VANILLA BEAN CARAMELS
by Kathy

vegetable oil
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup + 2 TBSP whole milk
1/4 cup + 2 TBSP condensed whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
pinch of salt

Line a 8 inch square baking pan with foil. Brush well with veggie oil.
In a heavy 3 qt saucepan over medium heat, combine all ingredients.
Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mix comes to a boil.
Briefly cover with a lid to keep sugar crystals from forming. Raise the heat to medium high. Cook, stirring slowly and constantly until the thermometer registers 240. Remove pan from heat Remove vanilla bean. Pour immediately into prepared pan - do not scrape any residue from the pot! Let candy cool 2 hours.

Coat a cutting board with oil. Turn out the carmel and peel off foil. Oil a heavy knife and cut the carmel into strips, about 1.5 inches by 1 inch. Wrap each piece in cellophane or waxed paper. Keeps about 2 weeks in an airtight container (as if any is left around that long)

MILK CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND FUDGE
by Kathy

1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
6 oz. good milk chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cups sugar
2/3 cup sweetened condensed whole milk
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut in pieces
3/4 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped*
28 whole toasted almonds*

To toast the 28 almonds: Place in a pie plate in oven at 325 for 5 - 10 minutes until lightly toasted.

Line a 5x9 loaf pan with foil, overhang the sides slightly to help remove fudge later. In a metal bowl, combine chocolates and vanilla. In a heavy 3 qt pan over medium low heat, combine sugar, condensed milk, water, cream, and butter. Stir until the sugar dissolves, cover with a lid briefly to get any sugar crystals off the sides of the pan. Raise the heat to high and bring mixture to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to medium high. Stir constantly and slowly until a candy thermometer registers 230. Pour the boiling mix over the chocolates; do not scrape the pot! Stir quickly with a wooden spoon until the chocolates melt and the fudge thickens (1 minute). Mix in the 3/4 cup nuts. Pour into prepared loaf pan, smooth with spatula. Immediately press toasted nuts on top, spacing neatly. Refrigerate until firm (1 hour). Remove fudge from pan by using foil overhangs. Peel the foil from the sides of the fudge. Trim evenly. Cut into 28 pieces. Store in refrigerator.
* Can substitute any nut here

CARAMEL-NUT POPCORN
by Kathy

1/2 cup popping corn, popped (about 3 quarts)
3 cups of mixed nuts (1 cup cashews, 1 cup macadamia, 1 cup almond for example)
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
1 TBSP finely grated orange zest (optional)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 250. Butter a large roasting pan. Combine the popped corn and nuts in the roasting pan, mixing well. Place in the oven while preparing the glaze. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, orange zest, and salt. Bring to a boil stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Cover briefly with a lid to get any crystallized sugar off the sides of the pan. Boil for 4 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda. Remove popcorn from oven. Gradually pour glaze over popcorn, stirring to coat well. Return to oven and bake for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until dry. Remove from oven. Using a metal spatula, loosen popcorn from bottom of pan. Let cool completely in the pan. Break into clumps. Store in an airtight container.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ORANGE TRUFFLES
by Kathy
12 oz. fine milk chocolate (european is best), chopped.
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 TBSP unsalted butter
unsweetened cocoa powder
12 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
To make truffle filling:
Combine milk chocolate and orange juice concentrate in saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Add butter and stir until mixed. Pour into a bowl, cover, and freeze until firm enough to mound on a spoon (40 minutes).. Line a baking sheet with foil. Scoop out rounded tablespoonfuls of the filling and drop onto the sheet, spacing evenly. Freeze until almost firm (30 minutes). Roll each mound into balls using your hands. Roll in cocoa. Replace on baking sheet and return to freezer.
Prepare the coating: Melt the bittersweet chocolate using a double boiler, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat. Remove truffles from freezer. Drop each truffle one at a time into the coating, coating completely. Remove with a fork and allow any extra chocolate to drip off. Slide the truffle off of the fork using a knife. Refrigerate uncovered about 1 hour. Store in refrigerator. You can roll the truffles again in cocoa, powdered sugar, or decorate with additional chocolate if desired.

Expresso, White Chocolate and Macadamia Nut Bark
by Kathy

10 oz white chocolate, chopped finely(try Ghiradelli's if you can find it)
8 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 and 3/4 cups unsalted macadamia nuts, toasted and halved
2 teas. finely ground coffee (not instant)

Butter a jelly roll pan or any land cover with waxed paper.
In a double boiler, melt white chocolate. In a separate double boiler, melt chocolate. (I have used the microwave to do this - careful, to hot and it scorches). When melted and smooth, add 3/4 cup nuts to the white chocolate. Pour white chocolate into pan to form 3 strips. Mix 1/2 cup nuts and the coffee powder into the bittersweet chocolate. Pour into pan inbetween the white chocolate strips. Use a knife to marble the chocolates together, then swirl the pan to get swirls if you want. Sprinkle with the remaining nuts. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Peel the wax paper off of the bark. Break the bark into large irregular pieces. Try not to touch the candy, use the wax paper to hold it. This way you will not get fingerprints. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Bring to room temperature to serve.
The better quality the chocolate you use, the better the taste.

More YUMMY Candy recipes

Whats Here*** Swaps*** Lotsa Links*** Barter
Official Co-ops & Quick Buys*** Soaping Recipes*** Food Recipes