Christmas Candy

[kayeandjim00]

I know, I know I'm very early But I'm a typical Type A planner and I'm trying to get all of my recipes that I'd like to make organized. I have our "classics" list that I make every year but I'd like to try making some sort of candy this year. I have never made any sort of candy at all but I remember my mom doing it and I'd love to try. Do you have any great recipes? I've gotten some new family favorites here (monster cookies comes to mind ) and I would love to find a new Christmas favorite here as well. Thanks in advance!

 

[piratesmate]

Usually I just buy the melting caps & either dip a variety of items or make molded candies & lollipops. They're really nice when layered with white, milk & dark chocolate. I've also gone nuts with it & bought special paint brushes to "paint" a bit of red or green in the details of the molds & fill with either white or dark chocolate. These look especially nice.

Things I dip:
dried apricots
pretzel sticks
banana chips
nuts
raisins, dried cherries or craisins
Oreos, store bought peanut butter cookies
mini candy canes

I melt the chocolate in custard cups sitting in an old electric frying pan filled with water on low. This keeps the chocolate the right temp w/o needing to keep nuking it. I just dip & lay on wax paper or foil.

When I get tired of dipping or making molded stuff, I usually smash one or two candy canes & mix in with the melted chocolate still sitting in the custard cups. Then pour onto the wax paper or foil to make "bark". I was surprised at how good this is!

A friend makes these every year as a family project - we only do it once in a while. It makes a lot!!

Peanut Butter Balls

3 lb confectioner’s sugar
1 lb butter/margarine, melted
2 lb peanut butter
2 pkg chocolate chips (large pkgs)
¼ bar paraffin, grated

Mix together sugar, butter & peanut butter; work with hands. Roll into balls. Melt chips in double boiler adding paraffin. Dip balls in chocolate. Freeze until firm.
[NOTE: Parafin makes the chocolate runny enough to coat the balls easily. Not required, but makes a much nicer end product.]

 

[holycow]

Up in your neck of the woods there is a great place called Lorann Oils....they have such inexpensive stuff to make candy! Every flavoring imagined....I love making Lollipops...not chocolate ones but really lollipops....they also have chocolate making supplies too.


I made the Carmel that I think Tykes had the recipe for and man that stuff was too yummy!!!!!!!! It was a bit too soft...but with the humidity here it was to be expected....I'll have to do a search to see if it will come up.

holycow

 

[WDWMom]

We love choc covered Oreos. To make you need double stuff Oreos, sucker sticks and the melting caps.


Push sticks through Oreos and dip in melted choc. You can get red and greeen. Let set on was paper and when set place in little plastic bags and tie with a festive ribbon. Makes great package topper or classroom treat.

 

[pattyT]

my mil makes this great stuff - I will have to get the EXACT recipe (if there even is one...

but it consists basically of -

taking a lined baking sheet and covering it with mini m&m's, peanuts, chex cereal, cheerios, etc... (meaning I am sure you could add it your own favorites like raisins
then pouring melted white chocolate over it all
Let it harden in the fridge -
then break it all up

good white sh*t

 

[Meriweather]

FUDGE!! plain, walnut, cranberry, coconut
Rocky Road candy
chocolate covered cherries

Hmmm...maybe I should get started

 

[MicMin]

This is one of my favorites.

Maple Fudge

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz. can) evaporated milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Nestle white morsels
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
1 1/2 teaspoons maple flavoring

Line a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil.

Combine butter, evaporated milk, sugar and salt in medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in marshmallows, morsels, nuts and maple flavoring. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted. Pour into prepared baking pan. Refrigerate until firm.

 

[kayeandjim00]

Thanks for the suggestions! All of these sound yummy and I'm going to print them out to try. Thanks so much!

 

[yummy72]

Here are a couple that make great holiday gifts...


Candy Bar Fudge

1 can milk chocolate frosting
1-bag semi sweet chocolate chips
3 Snicker bars, chopped

Line an 8x8-baking pan with foil (bottom and sides) Spray with non-stick cooking spray. Chop candy bars, reserving ¼ cup. Melt chocolate chips over low heat in small saucepan. When melted, stir in can of frosting and chopped candy. Spread into baking dish. Top with reserved candy bars. Chill for at least one hour. Cut into 36 squares.
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Twix Bars

Line a 9x13 pan with Club Crackers

Boil together for 5 minutes:

1 cup graham cracker crumbs
½ cup margarine
½ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup milk

Pour boiled mixture over crackers, add another layer of crackers.

Frosting:

Melt together 2/3-cup peanut butter and 1 cup chocolate chips. Spread on top of cracker layer. Chill until set. You can cut these into “bars” following the separations made by the crackers.
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[capthooksmom]

Originally posted by kayeandjim00
I know, I know I'm very early But I'm a typical Type A planner and I'm trying to get all of my recipes that I'd like to make organized. I have our "classics" list that I make every year but I'd like to try making some sort of candy this year. I have never made any sort of candy at all but I remember my mom doing it and I'd love to try. Do you have any great recipes? I've gotten some new family favorites here (monster cookies comes to mind ) and I would love to find a new Christmas favorite here as well. Thanks in advance!

Tomorrow I will look up some favorites we make every year and post, but I have to know, what are monster cookies?

 

[PamCo88]

I usually just make different types of fudge based of the recipe posted for Maple. BUT I am going to make the Maple very soon to test it before the holidays. Now to find maple flavoring.

 

[Jiminy102]

I usually mold chocolate as well as do homemade carmels, dipped pretzels, Peanut butter balls in dark and white chocolate and from time to time I also do chocolate covered cherries, fudge and rum balls. I also mold sugar free chocolate for my father in law!!

 

[Miniefan]

I always make lots of little goodies around the holidays. Here is what I usually make.
White chocolate covered pretzels
Rocky road fudge
Triple layer cookie bars (in small pieces)
Pecan logs
Bourbon Balls
Peanut-kiss cookies

All are really easy or else I wouldn't do them
Kim

 

[piratesmate]

Originally posted by capthooksmom
Tomorrow I will look up some favorites we make every year and post, but I have to know, what are monster cookies?

Monster Cookies have that name because the original recipe makes enormous (monstrous) cookies & takes a boat load of ingredients - enough to satisfy even a "cookie monster"! You make them in a dish pan - if you make the original recipe.

I usually make the quarter recipe using the melon baller instead of the ice cream scoop!

Monster Cookies
12 eggs
2 lb brown sugar
4 c sugar
1 Tbl vanilla
1 Tbl maple syrup
8 tsp baking soda
1 lb butter
3 lb peanut butter
18 c oatmeal
1 lb chocolate chips
1 lb M&M’s
Mix in dishpan in order given. Drop by ice-cream scoops & flatten. (~6/sheet) Bake for 12 min. Do not overbake. Let cool on sheet a couple of min before removing!! Very important! Yield: 5½ dozen.


Monster Cookies - 1/4 recipe
3 eggs
½ lb brown sugar
1 c sugar
¾ tsp vanilla
¾ tsp maple syrup
2 tsp baking soda
¼ lb butter
12 oz peanut butter
4½ c oatmeal
¼ lb chocolate chips
¼ lb M&M’s
Mix in order given. Drop by melon baller scoops & flatten. Bake for 12 min. Do not overbake. Let cool on sheet a couple of min before removing!! Very important! Yield: 10 dozen.

 

[MicMin]

The recipe for the monster cookies sounds really good. I think I will try the 1/4 recipe.
The other recipes all sound wonderful too.
Orange slice candy dipped in white chocolate is also good. I cut the pieces in half (lenghtwise) so they are not so thick.

 

[MicMin]

Turtles

1 can Eagle brand milk
1 large package caramels
2 cups pecans or cashews
chocolate for dipping (I like to use white chocolate)

Melt caramels with can of Eagle brand milk. Add nuts and mix well.
Drop by spoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets. Freeze until solid.
Dip pieces in melted chocolate to coat.
**DO NOT use wax paper to line pans. I tried this one time and the candy stuck to the paper.

 

[piratesmate]

Oooo - orange slices in white chocolate! Now that sounds yummy! I've done dried pineapple in dark chocolate - really good!

BTW - As I look at the Monster Cookie recipe again, I have to wonder if the baking time for the smaller cookies shouldn't have been adjusted. Knowing me, I probably didn't set the time & just kept checking.

If anyone makes the smaller version, please let us know how long you baked them so I can edit the recipe on here.

Thanks!

 

[capthooksmom]

I finally got around to posting, and I hope others will join in.
I first made this candy several years ago after tasting it at the office, and it is a winner. Pretty easy to make, also. It is from River Road Recipes:

Nut Butter Crunch

2 sticks butter (one-half may be margarine)
1 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2/3 cup finely chopped nuts

Melt butter over low heat in pan. Add sugar and stir until melted. Add water and syrup. Continue cooking over low heat until syrup, when dropped in cold water, becomes brittle (320 degrees F.) Don't undercook. Remove from heat. Pour onto greased platter. This should be thin. Cool until hardened. Melt chocolate over hot water. Spread on crunch. Sprinkle nuts over top and pat in. Break into pieces.

This is similar to a Heath bar.

Will post more favorites when I figure out what I did with my recipe file

 

[Lizzydoll73]

Here is a recipe for Peppermint Candy. It is really good and looks very festive.

4 cups of white chocolate to 1 cup of crushed
peppermint (candy canes or those round peppermint candies). Heat the white chocolate in a double
boiler. When it is all melted take off stove and stir
in the peppermint. Put wax paper on a cookie sheet
and spread the mix on. Put in refrigerator or freezer
until it hardens. After it hardens, break into bite size
pieces.

 

[piratesmate]

LizzyDoll73 - I did this last year and it was great! We also had done some molded candy with red accents. I drizzled some of the melted red "chocolate" over the peppermint bark...right away before it "set." I thought it looked even better than the plain stuff.