Almost Candy Making Season.

[bayoutider]

I get on a candy making binge once or twice a year, mostly just before Thanksgiving and Christmas because my mother always did it and I helped. The tradition carried over to me and my children. If anyone is interested I will start posting some candy recipes. Most are very easy to make. Everyone is encouraged to add onto the thread. I will try to post a few tomorrow. I do fudge, butter creams, peanut brittle, pralines, penuche, divinity, truffles, and things like that.

 

[crimsonoldtimer]

Anyway you could post some "samples"? :biggrin:

 

[CnW]

Anyway you could post some "samples"? :biggrin:

Yeah bayou post some samples.

 

[BamaLuver]

Candy...

Yummm ... candy! I love divinity, and my daughter loves truffles!

I remember my first attempt at divinity years ago ... disastrous! My Mom had told me to stir the divinity (after it cooked) until it lost its shine. Well, needless to say, I was stirring a very, very long time. It never "lost its shine", never got hard (even though I turned on the A/C), etc. etc.

 

[TideBeliever]

Pralines

1 1/2 cups dark brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 Tbsps. margarine
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups evaporated milk
2 cups whole pecans
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup very cold water (to test "hard-ball" stage)
1 tsp. oil (for cookie sheets)

In a large saucepan, combine above ingredients except water. Stir
constantly with a wooden spoon over a medium-low flame. Mixture should be at a
low boil. Stir bottom and sides continuously. Cook for about 4 minutes until
a drop of the mixture forms a "hard-ball" drop when placed in a cup of cold
water, or mixture reaches 260 degrees F. Remove from stove and beat briskly
for 2 minutes until mixture cools, thickens, and becomes creamy.

On large pieces of waxed paper, aluminum foil, or oiled cookie sheets, drop
2 or 3 pecans with a tablespoon of mixture for each praline. When all of
mixture has been poured, let cool thoroughly. Store in airtight containers.

Yields forty 2-inch pralines.

 

[bayoutider]

Recipe: Divinity

Divinity seems to be one of the biggest challenges for cooks. First of all, you need a candy thermometer and a little patience. Here is a recipe that works for me. It really helps if you have someone to help you spoon the finished candy onto the wax paper so it doesn't get hard on you.

DIVINITY

4 cups sugar
1 cup white corn syrup
3/4 cup cold water
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla
2 cups chopped pecans

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir only til the sugar has dissolved. Cook syrup mixture until it reaches 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer, bringing it to a hard ball stage.

While the syrup is cooking, beat three egg whites til stiff peaks form. (this will take about 4-5 minutes) When the sugar mixture reaches 250F, carefully pour a slow steady stream of syrup into the stiffly beaten egg whites, beating constantly at high speed. (just like making a 7 minute frosting) Add the vanilla and continue to beat until mixture holds its shape, approximately 5 minutes. Fold in the pecans.

Mixer speeds are for hand held mixer. If using a stand mixer like Kitchen Aid, back off on the speed a notch. If trying to make this with a hand whisk get ready for failure

Using 2 spoons, drop the divinity onto waxed paper, using 1 spoon to push the candy off the other. If the candy becomes too stiff, add a few drops of hot water. You will need to work fast when making this type of candy. After you spoon the cooked sugar and nuts onto the waxed paper, you're done. Cool the candies on racks completely. You can store them in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.


VARIATION

Substitute 1 cup chopped pecans and 1 cup minced maraschino cherries

Substitute chopped almonds or hazlenuts for pecans

CHOCOLATE DIVINITY mix in 9 oz of chocolate pieces right after the hot syrup is added to the egg whites. It should be warm enough to melt some of the chocolate if not all. A little orange flavoring is also good in this recipe.

 

[BamaLuver]

Bayou: Have you ever tried to cook divinity in the microwave? I keep seeing a "never fail" recipe for the microwaved version, but have never had the guts to try it.

 

[bayoutider]

Recipe: Walnut Panuche Candy

WALNUT PANUCHE CANDY

INGREDIENTS

2 c. brown sugar
2/3 c. milk
1/8 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
4 tbsp. butter, if using salted butter skip the salt
1/2 c. walnuts, finely chopped

Mix ingredients in saucepan. Boil slowly until you reach soft ball 240F, or a small amount dropped in a glass of cold water forms a soft ball. Cool and then beat until creamy. Add vanilla and walnuts. Pour into a buttered pan and cut into squares or spoon onto waxed paper.

variation use another kind of nut like pecan, almonds, hazlenuts, macadamia, or brazil. For some reason I never have liked this with cashew or peanuts.

 

[bayoutider]

Bayou: Have you ever tried to cook divinity in the microwave? I keep seeing a "never fail" recipe for the microwaved version, but have never had the guts to try it.

You don't have enough hands to make it in a microwave I tried this once and it was a total mess. I have a recipe in one of my books if you want it but it really didn't work for me. The fudge and peanut brittle work just fine in a microwave, but I can make better fudge on the sotvetop.

 

[BamaLuver]

You don't have enough hands to make it in a microwave

That's what I was afraid of!

 

[BamaLuver]

And your "stovetop" fudge recipe is?

I love making Christmas candy. Makes a great gift -- especially for teachers!

 

[bayoutider]

Recipe: Vanilla Fudge

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup heavy cream
2 cups sugar
1 stick salted butter (4 oz) (if you do not have salted butter add pinch 1/8tsp salt)
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (use the good stuff for this one)


1. Combine heavy cream, sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon until sugar dissolves and butter is melted. Wash down sides of pot with a pastry brush to dissolve sugar crystals.

2. Bring to a boil and cook until mixture reaches soft-ball stage, or 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove pan from the heat and stop the cooking by plunging pot in a water bath for 1 minute. Add vanilla, but do not stir.

3. When the thermometer reads 110 degrees, mix fudge with a wooden spoon until creamy.

4. Spoon into a greased 8 x 8 baking pan. Let cool, then cut into squares.
cooking tip: use the wrapper from the butter to wipe inside the baking pan. it will usually be plenty to grease the pan

Yield: 1 lb.

Variation - may add 1 cup chopped nuts such as pecans, walnuts, hazlenuts or almonds

 

[bayoutider]

Recipe: Microwave Fudge

MICROWAVE FUDGE #1

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups chocolate chips
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1. Mix chocolate chips with milk on 50% power 3 to 5 minutes, stirring once.

2. Stir in nuts and vanilla.

3. Put into a 8 x 8 greased baking pan. Cool and cut into squares.

Yield: 2 lbs

 

[bayoutider]

Recipe Sugar Free Fudge

Sugar Free Fudge

There are a lot of people who want sugar free fudge, and this is an easy fudge recipe! It's a great diabetic fudge.

ingredients:

1 envelope gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1 square unsweetened chocolate
3/4 teaspoon liquid sweetener
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 c water
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1. Soften gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water.

2. In saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate with sweetener. Slowly add evaporated milk and other 1/4 cup of water.

3. Add gelatin to chocolate mixture.

4. Stir until dissolved, then remove from heat.

5. Let cool. When mixture begins to thicken, add nuts.

6. Put in a greased 8 x 8 pan. Cool and cut into squares.

 

[bayoutider]

recipe: peanut butter fudge

PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE

Ingredients:

4 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
7 oz. marshmallow creme
16 oz. peanut butter


1. Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, and heavy cream in a heavy saucepan. Cook over medium heat.

2. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, for 7 minutes.

3. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallow creme and peanut butter.

4. Spoon into 9 x 13 greased baking pan. When cool, cut into squares.

Yield: 3 lbs.

 

[elizabama]

Great stuff guys! I might just join in on this, not recipes but making. Never made candy but you guys have put it on me mind now :biggrin: . Thanks for the kick in the butt. I'm going to try some of this hope you post more. You brought out the tease before the please on this one bayou. Since when have you ever ask anybody if there interested? fudge , brittle, truffles, and butter creams. Bayou you take the cake

 

[bayoutider]

Microwave Fudge #2

MICROWAVE FUDGE #2

Easy Fudge
This is what's called an "easy" fudge recipe, and you'll find out why! It tastes great!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup heavy cream (you can use whole milk or half and half)
1 box powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 stick salted butter, cut into pieces
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


1. Put all ingredients in a bowl, and microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until butter is melted.

2. Mix well, then pour in a greased 8 x 8 baking pan. Cool and cut into squares. (use that butter wrapper to grease the pan)

Yield: 1 lb.

 

[BamaLuver]

Ok, I think I'll try the "easy Fudge" first. That looks so easy, even my kids could make it (now, there's an idea)!

 

[DrBama]

Bayou...

You and I think alike as far as the cooking/eating goes (cracker thread and others) and I LOVE making candy. It's sort of a tradition in my family that I come up with a new creation at Christmas each year...I'm going to have to pull out my recipes and join in the fun. Think I'll have to try your buttercream recipe. I have another easy microwave fudge recipe that's a little different than the ones you have listed...I'll see if I can find it. Also, with the diabetic fudge, how much Equal/Splenda is 3/4 teaspoon liquid sweetener equivalent to?

Doc

 

[BamaLuver]

Candy

My kids love this one.

Chocolate-Dipped Bugles

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups corn snacks (Bugles)
Melted chocolate (I use dark bark, but you can use white chocolate, milk chocolate, chocolate chips, etc.)

Spoon peanut butter into a small plastic bag; snip a small hole in corner of bag. Squeeze a small amount of peanut butter into each corn snack; dip each into chocolate coating, and place on wax paper to dry. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen.