Homemade Candy Bars

This is my family's favorite candy for the last 4 years since we discovered the recipe. My kids think it tastes like Twix bars, the woman that submitted the recipe said it reminds her of Kit Kat bars. They are just SO yummy, and easy, and for a candy, they don't take long to make. The original recipe comes from the Taste of Home annual recipe book for 1996. Merry Christmas!

Homemade Candy Bars

1 (13 oz,) box club house style crackers (you won't use quite all of them)
1 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. milk
2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. chocolate chips (it calls for milk, I like semi-sweet; your preference)
1/2 c. butterscotch chips

In an ungreased 9x13, lay out a layer of crackers close together. In a saucepan over medium high heat, melt the butter. Add milk, graham cracker crumbs and both sugars; bring to a boil. Boil, stirring constantly for 5 minutes. pour half the mixture over the layer of crackers, carefully spreading to cover. Make a second layer of crackers on top. Spread with remaining sugar mixture. Top with a third layer of crackers. In a microwave safe container, place peanut butter and both kinds of chips. Microwave for 1 min. and stir, repeating until the mixture is smooth. Spread over crackers. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. Cut into small squares. Yield 3-4 dozen.

Notes: I used Great Value brand buttery smooth club crackers.

Jenny

Chocolate Easter Eggs

My sister-in-law told me about these candies years ago, but with so many recipes, so little time, I am just getting around to them. We liked them so much! They are from Taste of Home 1997 and were quick to make even though they are a dipped candy. They don't require any cooking other than heating chocolate. Maybe you can try them this year too.

Chocolate Easter Eggs
3/4 c. chunky peanut butter
1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. flaked coconut
1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts
1 1/2- 2 c. powdered sugar, divided
2 c. chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk)
2 Tbsp. shortening

In a mixing bowl, cream peanut butter and butter until well mixed. Fold in coconut, nuts and 1 c. of the powdered sugar; mix well. Add a little powdered sugar at a time, until mixture is stiff enough you need to work it with your hands, and it will hold its shape well. Shape into small egg-shaped pieces and chill for 1 hour. Place chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 1 min. stir and heat for additional 30 second intervals, stirring between until all chocolate chips are melted and chocolate is smooth. Dip eggs, placing on parchment or wax paper to harden.

Notes: I use a fork for dipping. I put the egg in the chocolate, roll it with the fork to cover and then lift out on the fork tines, allowing extra chocolate to drain off before placing on parchment.


Jenny

Cranberry Walnut White Fudge

Try this to sweeten up your Valentine this year! The fudge is creamy and cheerful with the red peeking out of the pieces. We loved this!

Cranberry Walnut White Fudge
1/2 c. butter (no substitutes)
2 c. sugar
3/4 c. sour cream
1 c. vanilla or white chocolate chips
1 jar (7oz.) marshmallow creme
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. coarsely chopped walnuts
1 c. dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

Line an 8 or 9 inch square pan with foil or plastic wrap, and butter or spray with pan spray. Set aside. In a heavy saucepan, bring sugar, sour cream and butter to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 234 degrees (sea level) or soft ball stage. Remove from heat. Stir in chips, marshmallow creme and vanilla until smooth. Food in walnuts and cranberries. Pour into prepared pan. Let cool at room temperature. When cool, remove foil and cut into pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: 3 pounds.

Notes: adjust the temperature for your altitude.

Jenny

Creamy Caramels

I made these for Christmas this year, and it is the best caramel recipe I've tried yet, so I'm putting it here for safe keeping.  Taste of Home cookbook, 1996 is the source.

Creamy Caramels
1 c. sugar
1 c. dark corn syrup
1 c. butter or margarine
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Line an 8 inch square pan with foil and butter the foil. Set aside. In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and butter, and bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stop stirring and boil slowly for 4 min. Remove from heat and stir in milk.  Reduce heat to medium low, and cook until candy thermometer reaches 234 degrees, (soft ball stage), stirring constantly.  Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.  Pour into prepared pan and cool. Remove from pan, cut into 1 inch squares and wrap in waxed paper. Yield 64 pieces.

Notes: My single complaint about this recipe is that my foil stuck to my caramels, so I may try parchment paper next time.  You will need to adjust your candy thermometer to your altitude.

Jenny

Adjusting Your Candy Thermometer for Your Altitude

When you make candy you can use a thermometer to determine how much water has boiled out of the candy. This is the factor that decides the texture of the finished product. The trouble is that water boils at different temperatures at different altitudes, so you have to adjust your recipe for your altitude. This is how that works:

Take your candy thermometer and clip it to the side of a saucepan, making sure it doesn't touch the bottom of the pan. Fill the pan with enough water to cover the bottom of the thermometer. Place the pan over high heat and wait for the water to boil. Let it boil for a few minutes, then take a reading on your thermometer. We'll use mine for an example. Water boils at 203 degrees here. Water boils at 212 degrees at sea level. (Recipes are written for sea level to keep them consistent.) If I subtract my temperature from the sea level one, that is a 9 degree difference. So I adjust my recipe by 9 degrees. For instance, the candy recipe says heat to 244 degrees, then I need to subtract 9 degrees from that and I will be cooking my candy to 235 degrees to get the same result.

One more word of caution. If you are using a digital thermometer, it may tell you that soft ball stage is 230 degrees, while your recipe claims soft ball stage at 234 degrees. In this instance, it is important to believe your thermometer, because it is telling you how it is calibrated. In my case, I would need to subtract 9 degrees from what my thermometer says, meaning that soft ball stage for my altitude AND my thermometer is 230-9=221 degrees.

Hope this helps your candy to be perfect every time!

Jenny

Maple Pecan Fudge

My daughter is a maple fudge junkie.  Who can blame her?  It is pretty divine stuff.  So this is our own version. Maybe your Valentine needs some...

Maple Pecan Fudge
1 pkg. (12 oz.) white chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. Mapleine flavoring
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. chopped pecans (toasted are especially nice)

Place chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat 1 min, then at 30 second intervals, stirring between, until chips are melted.  Stir in milk and flavoring. Stir in powdered sugar and nuts.  Stir until all combined.  Pour into an 8x8 pan coated with butter or pan spray.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cut to serve. Store covered tightly in fridge for up to a week.

Notes: I have used Hershey's white chips for this.  If your fudge is pretty solid-feeling before adding the powdered sugar, it can be left out.  I have a hunch that different brands of white chocolate might make variations in how this turns out.  Let me know what your experience is.

Jenny

Pastel Marshmallows (Homemade)

I have wanted to try making marshmallows for years.  Last weekend, was somehow the time and after looking over all my recipes for them, I selected this one, flavored and colored by Jello.  They were a hit with kids and adults, and easier to make than I thought.  In fact the only tricky or time consuming thing was cutting and rolling the candy. Here they are (blue) pictured with another dipped candy.

Pastel Marshmallows
1 (3 oz.) package Jello (any flavor)
2/3 c. boiling water
1 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. light corn syrup
powdered sugar for rolling

In a small saucepan, over low heat, combine boiling water and Jello and sugar.  Heat and stir until all the sugar and jello crystals dissolve.  Do not boil.  Blend in corn syrup.  Chill until cool and slightly thickened. (I chilled mine for about 25 min.)

Spray with cooking spray a wax papered, 8 inch square pan.  Beat gelatin mixture at highest speed of the mixer until soft peaks form. About 5 minutes.

A soft peak will hold its shape, but still fold over on itself as you lift the beaters from the candy.
Pour into pan.  Let stand overnight in the refrigerator.

Turn candy onto powdered sugared board and cut, rolling all cut surfaces in powdered sugar. Marshmallows will store a few days in the refrigerator after cutting, but only loosely cover them, if at all, so they stay dry.

Notes:  I lifted my marshmallow from its pan using the waxed paper, and leaving it on the paper, cut it with a thin blade knife, rolling individual marshmallows in powdered sugar. Periodically, I washed my knife, as candy would accumulate on it. Next time I try this, I'm going to try using lengths of dental floss to cut this.  If you do it first, let me know if it works! My sis-in-law have decided that orange flavored marshmallows would make killer s'mores!

Jenny

Peanut Butter Candy

This recipe is from my childhood, I remember making it in second grade with a substitute teacher.  I still love it, and of course my children do too.  It is so easy to make that it usually appears on any candy plate I am making.

Peanut Butter Candy
1 c. peanut butter (chunky or creamy-your choice)
3/4 c. corn syrup
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Stir all ingredients together with a wooden spoon.  Mixture will be stiff. Press into buttered dish. Refrigerate for an hour.  Cut into squares. Store in refrigerator.

Notes:  You could roll this into balls and and dip them in chocolate.  I've taken this to a chocolate fountain party to be dipped as well.

Jenny

Caramel Apples Kids Can Make

This is more of an activity than a recipe.  It comes from my mother, who used to hand us the things to do this when we would take car trips in the fall.  It will keep little hands busy for several minutes.  Always nice.

Caramel Apples Kids Can Make
You will need one apple per person.  I like small, tart apples for this.
5 wrapped caramels per person (my mother came up with this number, it will give you enough to cover a small apple and 1 or 2 to eat)

Wash hands all around. (unless you are in the car-then I guess you can use hand sanitizer.  We ate our apples with indifferent hand hygiene back in the day.) Unwrap the caramels.  Pinch the caramel between your fingers to flatten it into a thick sheet.  Mold the caramel on to the side of your apple.  Hold it on with your hands for a few seconds, letting the heat from your hands hold it to the apple.  Pinch another caramel flat and apply a second sheet, pressing the edges of the caramels together on your apple.  At this point, you will usually see that the caramels are going to cover the apple with some to spare, so you eat one while you forge ahead. Don't cover the very top or the very bottom.  That would waste caramel and you would have to go to candy jail. When they are all covered the way each person likes them, show them to each other before you eat! Enjoy.

Movie Night Foods

I remember weekends at college, when we would gather around the huge TV in the common room of my dorm and watch a movie. (I probably shouldn't add here, that the movie that was so popular with that group of girls, on that particular TV was The Little Mermaid....sigh, I know!)  Popcorn was the First Item Of Business.  Other snacks were welcome, but the popcorn was mandatory!  Today, I wanted to gather a few recipes in a list for you to enjoy with your weekend.

Movie Night Foods
Popcorn. Salted and buttered is standard, but try these for crowd pleasing points:
Elaine's Caramel Popcorn
Marshmallow Popcorn Balls (you don't have to make this into balls, you can just stir it in a big bowl)
Jello Popcorn Balls (these are pretty fabulous in orange for Halloween)

Instead of popcorn, but still in the same groove:
Peanut Butter Goop (also can be eaten straight from the bowl to happy effect)

If you have tortilla chips to share, dip them in these:
Black Bean Dip
Guacamole
Hummus
Hot Artichoke Dip

If you want to pass around the cookies:
Super Simple Cookies (these start with a cake mix and can be thrown together at the last minute, for emergency movie parties)
Davy Crockett Bars (pop these in the oven, then while they bake, put on your make up for those parties where there are going to be cute boys to sit by... make sure and mention you made these)
Cindy's Chocolate Chip Cookies (When the party was announced in advance and there will be a crowd)
No Bake Cookies (Sticky, but great companion food for a chick flick and the chicks don't usually mind licking their fingers.)

And one more in honor of my mother, who is wise and knows that buttery, salty popcorn and homemade fudge should always hang out together:
Easy Rocky Road Fudge.  (Note: you can make this without the mallows and nuts if you want "just" fudge)

Jenny

Marshmallow Popcorn Balls

This recipe was first made for me about 15 years ago by some friends to eat while we had a nice visit.  I love marshmallows, so I left with the recipe! This year, we pulled out the marshmallow popcorn to make into snowmen for a children's Christmas party.  You can make it into balls or eat it out of the bowl. For the snowman faces, my girls decorated each ball with raisinette eyes and mouth and used a small orange slice for a nose. They turned out cute, but sadly, no photos.

Marshmallow Popcorn Balls
4 qts. popped pop corn
3 c. mini marshmallows
1 c. margarine
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. corn syrup
1 tsp. vanilla

In a large bowl, add the marshmallows to the popcorn and set aside.  In a saucepan, combine margarine, sugar and corn syrup.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer for 3 min. and remove from heat.  Stir in vanilla.  Pour hot mixture over popcorn and marshmallows. 

Stir until marshmallows are melted and all is well mixed.  You can shape this into balls with your hands by running them under cold water and then working with the popcorn.  When it gets sticky, run hands under cold water again. 

If you are using a popcorn ball maker, spray the inside with some non-stick cooking spray.  You can also serve this right out of the bowl as soon as it is cool enough to handle.

Jenny

Homemade Cranberry Gumdrops

I bought a wonderful cookbook this summer that I have been playing with.  I will be sharing some recipes from The Good Stuff Cookbook by Helen Witty this holiday season.  She calls this Cranberry Christmas Gummies.  They are soft inside with a crisp sugar coating and they are pretty nice eating.  This sounds intense, but really isn't hard.  Kids would enjoy helping roll the gumdrops in sugar.  I think they are going to be a fun addition to our Christmas dessert buffet.

Homemade Cranberry Gumdrops
3 c. sugar
4 1/2 Tbsp. (4 1/2 envelopes) unflavored gelatin
2 c. cranberry juice (recipe follows)
2 Tbsp. strained fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. orange extract or a few drops of orange oil (opt.)
pinch of salt (opt.)
few drops red food coloring (opt.)
additional sugar for coating the candies

To make the cranberry juice:
1 pkg. cranberries (12 oz.) fresh or frozen
4 c. water
pinch of salt (opt.)

Pick over and rinse cranberries.  Combine with water and salt in a saucepan.  Cook over moderate heat, stirring and mashing often, until all the berries have popped and become very soft.  5-10 min.

Pour into a sieve lined with two layers of cheese cloth and set over a bowl.  Let the juice drain, pressing very lightly on the pulp toward the end.

1. Stir together sugar and gelatin powder in a large stainless steel or other non-reactive saucepan.  Stir in 1 cup of the cranberry juice, mixing well.  Set over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk or flat ended spatula until the sugar and gelatin dissolve.  Maintain a rolling boil (one that can't be stirred down), stirring almost constantly for 15-20 min, until the mixture spins long threads when the whisk is lifted.  Remove from heat.

2.  Add the remaining cup of cranberry juice, the lemon juice, orange oil or extract and the optional salt.  Skim off the foam.  You can stir in a bit of red food coloring if you like.  Without it the candies will be garnet color.  (the photo has no food coloring added)

3. Rinse an 8 inch square pan with cold water.  Pour in the candy and leave at room temperature or in the fridge until firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.

4.  Scatter sugar generously over a work surface.  Run a wet knife blade around the edges of the block of candy and cut the first strip needed for dividing the block into pieces.  With a thin metal spatula, pry out the strip with a scraping motion and transfer it to the sugared surface.  The remainder of the block may now release readily onto the work surface; if not, remove it a strip at a time.  Dipping the knife blade often into hot water, cut the candy into small squares or other shapes.

5. Roll the pieces around in enough additional sugar to coat all surfaces--you can do this with a firm hand without risking damage.  Set the "gummies" on a cake rack and leave them at room temperature to develop a crisp, sugary shell, which may take two days or longer in humid weather.

6.  Roll the candies in sugar again and store them in a cardboard box or a canister with its cover left open just enough to permit air to enter and preserve the crisp outsides.  These keep well for many weeks, becoming a bit chewier with time. Makes 2 lbs. candy

Notes:  This was really fun to make.  I did end up with some funky crystals at the bottom of my candy block, not sure if they were sugar or gelatin? but I cut them off and no worries.  If you are one of my Utah neighbors, in our dry climate, the gumdrops dry quickly so you could make these one day and probably eat them the next.  I had extra cranberry juice.  I'm thinking about what to use it for, it is gorgeous red, and sour!  I also saved the cranberry pulp and I'm going to make an attempt at cranberry butter with it.  If it ends up being amazing, I'll share.

Jenny

Easy Rocky Road Candy

This is easy and makes a very tasty fudge.

Easy Rocky Road
1 pkg. (12 oz.) chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 c. nuts (your preference, but I like salted peanuts)
2 c. mini marshmallows

Melt chocolate. (I use the microwave, heat for 1 min, stir, then heat in 30 sec. intervals until all is smooth--you have to stir, because chocolate chips are designed to keep their shape in the heat.)

Stir in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.  Add nuts and stir in marshmallows.  Spread into a buttered 8x8 pan.  Chill for 2 hours.
Jenny

Peanut Butter Goop

Introduced to me (and named) by my sister, this is a great snack and a hurry up treat for anytime.  It is hard to stop eating it.  We have been known to eat it out of the bowl, just like sharing popcorn at the movies.

Peanut Butter Goop
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. corn syrup
1/2 c. sugar
about 6 c. corn flakes or other cereal

Combine the peanut butter, corn syrup and sugar in a microwave safe container.  Heat in the microwave on high for 2 min.  Stir, and heat for about 2 more minutes.  You are watching for the mixture to boil and the sugar to dissolve.  Add corn flakes and stir to coat.  Pour onto greased cookie sheet and pat out.  Cut into squares.

Notes:  Cheerios are a good substitute for the corn flakes.  You can make this recipe as big or small as you like, just keep the amounts of the first three ingredients equal in proportion to each other.

Jenny

Jello Popcorn Balls

I always associate popcorn balls with Halloween, but children enjoy them anytime.  Even big children. :) This recipe is easy and can be any color you like.

Jello Popcorn Balls
1 c. sugar
1 c. white corn syrup
1  small pkg. jello, any flavor

Place the ingredients in a small saucepan, stir and bring to a boil.  Pour over 6 quarts of popped popcorn and mix well.  Mold into balls.

Notes:  There is a note on this recipe that you can substitute puffed rice for popcorn.  I don't know if they still make puffed rice, but I have done this when my children were very small and couldn't chew popcorn well.
I wet my hands under cold running water to form the balls.  When the popcorn starts to stick, wet hands again.  You can also grease your hands with some butter.

Jenny

Indoor S'mores

Labor Day is over, time for the indoor variety of this campfire favorite. This recipe comes from a tiny booklet of bar cookies.  People love to see these show up at a potluck!  I prefer them made with milk chocolate chips, but the photo is semi-sweet, because that is what I had on hand.

Indoor S'mores

2/3 c. light corn syrup

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine

1 12 oz. pkg. milk chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla

8 c. Golden Grahams cereal

3 c. mini marshmallows

Measure mini marshmallows into a bowl and place in the freezer while you work.  In a saucepan, combine chocolate chips, corn syrup and butter.  Over med-high heat, bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Pour over cereal in a large bowl.  Stir to coat evenly.  Fold in marshmallows.  Press mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan.  Let stand until firm, about 1 hour.  Cut into bars.  These are rich!

Jenny

Elaine's Caramel Corn

For the 4th of July, we will sometimes get together for a movie party with family.  This is what we took to share this year.  It comes from my aunt, who isn't Elaine, but no matter, she knows a good thing when she tastes it and simply passes it on.  Me too.  This is really easy and makes tasty caramel corn. It makes a huge batch!  And this is the sticky kind, not the crunchy kind of carmel corn.

Elaine's Caramel Corn

2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. karo syrup

1 cube butter or margarine

1 Tbsp. water

Bring to a boil, stir until sugar dissolves.  Pour over 6 quarts of popped popcorn and stir until evenly distributed.

Jenny

Vanilla Fudge

I admit to a huge sweet tooth.  So, fudge for no reason is the best reason!  A friend shared a plate of this, and I asked for the recipe.  It will only be as good as the flavor of your almond bark, so choose wisely, because you're about to make 2 1/2 pounds of the stuff!

Vanilla Fudge

2 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. margarine or butter
2/3 c. evaporated milk
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow creme

8 oz. almond bark or vanilla flavored candy coating, coarsely chopped

3/4 c. chopped walnuts

1 tsp. vanilla

Line a 9 inch square or a 9 x 13 pan with foil so that foil extends over sides of pan; butter foil.  In large saucepan, combine sugar, margarine and milk.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  Continue boiling for 5 min. over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in marshmallow creme and almond bark; blend until smooth.  Stir in walnuts and vanilla.  Pour into prepared pan.  Cool to room temperature.  Score fudge into 36 or 48 squares. Refrigerate until firm.  Remove fudge from pan by lifting foil.  Remove foil from fudge.  Using a large knife, cut through scored lines.  Store in refrigerator, makes 2 1/2 pounds.

Notes:  my friend shared this tip, warm the almond bark in the microwave for about 45 seconds before adding it to the fudge, it will incorporate easier this way.

Jenny