Christmas candy ideas?!
What else can I make?
Answers: I always make Christmas candy for gifts, but I'm tired of making the same ol' same ol'. I usually do chocolate covered pretzels, fudge, sugar cookies, turtles, buck eyes (peanut butter balls), and haystack candy (with chow mein noodles).
What else can I make?
ANGEL SWEETS
1 (6 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips
1 c. sifted powdered sugar
2 c. miniature marshmallows
2 tbsp. butter
1 egg
1 c. chopped pecans
1/2 c. flaked coconut
Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Remove from heat. Blend in egg. Stir in powdered sugar, nuts, and marshmallows. Blend well. Shape in 1 inch balls; roll in coconut. Freeze or refrigerate. Yield: About 3 1/2 dozen.
make hard candy
CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES
2 1/2 (1 lb.) boxes powdered sugar
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 stick butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp almond Extract
Maraschino cherries (drained), or nuts or coconut
1 lg. pkg. chocolate chips
2 tbsp. butter
Mix together the first 5 ingredients and Mix well . . Knead in to large ball. Roll in to 1 inch balls and flatten each in to 2 inch circle. Wrap around cherries and lightly roll in hands. Place with stem up on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Cover loosely and refrigerate 4 hours or over night. Then mix the next 2 ingredients in double boiler to melt. Dip balls in chocolate mixture. Place on waxed paper and cool. Makes about 4 dozen.
CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY TRUFFLES
TRUFFLES:
1 1/3 c. semi-sweet chocolate
2 tbsp. heavy cream
1 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. seedless raspberry jam
In heavy gauge saucepan, combine morsels, heavy cream and butter. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Stir in raspberry jam. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze 20 minutes. Drop mixture by teaspoonful onto foil-lined cookie sheet. Freeze 15 minutes. Roll into balls. Freeze until firm. TO COAT: you can either roll them in Bakers' cocoa, chopped nuts, or powdered sugar or even coat them with chocolate Over hot (not boiling) water melt 1 c and in white or chocolate chips and 2 tsp. shortening , stirring until smooth. Drop frozen truffles one at a time into melted coating. Stir quickly to coat, then remove with fork, shaking off excess. Store refrigerated.
Cracker Candy [adult supervision for younger children]
Ingredients :
35 to 40 Saltine Crackers
1 16oz package of chocolate chips
1 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Instructions : Line a greased 9X13 cookie sheet with crackers, one layer thick only. Melt butter in sauce pan. Add brown sugar and stir until sugar is melted, blended, and bubbly. Pour over crackers. (Crackers will float) Place in preheated 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove. Add chocolate chips to top, spread until melted evenly over crackers. Add nuts if desired. Bake again for 15 minutes. Remove and cool. Cut into squares and ENJOY
i made candy canes is chem class last week. thats pretty fun actually
APLETS & COTLETS
Yield: 64 Cubes
3 Tbsp. Gelatin
3 cups Apple juice or unsweetened apricot juice
1 1/3 cups Granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. each lemon and lime juice, or more as needed
2/3 cup Cornstarch, divided
2 cups Walnuts, chopped
1 cup Powdered sugar
Soften the gelatin in 1/2 cup of the apple juice. Boil remaining
juice with the sugar for 15 minutes to concentrate it. Mix the lemon
and lime juice, and add all but 1/4 cup cornstarch to dissolve it in
the mixture. Add both gelatin mixture and cornstarch mixture to the
boiled juice and boil again rapidly for 10 minutes until very thick,
stirring constantly. Taste for sweet and sour and add more lemon
juice if wanted.
Mix in the walnuts and pour mixture into a 9-by-9-by-2-inch baking
pan that has been dipped in cold water. Let paste harden 12 hours or
overnight, then cut with a sharp knife into squares. Mix together the
reserved 1/4 cup cornstarch and powdered sugar. Remove squares with a
spatula and roll each in the powdered sugar mixture (the cornstarch helps keep the sugar dry).
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Salty Dogs (like PayDay Candy bars)
1 (12-ounce) package butterscotch chips
1 cup marshmallow cream
1/2 cup nonfat instant powdered milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 bag caramel candies, approximately 22 pieces
2 tablespoons milk
2 cups salted cocktail peanuts, coarsely chopped
In a medium size glass bowl, melt the butterscotch chips in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove bowl and stir in the marshmallow cream and powdered milk. Add the vanilla and mix well. The mixture will be very thick. At this point use your hands and knead the mixture almost like bread dough. Roll the mixture into walnut size pieces and shape like your little finger. Place finger shapes onto waxed paper to set.
In a separate bowl, melt the caramels and milk together in the microwave on high for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Remove from microwave and stir well. Roll set fingers into the caramel, making sure the caramel is not too hot and will burn your fingers. Once rolled in caramel, immediately roll in chopped nuts, and place back on the waxed paper to harden.
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PEPPER JELLY
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper (use both red and green for Christmas gifts)
1/4 cup chopped fresh hot green pepper, such as jalapeno or serrano
1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
6 cups sugar
4 ounces pectin (recommended: Certo)
4 drops green food coloring
Special Equipment: 6 (1/2-pint) canning jars with lids
Process bell pepper and hot pepper in a food processor until finely minced. Combine pepper mixture, vinegar, and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and add pectin and food coloring. Pour into sterilized jars and seal*.
*Cook's Note: Follow USDA guidelines for proper sterilization and canning procedures.
Tips on Sterilizing Jars
Properly-handled sterilized equipment will keep canned foods in good condition for years. Sterilizing jars is the first step of preserving foods.
Sterilizing Tips:
Jars should be made from glass and free of any chips or cracks. Preserving or canning jars are topped with a glass, plastic, or metal lid, which has a rubber seal. Two piece lids are best for canning, as they vacuum seal when processed.
To sterilize jars, before filling with jams, pickles, or preserves, wash jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Rinse well and arrange jars and lids open sides up, without touching, on a tray. Leave in a preheated 175 degree F oven for 25 minutes. Or, boil the jars and lids in a large saucepan, covered with water, for 15 minutes.
Use tongs when handling the hot sterilized jars, to move them from either boiling water or the oven. Be sure the tongs are sterilized too, by dipping the ends in boiling water for a few minutes.
As a rule, hot preserves go into hot jars and cold preserves go into cold jars. All items used in the process of making jams, jellies, and preserves must be clean. This includes any towels used, and especially your hands.
After the jars are sterilized, you can preserve the food. It is important to follow any canning and processing instructions included in the recipe and refer to USDA guidelines about the sterilization of canned products.
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Candied Walnuts
2 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 c. walnut halves & pieces
Bring sugar and water to a boil over high heat in large saucepan. Boil 1 min. stir in vanilla and walnuts; stir until coating sets. spread on cookie sheet and cool.
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SPICED PECANS
-- Southern Living? Ultimate Quick & Easy Cookbook.
2 cups pecan halves
? cup sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 tsp salt
? tsp ground red pepper
4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Stir together all ingredients: spread in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350o for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring mixture once.
Yield: 2 cups.
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Microwave Peanut Brittle
in a 4 cups+ glass measuring cup, stir together:
1 cup of sugar and 1/2 cup of corn syrup; microwave for 4 minutes
stir in 1 cup of raw peanuts; microwave for 4 minutes
stir in 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 teaspoon of vanilla; microwave 2 minutes
gently stir in 1 teaspoon of baking soda
pour onto lightly greased cookie sheet
allow to cool and store in airtight container
--Katie B., Yahoo Answers
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Try Divinity for a change. If you're in a humid area you may have trouble with it tho. It works best in dry climates. I don't know why.
Divinity
2 2/3 cps sugar
2/3 cp light corn syrup
? cp water
2 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cp chopped nuts
Cook sugar, corn syrup and water (use 1 tablespoon less water on humid days) in 2-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking, without stirring, to 260oF on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a hard ball that holds its shape but is pliable.
Beat egg whites in medium bowl with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form. Continue beating while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites, beating constantly on medium speed. (For best results, use electric stand mixer, not a portable handheld mixer since beating time is about 10 minutes and mixture is thick.) Add vanilla. Beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes slightly dull. (Mixture may become too stiff for mixer.) Gently stir in nuts.
Drop mixture from buttered spoon onto waxed paper. Let stand at room temperature at least 12 hours, turning candies over once, until candies feel firm. Store in airtight container.
This next one isn't candy but it's a Christmas tradition for my family. It's incredibly good and not to hard to make.
Pumpkin Roll
3 eggs
2/3 cp pumpkin
? cp flour
1 cp sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
? tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp lemon juice
? tsp salt
? cp coarsely chopped walnuts, optional
Filling
1 cp powdered sugar
6 oz cream cheese, room temp
4 Tbsp butter, room temp
? tsp vanilla
Beat the eggs on High 5 min – no less! Stir in the pumpkin. Add the flour, sugar, spices, baking powder, lemon juice, and salt. Stir just till blended. Add the nuts if you’re using them.
Pour into a greased and floured 10 x 15 inch pan. Bake in a 375* oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool 5 min. Run a spatula underneath it to ensure that it isn’t stuck to the pan and turn onto wax paper. At one end fold the wax paper over the end a few inches. Start with that end and roll up into the wax paper. Cool completely.
Prepare Filling
Use a potato masher or fork to blend the cream cheese and butter together with the vanilla. Add the powdered sugar and continue with the potato masher till it’s all blended and creamy. Unroll the cooled pumpkin roll and spread the filling over it all. Re-roll without the wax paper. Freeze for easy slicing.
My mom makes the BEST peanut brittle around Christmas!!!
Happy Holidays!!!!!!!
Enjoy! And Happy Holidays
CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES
60 maraschino cherries with stems
3 tbs. butter, softened
3 tbs. light corn syrup
? tsp. salt
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1-? lbs. almond bark, cut up (available at Wal-Mart)
Line two baking sheets with waxed paper & set aside. Drain cherries thoroughly on paper toweling. Combine butter, corn syrup & salt. Stir in powdered sugar. Knead mixture until smooth. (chill mixture if too soft). Shape 1 tsp. of the mixture around each cherry. Place coated cherries on a prepared baking sheet. Chill. In a heavy 1-qt. saucepan melt chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly. Holding by stems, dip coated cherries, one at a time, into chocolate. Spoon chocolate over cherries to coat. Place cherries on prepared baking sheet. Chill. Store in refrigerator in a covered container. Let candies ripen in refrigerator for one or two weeks before serving.
Yield: 60 Chocolate Covered Cherries
CHOCOLATE-PEPPERMINT LAYERED FUDGE
1-? teaspoons butter, softened (no substitutes)
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 teaspoon whole milk
? teaspoon vanilla extract
Peppermint Layer:
2 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1-? teaspoons whole milk
? teaspoon peppermint extract
? cup crushed peppermint candy
Line 8” square pan w/foil; lightly grease foil w/butter & set pan aside. In small bowl, beat cream cheese. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, cocoa, milk & vanilla extract. Turn into prepared pan. Chill for 1 hour, or until firm. For peppermint layer, beat cream cheese in small bowl. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, milk & peppermint extract. Stir in peppermint candy. Spread evenly over chocolate layer. Chill for 1 hour, or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board; peel off foil & cut into squares.
BOURBON BALLS
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
20 chocolate wafer cookies
? cup finely chopped raisins
? cup powdered sugar
? cup bourbon
? cup sweetened condensed milk
? cup granulated sugar (for garnish)
Put chips into microwave-safe bowl & heat on medium power for 1 minute. Stir & repeat until chocolate melts. Put melted chocolate into heat-proof bowl. Bring saucepan w/about 1” of water to a very low simmer; remove from heat Set bowl in pan & stir until melted Stir crumbs, raisins, powdered sugar & milk into melted chocolate until evenly combined. Cover & refrigerate until firm enough to roll into balls (about 45 minutes). With hands, roll into 1” balls & set on baking sheet. Store in airtight container at room temperature for one day to allow flavors to meld. Store in refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 1 month. To serve, put granulated sugar on plate & roll balls to coat. Serve at room temperature.
Yield: About 54 Bourbon Balls
Peppermint Marshmallows
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 (1/4 ounce) envelopes unflavored gelatin
1 1/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies
1/8 teaspoon salt
Into a small bowl, sift together the confectioners sugar and the cornstarch; line a 13X9 inch baking pan with non stick foil and spray foil with non stick cooking spray; sift 2 tablespoons of the sugar/cornstarch mixture into the pan, tilting to coat the pan; set the rest of the mixture aside for later.
Place 2/3 cup water in a large bowl; sprinkle with gelatin; let soften for five minutes.
In a medium heavy bottomed saucepan, heat sugar, corn syrup, candy pieces and salt over medium heat until sugar and candy pieces are dissolved, stirring occasionally; slowly mix into bowl with gelatin.
Beat gelatin/sugar mixture on high speed with electric beater until light and fluffy, about 15 minutes; spread into prepared pan and smooth top; dust with 2 tablespoons of the reserved sugar/cornstarch mixture and let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
Lift marshmallow block from pan using foil; with a wet knife, cut into six squares.
Spread remaining sugar/cornstarch mixture onto a baking sheet; invert marshmallow blocks onto baking sheet and cut each square into 9 smaller squares.
Toss marshmallows in sugar/cornstarch mixture ans set on a pan to set for an additional hour; store loosely covered at room temperature.
I've made caramels, peppermint patties and peppermint kisses. The kisses are a basic meringue cookie topped with crushed candy canes.
How about peanut clusters? Those are easy.
I have another recipe for haystacks but it's not with chow mein noodles. You melt caramels (the ones from the store wrapped individually) mixed with some evaporated milk. Cook until melted. Then you let it cool slightly and then coat a large marshmallow in it. The take the marshmallow and roll it in rice krispies. They are so yummy.