Angel Food Candy

10 Servings

2 c Light Corn Syrup, Karo
2 c Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
4 t Baking Soda
4 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Cut Up
12 oz Chocolate Chips,1 Pk
1/4 c Butter (Or Regular
-Margarine)
Paraffin,*

NOTE: The first 4-Oz of semi sweet chocolate is in the block style.
Also the chocolate chips should be semi-sweet. * The paraffin
should be a 2 1/2 X 3-inch piece that has been cut up.

Combine the corn syrup and brown sugar in a 4-quart heavy Dutch oven.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture boils.
Continue cooking the mixture until it reaches the hard crack stage
(300 degrees F) on the candy thermometer, stirring occasionally.
Remove from the heat and carefully stir in the baking soda being
careful as the mixture will foam up. Pour the mixture at once in to
a greased 13 X 9 X 2-inch baking pan. When cool, turn out of the pan.
Break into pieces using a meat mallet or wooden spoon. Combine the
semi-sweet chocolate pieces and the chocolate chips, butter and
paraffin wax in the top of a double boiler. Place over simmering
water, stirring until melted. Remove form the heat, but keep over
the hot water. Dip the candy into the chocolate using a large
cooking fork. Place on waxed paper lined baking sheets. Let stand
until chocolate is set. Store the candy in a cool place in covered
containers. If you wish, do not coat the candy with the chocolate
Candy can be stored for several months in the freezer.

Makes 3 pounds of candy.

Aunt Velma’s Shortbread

1 c Butter
1/2 c Sugar,icing
2 1/2 c Flour,all purpose – sifted

Preheat oven to 350F. Place butter in bowl, should be at room temperature. Add icing sugar. Work together with hands. Add flour.

Keep working with hands till well mixed. Put the dough on a board and pat to 1/2″ thickness.

Cut in rectangles or fancy designs. Bake 20 – 25 minutes at 350F till light brown on edges.

Eggnog Bread

16 Servings

2 T Sugar
1 pk Active dry yeast
2 1/2 c All-purpose flour
2 T Butter
1 t Salt
1/4 t Nutmeg
3/4 c Eggnog,at room temp.*

Place ingredients in the Bread Maker according to your manufacturers’ directions. Then adjust by adding flour or liquid as needed.

Be Mine Buttermilk Cake

-Truffle Cream
8 oz Bittersweet (not unsweetened or semisweet) chocolate,chopped
1/3 c Whipping cream
2 T butter,Unsalted room temperature
1/4 c Chambord (or other berry liquid)(such as creme de cassis)
-Cake
1 3/4 c All-purpose flour
2 t Baking powder
1/2 t Baking soda
1/2 t Salt
3/4 c Sugar
1/2 c (1 stick) butter,Unsalted room temperature
4 Large egg yolks
1 c Buttermilk
-Glaze
6 oz Bittersweet (not unsweetened or semisweet chocolate)
1/4 c Unsalted butter,cut into small pieces
1/4 c Light corn syrup
1/4 c Chambord (or other berry liquid)-Fresh raspberries (or strawberries)

For Truffle Cream: Stir chocolate cream and butter in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until chocolate and butter meld and mixture is smooth. Mix in Chambord. Let stand at room temperature till very thick and spreadable, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours.

For Cake: Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Butter 9-inch heart-shaped pan with 1-1/4-inch-high sides. Dust with flour; tap out excess. Sift first 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Using electric mixer at high speed, beat sugar and butter in large bowl till fluffy. Add yolks 1 at a time, beating just to combine after each addition. Using rubber spatula, mix in dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake cake till tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 mins. Turn out cake onto rack and cool. Cut cake horizontally in half. Place botttom layer of cake on plate. Spread truffle cream over. Arrange top layer over and press gently to adhere. Using spatula, smooth cream on sides of cake if necessary. Chill until set, at least 1 hour.

For Glaze: Stir chocolate and butter in heavy med. saucepan over lo heat till melted & smooth Remove from heat. Add corn syrup and liqueur & whisk till smooth. Let glaze stand till slightly thickened, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Place cake on rack set over baking sheet or large piece of foil. Pour glaze over cake, coating completely. Chill cake on rack till glaze is set, about 30 mins. Transfer cake to platter.

Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome & chill. (Bring to room temp before serving.)

Berlin Bread

20 Servings

2 Eggs
2 T water,Warm
9 oz Sugar
2 1/2 oz Apple preserves
1/2 c Rum
1 pn allspice,Ground
3 t Cinnamon
2 1/2 oz chocolate,Grated
9 oz Flour
1 t Baking powder
4 1/2 oz Whole almonds (or hazelnuts)
1 1/4 oz Candied lemon peel,diced

1. Whisk the eggs and water until frothy, then add sugar, a little at a time. Continue whisking until the mixture is thick and creamy.

2. Mix and sift together the flour and baking powder.Add to the eggs and mix well, and then gradually add in the apple preserves, flavoring, spices, nuts and candied peel.

3. Spread the mixture about 1/4 inch thick in a greased baking sheet. Preheat oven to very hot for 5 minutes. Bake at moderate hot oven (375F) for 15-20 minutes.

4. Make an icing with 3 1/2 oz confectioners sugar and 1-2 T. hot water or milk. Ice the bread while it is still hot, and slice into 1 x 2 inch slices.

Bittersweet Chocolate Coated Truffles

12 Servings

Basic Truffle Recipe
4 oz Ghirardelli Bittersweet
-Chocolate
2 T Butter,cut up
2 T Heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 T Liqueur (to 2 Tbsp)
Chocolate Coating for
-Truffles
4 oz Ghirardelli Bittersweet
-Chocolate
2 t Peanut,almond, or walnut
-oil

DIRECTIONS: For Truffles: In double boiler, melt broken chocolate, stirring constantly. (Or microwave 2 1/2 to 3 minutes on medium.)

Remove chocolate from heat; blend in butter. Stir in cream, then liqueur. Combine with chopped nuts or candied fruit if desired. Chill 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently until thick enough to hold a shape.

Drop by heaping teaspoon or #70 scoop onto foil lined baking pan. Shape round, if desires.

Cover and freeze 20-30 minutes to set truffles firm for dipping with chocolate. For a variety of truffles, repeat the recipes using liqueurs such as Grand Marnier, Amaretto,
Kahlua, Creme de Menthe.

For Coating: Melt chocolate as directed in basic truffle recipe. Remove from heat and stir in oil. Cool chocolate to 85-90-F for dipping.

Dip cold, firm truffle into melted chocolate, holding with a
fork and spooning with several coats of chocolate. Place each onto foil lined baking pan. Decorate top with nuts, candied fruit, etc.

Chill at least 2 hours to set chocolate. Roll in Ghirardelli Ground Chocolate, if desired. Place into tight container and store in cool, dry place to age for several days.

Coats 12 truffles.

Blarney Stones

6 Servings

4 Eggs
2 c Sugar
1/2 t Salt
2 t Vanilla
2 T Butter
1 c Milk,hot
2 c Cake flour
2 t Baking powder
Icing
Powdered sugar
Milk
Peanuts (or pecans)
– fine (or ground),Chopped

Melt butter in hot milk. Beat the eggs with a rotary
beater until light; beat in sugar, salt, vanilla and
butter mixture.

Sift flour and baking powder together; beat in quickly. Pour into a greased 13×9″ pan.

Pound the pan several times to remove any air bubbles. Bake
for 25-35 minutes at 350.

Cool the cake and cut in 4×1″ pieces. Cover all sides with icing made of powdered sugar and milk to your desired consistency.

Roll in nuts of choice.

Buttermilk Pecan Pralines (Cook ‘em Horns)

3 c Sugar
1 Pinch of Salt
3/4 c White Corn Syrup
2 c Pecan Halves
1 t Baking Soda
1 c Buttermilk
2 T Butter

In a large saucepan, (5 or 6 Quart size) combine sugar, baking soda, salt, buttermilk and corn syrup. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat to medium-low, continue cooking until mixture becomes caramel-colored and reaches soft ball stage (238 degrees).

Remove from heat, add butter and pecan halves. Beat until thick enough to drop from a spoon onto waxed paper.

If mixture becomes too hard, return to heat and add small amount of water. Stir until smooth.

Makes 44 to 48 Pralines

Candied Orange Peel

3 Servings

INGREDIENTS
8 Oranges
Water
1 c water,Boiling
4 c Sugar

Makes about 3-4 lbs of candy.

Wash the oranges. Cut into halves and squeeze out the juice. Use the juice for some other purpose, of course. Place the oranges into a large saucepan and cover with cold water.

Place over high heat and heat to a boil. Add cold water to cover again. Heat to a boil and drain. Repeat this process five times in all. Drain well and scoop out the pulp. Cut the oranges into ¼ inch wide strips.

Combine 1 cup of boiling water with 2 cups of the sugar. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the orange strips. Place over medium heat and boil for about 30 minutes, until all the liquid is evaporated. Watch carefully so the peels don’t scorch.

Cool. Roll the strips in the remaining 2 cups of sugar. Place on waxed paper to dry.

Package and store in airtight containers.

M&M Christmas Ornaments

TREE ORNAMENTS =================
Plastic wrap
Pkg.’s M&M’s
Pipe Cleaner
Ribbon
CHRISTMAS WREATH ===============
Same ingredients as ornament
– but also a wire coat
– hanger

TREE ORNAMENTS: Cut plastic wrap into 6-inch squares. Gather corners and twist tightly. Secure with pipe cleaner.
Cluster individual balls into one large one, connecting each ball with the adjoining pipe cleaner. Tie “curling” ribbon around the cluster to form a loop at the tops. Tie two 10-inch strands of ribbon at the bottom and curl. Hang on the tree with the loop ends.

M&M CANDY WREATH: Make cluster balls the same way as the candy tree ornament clusters, using plain or peanut M&M’s. Form a circle from a wire coat hanger, the hook forms the hanging loop. Attach cluster balls to the hanger with pipe cleaners. Tie a large bow at the top of the wreath.