 2 tbsp. water 1 tbsp. sugar 1 1/4 lbs. shelled hazelnuts, slightly roasted |
| Place honey on top of double boiler over boiling water and stir constantly 1 1/2 hours, or until caramelized. |
| Combine sugar and water in small saucepan and let boil until caramelized. |
| Beat egg whites until stiff and add to honey a little at a time, mixing well. |
| Combine cocoa with 2 tbsp. water and 1 tbsp. sugar and cook until creamy. |
| Add cocoa and nuts to first mixture and mix. |
| Line 2 or 3 6x8 inch loaf pans with wafer* and pour in mixture to a depth of about 2 inches. |
| Let cool and cut into 2 long rectangular pieces. Wrap in waxed paper to store. Makes 4 to 6 pieces. |
| Note: Traditional torrone is sandwiched between two pieces of ostia or thin sheets of unleavened wheat bread. |
| Ostia is often called "wafer." This ingredient in the recipe is hard to find. |
| But, if you can find "wafer" or ostia at an Italian market, you may want to use it. |
| In that case, you would place a sheet of wafer on the bottom of each loaf pan before pouring torrone mixture. |
| Then top the torrone with another sheet of wafer. |
| Peanut Butter Fudge |
| 1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 pound powdered sugar 1/3 cup chopped peanuts or walnuts (optional) |
| Microwave butter and peanut butter for 2 minutes on high. |
| Stir and microwave on high for 2 more minutes. |
| Add vanilla and powdered sugar to peanut butter mixture and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. |
| Pour into a buttered 8 by 8-inch pan lined with waxed paper. |
| Place a second piece of waxed paper on the surface of the fudge and refrigerate until cool. |
| Cut into 1-inch pieces and store in an airtight container for up to a week. |
| Croccante |
| (Makes about 1 pound) |
| 1 cup sugar |
| 1 TB.light corn syrup |
| 1-1/2 cups whole or slivered blanched almonds, toasted |
| Butter a baking sheet and set it aside on a heat-protected surface. |
| Combine the sugar and corn syrup in a wide, shallow pan. |
| With a metal spoon, stir continuously until the mixture looks like wet sand. |
| Set the pan over low heat and allow the mixture to melt and caramelize. |
| Stir the mixture occasionally. |
| When the sugar is a clear amber color, remove the pan from the heat. |
| Quickly stir in the almonds. |
| Pour the hot croccante on the prepared baking sheet and spread it out with a spoon. |
| Allow the croccante to cool and harden. |
| After the croccante has cooled, break it into coarse pieces. |
| Store croccante in a container in a cool, dry place. |
| Crunchy Chocolate Toffee |
| RECIPES |
| Beat yolks into mixture. |
| NOTE: This recipe contains uncooked egg yolks. Do not make this recipe if you are concerned about this risk. |
| Stir in peanuts or walnuts, if desired. |
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