Category Archives: Candy

December 5, 2015 · 3:55 pm

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Caramel Christmas Chex Mix

DAY 5: Caramel Christmas Chex Mix

Not a cookie, but a fun treat to make for family and friends. And maybe slightly addicting. Just a friendly warning.

RECIPE:

Caramel Christmas Chex Mix

1 cup butter
1 ½ cups brown sugar
½ cup light or dark corn syrup
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
14 0z box Chex cereal (Rice and/or Corn)
1 ½ cups dry roasted peanuts
1 ½ cups whole cashews
½ cup Christmas sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 1 large or 2 medium rimmed baking sheets with non-stick foil.

In a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and then vanilla (mixture will foam).

Place cereal and nuts in a very large bowl. Pour caramel over the cereal/nuts and gently stir with a large rubber spatula. Spread mixture onto prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 10 minutes. Let mixture cool in pan for 2 minutes. If your sprinkles DO NOT melt when heated, stir them into the mixture now. Let Chex mix cool completely in pan, stirring 2-3 times as the mixture cools. If your sprinkles DO melt when heated, wait until mixture is cool to touch, and then stir in the sprinkles.

Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

NoEmptyChairs.me

Banana Cream Pie with Salted Caramel Sauce

We went to a church fall festival activity tonight, and I brought this banana cream pie as well as this Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie: RECIPE HERE.

I was not planning on posting the banana cream pie recipe yet, since I only got a couple of not-so-great photos of the whole pie before we left. And there were no left-overs to take a picture of after getting home. But I have had a few requests for the recipe, so I am going to go ahead and post the recipe without the “inside” pictures. So you will just have to imagine layers of flaky crust, salted caramel, bananas, homemade custard filling and whipped cream.

And once you have gone to the trouble of making salted caramel, it goes well with just about everything else you might want to drizzle it on.

This recipe was inspired by the many Salted Caramel Banana Cream Pies eaten on “Pi Day” at the Kings’ house in Pittsburgh. Not having Tony’s pies to look forward to every year now, I had to buckle down and make one for myself.

RECIPE:

Banana Cream Pie with Salted Caramel Sauce

Servings: 8
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1 Baked Pie Crust
Vanilla Custard (recipe below)
Salted Caramel (recipe below)
3 Bananas
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbs powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs cream cheese, softened

Bake and cool pie crust. Spread 3-4 tablespoons of salted caramel sauce over the bottom of the cooled pie crust. Slice 1 ½ bananas and place in single layer over the caramel sauce. Spoon half of the slightly cooled vanilla custard over the bananas. Slice remaining bananas (slice them thinly) and place over custard. Top with remaining custard filling. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 1-2 hours.

Combine cream, powdered sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Mix using an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add cream cheese and beat until stiff peaks form. Spread over chilled pie. Drizzle with additional salted caramel sauce and chill until serving time.

Serve pie with additional Salted Caramel Sauce.

Vanilla Custard
1 cup sugar
4 Tbs cornstarch
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
8 oz cream cheese, softened

Combine sugar, cornstarch, milk, cream and egg yolks in a medium saucepan. Whisk until well mixed. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Add cream cheese to hot custard about 1 tablespoon at a time. Stir with a whisk until cream cheese is completely melted and custard is smooth. Cool for 15-20 minutes before pouring into pie crust (stir occasionally so that it doesn’t form a skin).

Salted Caramel Sauce
1 cup sugar
6 Tbs butter, softened and cut into tablespoon-sized chunks
½ cup heavy cream
½ – 1 tsp tsp flaky or coarse sea salt
1 tsp vanilla

Place sugar in a medium to large saucepan (mixture will bubble up and expand as cool ingredients are added to the hot pan). Cook over medium heat until sugar just begins to melt. Stir gently, trying to keep sugar crystals off of the sides of the pan. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar melts completely and is a medium amber color (about 350°F if you use an instant-read thermometer). Reduce heat to low and quickly whisk in butter chunks, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in cream, whisking constantly. Stir in salt and vanilla. Pour immediately into a glass jar or heat-safe bowl to cool. Do NOT scrape sides or bottom of the pan with a spatula. If you do, you are likely to get sugar crystals into your nice smooth caramel. If the caramel has formed crystals while cooking, you can pour it from the pan through a fine sieve into the jar to remove any crystals before cooling.

Caramel can be kept in a covered jar at room temperature for several weeks.

NoEmptyChairs.me

Fifth Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies Round-up

Twelve more cookie and treats to help you celebrate this Christmas season.

As you whisk and sift and bake this year, be sure to look up from your bowls of flour and melted chocolate to appreciate the joy and wonder of the Christmas season. As we share and give our love to those around us (whether that is through cookies, gifts or service), may we also remember the gift of love given to each of us on that very first Christmas.

DAY 1: Scottish Shortbread

DAY 2: Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

DAY 3: Raspberry Swirl Blondies

DAY 4: Oreo Truffles

DAY 5: Ninja-bread Men Cookies

DAY 6: Hot Cocoa Mix

DAY 7: Peppermint Swirl Marshmallows

DAY 8: Nutella Marbled Cheesecake Bars

DAY 9: Glazed Cranberry Orange Cookies

DAY 10: Rocky Road Cookies

DAY 11: Christmas Fortune Cookies

DAY 12: Peppermint Bark Snowflakes

For forty-eight more cookie and candy ideas, there are links below for the four previous years’ Christmas Cookies:

First Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies (2009)

Second Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies (2010)

Third Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies (2011)

Fourth Annual Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies (2012)

—-

My best wishes to each of you for a faith filled Christmas season. May God be with you and your family.

Click the photo above or HERE for videos, music, cards and messages reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas, the gift of the Savior of the world, and how we can incorporate that meaning into our lives every day.

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December 12, 2013 · 5:45 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Peppermint Bark Snowflakes

DAY 12: Peppermint Bark Snowflakes

Layers of dark and white chocolate with crushed candy canes. You can spread the bark into a large slab and then break apart when hardened. OR: Use a silicone mold to make fun individual Peppermint Bark Snowflakes.

The bottom chocolate layer in this mold ends up with a fun imprinted design.

Peppermint bark is simply layers of dark and white chocolate flavored with peppermint extract and sprinkled with crushed candy canes between the layers and on the top.

I like to use very finely crushed candy canes (the “dust” that you get when you crush them) in between the layers, and the more coarsely chopped candy canes on the top layer.

Let harden in the mold and pop them out for a fun treat. Or an easy, no-bake gift.

RECIPE:

Peppermint Bark Snowflakes

Servings: 12
Print

8-10 candy canes
8 oz dark melting chocolate
8 oz white melting chocolate
½ tsp peppermint extract, divided

Crush candy canes in a Ziploc bag or bowl. Reserve the larger pieces of crushed candy canes to use on the top of the peppermint bark.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt dark chocolate in the microwave. Stir in ¼ tsp peppermint extract. Spoon into a Ziploc bag. Cut off a small corner and use bag to pipe chocolate into 12 silicone snowflake molds. Use a toothpick, if necessary to smooth chocolate into crevices of molds. Sprinkle top of melted dark chocolate with finely crushed candy canes. Let dark chocolate harden for about 20 minutes in the refrigerator before adding white layer.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt white chocolate in the microwave. Stir in ¼ tsp peppermint extract. Spoon into a Ziploc bag. Cut off a small corner and use bag to pipe white chocolate over the dark chocolate. Use a toothpick to spread to the edges of the mold. Sprinkle with the more coarsely chopped candy cane pieces. Let bark harden completely. Pop out of molds and store at room temperature.

If you are not using molds, spread layers of dark and white chocolate onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or non-stick foil. Let harden and break into large pieces.

Makes 12 snowflakes

NoEmptyChairs.me

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Homemade Peppermint Swirl Marshmallows

DAY 7: Peppermint Swirl Marshmallows

Now that you have Hot Cocoa Mix, it is time to step up your Marshmallow game (I shouldn’t write in the middle of BYU basketball games; sports analogies are not really my thing). But in all seriousness, save the bag of Jet Puff for making Rice Krispies treats, and make yourself (and friends) homemade flavored marshmallows this year.

These marshmallows are peppermint flavored with a fun swirl.

Marshmallows are a fairly easy candy to make. Much more forgiving than caramels, no tempering like chocolate. In fact, it is the mixer that does most of the work for you. But the powdered sugar coating does tend to make a bit of a mess. You will also need a stand mixer (or a lot of arm strength with your hand mixer) and a candy thermometer.

Once the marshmallows have set overnight, you can easily cut them into squares, or use cookie cutters to make fun shapes.

RECIPE:

Peppermint Swirl Marshmallows

Servings: 90
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⅔ cup powdered sugar
⅓ cup cornstarch
1 ½ cups cold water, divided
3 packets unflavored gelatin (about 2 ½ Tbs)
¼ tsp salt
⅔ cup light corn syrup
2 cups granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
scant ½ tsp peppermint extract
2-3 drops red food coloring

Line a 9×13” pan with nonstick foil (or spray regular foil lightly with cooking spray). Set aside

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cornstarch; set aside.

Pour ¾ cup of the cold water into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Let stand until the gelatin becomes very firm, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt.

In a small saucepan, mix the remaining ¾ cup water and the corn syrup. Pour the sugar into the center of the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, gently swirling the pan, until the sugar has dissolved completely and the mixture reaches 240°F, about 10-15 minutes.

Carefully pour the hot syrup into the center of the mixer bowl with the softened gelatin, avoiding the sides of the bowl as much as possible. Using the whisk attachment, turn mixer onto low speed. Gradually increase the speed to high and whip until the mixture is very thick and stiff, about 7 – 10 minutes, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and peppermint extract and mix until well blended. Turn off mixer and place 2 –3 drops of red food coloring on top of the whipped mixture (space drops evenly throughout the bowl). Pulse 2 or 3 times until gently swirled. Do not overmix, or you will just have pink marshmallows.

Working quickly, scrape the mixture into the oiled pan using an oiled spatula. Smooth the top into an even layer. Sift 2 Tbs of the powdered sugar mixture over the pan. Cover and let sit overnight at room temperature.

The next day, turn the marshmallow slab out onto a cutting board and peel off the foil. Sift 2 tablespoons of the powdered sugar mixture over the slab of marshmallows. Using a sharp knife that has been rubbed with oil, cut into 1-inch square marshmallows. Or use cookie cutters to make fun shapes. (If you are using cookie cutters and don’t want them to be 1” tall, then spread soft marshmallow mixture into a foil lined half-sheet baking pan before letting them set overnight.)

Place the remaining powdered sugar mixture in a large Ziploc bag. Working with 3 or 4 marshmallows at a time, toss the marshmallows in the bag with the powdered sugar mixture, then toss in a fine-mesh strainer to remove any excess powder.

Marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container or bag for up to 2 weeks.

Makes about 90 square marshmallows

(Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen)

NoEmptyChairs.me

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December 4, 2013 · 5:48 am

Twelve Days of Christmas Cookies: Oreo Truffles

DAY 4: Oreo Truffles

Delicious truffles without all of the work. Three ingredients: Oreos (regular, not Doublestuff), cream cheese and dipping chocolate (plus any sprinkles or toppings you want to decorated them with). I know that these are “cheater” truffles, but sometimes that is all I have the energy for.

They are especially good if you use the Peppermint Oreos and top them with crushed candy canes:

For the chocolate haters in your house, try these with Golden Oreos and white chocolate. You don’t have chocolate haters in your house? Count your blessings. But still try the vanilla variety. Just dip them in good old-fashioned dark chocolate.

The insides of these truffles are simply made by mixing crushed Oreos with cream cheese. These are great for kids to help make. Better them with the messy hands than me!

RECIPE:

Oreo Truffles

Servings: 48
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36 Oreo cookies (Original, Peppermint or Golden Oreos)
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
About 1 lb dipping chocolate (dark, milk, or white chocolate)
Toppings (additional crushed Oreos, sprinkles, crushed candy canes, drizzled colored chocolate)

Finely crush Oreos (with the filling) in a food processor or by hand. Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended.

Shape truffle filling into 48 (1-inch) balls. Refrigerate undipped truffle balls for 30-60 minutes for easier dipping (not necessary but helpful).

Melt dipping chocolate. Using a fork, dip truffles in the melted chocolate. Use a second fork to push the truffle onto waxed paper or parchment paper lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with crushed Oreos, candy canes or sprinkles while chocolate coating is still wet. **

Refrigerate until firm.

** NOTE: If you are piping contrasting colors of chocolate onto the truffles, do this AFTER the chocolate coating has hardened.

(Adapted from Kraft)

NoEmptyChairs.me

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