What is a good easy Christmas candy recipe, please?!


Question: English Toffee Candy

1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 lb. butter (real butter: no substitutes)
3 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. pecans
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix sugar, butter, water and vanilla in a non-stick skillet, preferably with a heavy bottom, and cook (stirring constantly) until brown. The mixture will start out a light creamy color, but after about ten minutes changes to a caramel brown color. When it turns the right color it's finished. In case you're unsure this should be hard crack stage, but the color change is a reliable indicator. Put in 3/4 cup of chopped pecans. Pour onto a buttered sheet pan (the kind with raised sides). Hint: If you have a non-stick pan you needn't butter it. Sprinkle semi-sweet chocolate chips across the hot surface. When they melt spread them evenly. Sprinkle nuts on top, if desired. Cool and break into pieces. I have also used walnuts and almonds.


OR
Candied Pecans

2 cups pecans
1 egg white
1 Tbsp water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat your oven to 300°F. Combine sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt in a plastic container with a snap-on lid then shake to mix. In a bowl combine egg, water and vanilla. Beat until slightly foamy. Add the pecans to the egg mixture and then remove them with a slotted spoon and put them in the dry mixture and shake to coat them thoroughly. Place the pecans (not touching one another) on a lightly buttered piece of aluminum foil inside a baking sheet then bake for 30 minutes. About half way through the baking process stir the pecans around a bit to prevent sticking. This recipe is also great with walnuts and probably many other types of nuts!~

OR

Chocolate No-Bake Candy Cookies

3 cups uncooked quick oats
? cup coconut
? cup nuts (your choice)
? tsp vanilla
? cup butter
2 cups sugar
? cocoa
? evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)

Before you begin lay out a sheet of wax paper on a cookie sheet. This is where you will place spoonfuls of the finished cookie mixture to cool. Mix oats, coconut and nuts in a large bowl. Combine butter sugar, cocoa and milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the mixture reaches a full boil. Boil one minute stirring continuously, then add vanilla. Pour over the cereal-nut mixture and stir together. Drop spoonfuls onto the wax paper and let cool. That's it.


Answers: English Toffee Candy

1 c. granulated sugar
1/2 lb. butter (real butter: no substitutes)
3 tbsp. water
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. pecans
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix sugar, butter, water and vanilla in a non-stick skillet, preferably with a heavy bottom, and cook (stirring constantly) until brown. The mixture will start out a light creamy color, but after about ten minutes changes to a caramel brown color. When it turns the right color it's finished. In case you're unsure this should be hard crack stage, but the color change is a reliable indicator. Put in 3/4 cup of chopped pecans. Pour onto a buttered sheet pan (the kind with raised sides). Hint: If you have a non-stick pan you needn't butter it. Sprinkle semi-sweet chocolate chips across the hot surface. When they melt spread them evenly. Sprinkle nuts on top, if desired. Cool and break into pieces. I have also used walnuts and almonds.


OR
Candied Pecans

2 cups pecans
1 egg white
1 Tbsp water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Preheat your oven to 300°F. Combine sugar, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt in a plastic container with a snap-on lid then shake to mix. In a bowl combine egg, water and vanilla. Beat until slightly foamy. Add the pecans to the egg mixture and then remove them with a slotted spoon and put them in the dry mixture and shake to coat them thoroughly. Place the pecans (not touching one another) on a lightly buttered piece of aluminum foil inside a baking sheet then bake for 30 minutes. About half way through the baking process stir the pecans around a bit to prevent sticking. This recipe is also great with walnuts and probably many other types of nuts!~

OR

Chocolate No-Bake Candy Cookies

3 cups uncooked quick oats
? cup coconut
? cup nuts (your choice)
? tsp vanilla
? cup butter
2 cups sugar
? cocoa
? evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)

Before you begin lay out a sheet of wax paper on a cookie sheet. This is where you will place spoonfuls of the finished cookie mixture to cool. Mix oats, coconut and nuts in a large bowl. Combine butter sugar, cocoa and milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the mixture reaches a full boil. Boil one minute stirring continuously, then add vanilla. Pour over the cereal-nut mixture and stir together. Drop spoonfuls onto the wax paper and let cool. That's it.

cookies

i saw a recipe for peanut brittle on foodandwine.com the other day.

corn flake wreaths, just like rice crispie treats but made with cornflakes, add green food coloring and put cinnamon candies on it to add some red.

Melt some sugar in a double boiler. Add peppermint oil and green food colouring to it. Pour into strips and let cool.

Brownies with some mint in it (cream de mint is yum) and then break up a candy cane and put it on top as a garnish! YUM

Better homes and gardens did a special on candies. check it out. Look for candy box caramels in their search browser and you will find more like it.

I made the candy box caramels and they were an instant hit.

You don't have to go through so much trouble actually. Get Hershey's Chocolate Mint Candy Canes, and theirs a recipe on the back of it. I've only tried the Hot Coco one, but my friend did the second one, and they both came out really good.

New Orleans Pralines

1- 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup + 2 T. Half and Half cream

1/2 stick butter

1 1/2 cups pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla



Combine all ingredients except the pecans and vanilla in a heavy saucepan.


Mixture will be thick. Stir until it comes to a boil, then turn heat down to a low boil. Stir occasionally; spoon mixture up on sides of pan to melt any sugar that hasn't melted.



Cook until the mixture reaches 239 degrees with a candy thermometer. If you don't have a candy thermometer, bring it to the soft ball stage.

Remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla and the pecans. Stir until the mixture begins to thicken and becomes creamy and cloudy. Spoon onto waxed paper to harden.



What usually happens is that by the time the mixture turns cloudy, signaling that it is time to drop onto the waxed paper, it starts hardening too fast to drop correctly. You should then stir in about 1 - 2 tablespoons of warm water to thin the mixture. Don't add too much - just enough to make the spoonfuls drop and settle in a "puddle". You don't want them to look like chunks of rocks.

If cooked to the correct temperature, it won't take a minute to harden by stirring. If you don't cook them long enough, they remain "sticky" and never become firm. They should be firm, yet creamy. If you don't eat them all the first day <g>, wrap them individually and store them in an airtight container.



TIPS FOR THE BEST
Recipes in which the butter is cooked with the sugar and milk seem to turn out better, cook faster, and taste creamier.

Cook to the correct temperature - 239 degrees. If you use a recipe in which you don't put the butter in while cooking, don't cook that long. Cook only to approximately 210 degrees.
Don't let it go beyond the soft ball stage. If you do let it reach the hard ball or "thread" stage, it won't crystallize and be soft.

Assemble all of your ingredients before you start. Have the pecans and the vanilla ready, and have plenty of waxed paper laid out and ready. Have your spoon ready with which to drop the mixture when it starts to harden.

Spoon them out on a cutting board or a cookie sheet covered with waxed paper. They are very hot and may damage a table or counter. Also, the mixture is so hot it will melt the wax onto your counter and it will have to be cleaned off with scouring powder.

Try several recipes and decide for yourself which you like best.

I can't cook but this looks easy even for me
INGREDIENTS
1 (3.5 ounce) package cook and serve butterscotch pudding mix
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


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DIRECTIONS
In a medium bowl, cream together the dry butterscotch pudding mix, butter, and brown sugar until smooth. Stir in the egg. Combine the flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon; stir into the pudding mixture. Cover, and chill dough until firm, about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets. On a floured board, roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thickness, and cut into man shapes using a cookie cutter. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are golden at the edges. Cool on wire racks.

Cinnamon Hard Candy is really good, here's the link:

Almond Bark,white or regular chocolatebars, ritz crackers, and peanut butter.Put the pb between two crackers and boil the chocolate in a pot on top of o kettle with water in it and then dip the cookie in the chocolate and lay on a cookie sheet to dry . Put sprinkles on if wanted.

Christmas Butter mints
Serves/Makes: 20 |
Ingredients:
2 pounds powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 tablespoons hot water
28 drops of oil flavoring
OR
2 tablespoons imitation butter flavor
Food coloring as desired ( Use Red and Green....) seperate the batch and mix in the colors.
Happy Holidays this is so fun to make and so good..
Directions:
Mix melted butter, water, flavoring and food coloring together. Add sugar and mix thoroughly. Mold or roll like a rope and cut as desired. When candies are hard, store in refrigerator.

This is a variation of Fantasy Fudge that is even better than the original. If you use vanilla extract in place of the liqueur, you have the Original Fantasy Fudge recipe.

Irish Crème Fudge

I also use other liqueurs in place of the Irish Creme such as Kahlua, bandy, Kirsch, spiced/flavored rum and the new flavors of Kahlua mixing and matching nuts, coconut and dried fruits to match the liqueurs. You can use 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract in place of the liqueur.

3/4 cup of butter
3 cups sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 7-ounce jar Kraft marshmallow crème
12 ounce bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bottle (airline size or nip) or 1 shot Irish Crème
2 cups walnuts or pecans - optional
2 8-inch square pans sprayed with non-stick spray

In a heavy 3 quart sauce pan - I prefer an enameled cast iron -melt butter, sugar and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil, turn down heat to a low boil and cook for 5 minutes.

Turn off heat and mix in marshmallow crème. Once that is incorporated, mix in the chocolate chips until mixture is an even chocolate color then add the Irish crème and nuts, mixing thoroughly.

Pour mixture into pans and cool thoroughly before cutting into squares and serving.
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Fantasy Fudge - the Original recipe

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 12-oz. (340 g) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 7-oz. (198 g) jar Kraft Marshmallow crème
1 cup chopped nuts
1 tablespoon vanilla
Traditional method:
Combine sugar, margarine and milk in heavy 2-1/2 quart saucepan; bring to full rolling bail, stirring constantly. Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate till melted. Add marshmallow crème, nuts & vanilla beat till blended. Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Let cool and cut into 1-inch squares.

Microwave method:
Microwave margarine in 4-quart microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) 1 minute or until melted. Add sugar and milk; mix well. Microwave on HIGH 5 minutes or until mixture begins to boil, stirring after 3 minutes. Mix well; scrape bowl. Continue microwaving on HIGH 5-1/2 minutes; stir after 3 minutes. Stir in chips until melted. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour into greased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares. Makes 3 pounds.

Note: Can be made in a smaller pan for thicker squares (yield will be reduced).
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Brown Sugar Toffee
about 48 pieces or 1-1/4 pounds
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup butter
1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light-colored corn syrup
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions
1. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts on bottom of foil-lined pan; set pan aside.

2. Butter the sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. In the saucepan melt the 1 cup butter over low heat. Stir in brown sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook over medium-high heat to boiling, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar. This should take about 4 minutes. Avoid splashing mixture on sides of pan. Carefully clip candy thermometer to side of pan.

3. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thermometer registers 290 degree F, soft-crack stage. Mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over the entire surface. Reaching soft-crack stage should take about 15 minutes. Watch carefully after candy mixture reaches 280 degree F.

4. Remove pan from heat; remove thermometer. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts. When firm, lift candy out of pan; break candy into pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes about 48 pieces or 1-1/4 pounds.

Make-Ahead Tip: Up to 2 weeks ahead, prepare toffee. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container.
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Toffee Butter Crunch
about 1-1/2 pounds (48 servings) Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 15 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds or pecans, toasted
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light-colored corn syrup
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped almonds or pecans, toasted

Directions
Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts in pan. Set pan aside.

Butter sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. In saucepan melt butter. Add sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Reduce heat to medium; continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently, till thermometer registers 290 degree F, soft-crack stage (about 15 minutes). Watch care-fully after 280 degree F to prevent scorching. Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer. Pour candy into the prepared pan.

Let candy stand about 5 minutes or till firm; sprinkle with chocolate. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes. When chocolate has softened, spread over candy. Sprinkle with the 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts. Chill until firm. When candy is firm, use foil to lift it out of pan; break into pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes about 1-1/2 pounds (48 servings).
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Double Chocolate-Almond Toffee
about 48 pieces or 1-1/3 pounds
Prep: 20 minutes
Chill: 30 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes

Ingredients
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 square (1 ounce) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces

Directions
1. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Sprinkle the toasted almonds on the bottom of foil-lined pan; set pan aside.

2. Butter the sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. In pan melt the 1 cup butter over low heat. Stir in sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook over medium-high heat to boiling, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to dissolve sugar. This should take about 4 minutes. Carefully clip candy thermometer to side of pan.

3. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thermometer registers 230 degree F, thread stage. Mixture should boil at a moderate, steady rate over the entire surface. Reaching thread stage should take 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the unsweetened chocolate. Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thermometer registers 290 degree F, soft-crack stage. Reaching soft-crack stage should take about 15 minutes more. Watch carefully after candy mixture reaches 280 degree F.

4. Remove pan from heat; remove thermometer. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes or until surface is firm. Sprinkle with chocolate pieces; let stand 1 to 2 minutes. When softened, spread pieces evenly over mixture. Chill for 30 minutes or until firm. Lift candy out of pan; break candy into pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes about 48 pieces or 1-1/3 pounds.

Make-Ahead Tip: Up to 2 weeks ahead, prepare toffee. Store in the refrigerator in a tightly covered container.

Really easy and yummy.

On a sheet of waxed (or parchment) paper, spread out dried cranberries and pistachios (taken out of their shells, of course). Pour melted white chocolate over the entire thing and, when it hardens, break it into pieces.

lay mini pretzel twist or grid shaped on parchment lined cookie sheet. unwrap rolo candies and place one on each pretzel. bake at 400 degree's for 4-5 minutes. press a pecan on top of melting to squish it. place in fridge to Set about 10 minutes. store in air tight container. i drizzle a little melted chocolate over the candy. these are yummy. taste it pecan turtle.

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.





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