Butterfinger Cookie Dough Truffles-12 Days of Christmas Treats

This is the last Christmas Treat post for this holiday season.  I have mentioned before that I love Butterfinger candy bars and that I found I could buy a 3-lb. bag of crushed Butterfingers at my local Cash and Carry.  Now it is so easy to keep Butterfinger candy around to make goodies with.

Butterfinger Cookie Dough Truffles may just  be my favorite recipe of the recipes I have posted this year.  I found a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles over at Food Network along with some other cookie dough truffle recipes.  I immediately thought that I could make the truffles with my crushed Butterfingers instead of chocolate chips.  The original recipe used yogurt, but I only had sour cream so I used that instead.  I also doubled the recipe because I wanted to make lots of truffles.  The  dough balls can be dipped in either semisweet or milk chocolate.

The cookie dough balls can be made ahead.  Just put the baking sheet of balls in the freezer  until frozen and then put the balls into a zip-top bag.  Remove the balls, put them back on a baking sheet and thaw in the refrigerator overnight.  They can be then be dipped.  The recipe says that the truffles will keep 5 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.   I am going to put mine in the freezer for longer storage.

If you have a Butterfinger or cookie dough lover in your house, give these a try.  I think you will be glad you did.

Butterfinger Cookie Dough Truffles
adapted from Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles from Food Network
1/2 c. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. granulated white sugar
1/4 c. sour cream or yogurt
1 t. vanilla extract
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. crushed Butterfinger candy bars, about 6 fun-size bars
1 pkg. (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate or milk chocolate chips
3 T. vegetable shortening or coconut oil

Place butter, brown sugar, white sugar, sour cream or yogurt, and vanilla in a large mixer bowl.  With the mixer on medium-high speed, mix until well combined, about 2 minutes.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small mixing bowl.  Stir in the crushed Butterfingers and combine well.  Add flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture.  The mixture will be stiff.  Use your hands to combine the dough if it becomes too stiff for the mixer.  Place tablespoonfuls of dough (I use my cookie scoop) onto a waxed or parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Roll mounds into smooth balls.  Refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.  When ready to dip the balls, place chocolate chips and shortening or coconut oil in a medium microwave-safe bowl.  Heat in microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring in between until the mixture is smooth and thin.  Drop a few chilled balls in the chocolate and roll them around until coated.  Remove each ball with a fork, letting any excess coating drip off and  place back on baking sheet.  (If coating begins to harden microwave a few seconds more to thin out.)  Refrigerate the truffles until the coating is completely set, about 1 hour.  The truffles can be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator up to 5 days.)  Makes 60 truffles.

Linking to Weekend Potluck

Butter Pecan Cake Mix Truffles-12 Days of Christmas Treats

Recently I was visiting over at Averie Cooks and ran across  a recipe for No-Bake Vanilla Cake Batter Truffles.  This recipe took only 5 ingredients and sounded delicious.  It made me think of the fact that I love the Butter Pecan flavor of cake mix.  I have not been able to find that flavor for awhile, but last time cake mixes were on sale at Safeway, there it was on the bottom shelf.  I purchased my sale limit of 3 boxes that day.  I wondered if I could adapt the recipe using Butter Pecan cake mix.  I also thought that ground pecans added might be a good idea.

You may have to play with the dough a little bit, adding more milk or cake mix to get it just right.  The mixture should be like stiff cookie dough.  I chose Ghirardelli White Melting Wafers to dip the dough ball in, but white chocolate chips would be OK to use, too. I would add 1 1/2 T. shortening or coconut oil to the white chocolate chips.  It will take a little guessing as to the correct amount of dipping mixture to make.  I used 1 1/2 c. of the Melting Wafers.  Out of curiosity, I measured my package of cake mix, and it contained about 3 cups, enough for 3 batches of truffles.

Averie says these will keep a very long time in the refrigerator or freezer.  I doubt that that would be the case at our house.

Thanks, Averie for a great recipe idea.

Butter Pecan Cake Mix Truffles
adapted from Averie Cooks

1/3 c. pecans, preferably toasted
1 c. dry Butter Pecan Cake Mix
1/4 c. plus 1 T. sweetened condensed milk
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 T. agave nectar (optional)  use another T. of milk if you don’t have this
1 1/2 c. white melting wafers or white chocolate chips
1 1/2 T. shortening or coconut oil if using the chips

Place pecans in a blender or food processor and process until finely ground.  Transfer to a small bowl.  Add cake mix, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla and agave.  Mix until very well blended.  Add more cake mix or milk, if necessary, to get the mixture to a moldable dough.  Refrigerate or freeze the dough at least 15 minutes.  Remove dough from refrigerator and shape into 1-inch balls.  You will have about 20 or so.  Refrigerate or freeze balls at least 15 minutes.  When ready, melt wafers or chips according to package directions.  Remove dough balls from refrigerator and dip into the white chocolate coating.  Place on parchment or waxed paper to firm up..  Makes about 20.  Store tightly covered in the refrigerator or freezer.

Linking to Weekend Potluck

Easy Maple Nut Fudge-12 Days of Christmas Treats

I love the frosting that comes on maple bars.  This easy fudge is reminiscent of that frosting.  It goes together in less than 10 minutes if the nuts have already been chopped and toasted.  I chop and toast a large batch of nuts at a time and keep them handy in my refrigerator.  Either walnuts or pecans work well in this recipe.  10 minutes of real work and a couple of hours of wait time, and you have another delicious flavor to include in candy gifts.

The maple extract is listed as optional, but you will get a more pronounced maple flavor if you use it.  Measure and then sift the confectioner's sugar.  I actually like to put the sugar through a fine sieve using the back of a spoon

This is a softer fudge than usual, so I keep it well, wrapped in the fridge, cutting it and letting it set to firm up a bit when I serve it.

Maple Nut Fudge
1/4 c butter or margarine (I always use butter)
1/2 c. pure maple syrup
1 T. milk
1 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. maple extract (opt.)
4 1/2 c. confectioners’ sugar, sifted or put through a sieve
1 c. chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts

Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with aluminum foil.  Spray with non-stick spray.  Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-low heat.  Add maple syrup, milk, vanilla and maple extract.  Stir till well blended.  Remove from heat, add confectioners’ sugar, stirring until sugar is well incorporated and the mixture is smooth.  Stir in pecans or walnuts.  Turn into prepared pan and spread evenly.  Chill in refrigerator until firm.  I like to store this, well-wrapped and uncut in the refrigerator, cutting the fudge as needed and letting it set a while to firm up.  Makes 64 1-inch squares.

Velveeta Fudge-12 Days of Easy Sweets

When I was growing up, my mother always had a box of Velveeta in the fridge.  It was what our grilled “cheese” sandwiches were made from.  Mom also made Velveeta fudge at Christmas time.  In recent years, in my effort to try to eat more healthy, I have rarely purchased Velveeta.  Recently, however, I picked up a box to use in making Pork Sausage Meatloaf.  I had some left over and decided to make some fudge in memory of my mom.

This fits under the quick and easy recipe category that I like.  The Velveeta serves to make the fudge smooth and creamy.  There is no “cheesy” taste to the fudge, so no one will ever know that Velveeta is in there if they are not told.  I took a pan of this to work, and it was gone before my 4-hour shift was over.

Velveeta Fudge
1 c. (2 sticks ) butter, cut into 8 slices each
8 oz. pasteurized process cheese, Velveeta, cubed
1 1/2 lbs. confectioners’ sugar, about 5 c.unsifted.
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 c non-fat dry milk
2 t. vanilla extract
1 c. toasted, chopped walnuts or pecans

Place butter and Velveeta cubes in a large, heavy saucepan.  Place over medium-low heat and cook until butter and cheese are both melted, stirring frequently.  Meanwhile, measure and sift  confectioners’ sugar into a large mixing bowl.  Add cocoa and dry milk and mix well.  When butter and cheese are melted, remove saucepan from heat and add vanilla.  Mix well.  Stir in sugar/cocoa/dry milk mixture and mix until very well blended.  Add nuts and mix well.  Turn into a 9-inch square pan that has been lined with foil.  Chill in fridge until firm.  Cut into 1-inch squares.  Makes about 64 pieces.  Store tightly covered in refrigerator.

Vanilla Chex Millionaire Bars-12 Days of Easy Sweets

The original version of this recipe has been around for awhile and has had various names such as Millionaire Bars, Heavenly Bars, and Homemade Kit Kat Bars.  Some people consider it a no-bake cookie, some consider it a candy.  No matter which, most people love this treat.

I decided to experiment with crushed Vanilla Chex cereal, using it instead of crushed graham crackers when I made this last.  I also upped the amount of vanilla for better vanilla flavor.

These will fit right in on either a cookie or candy plate.  They are very rich so I cut them small.

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Vanilla Chex Millionaire Bars
72 rectangular crackers such as Club Crackers (this is about half of a box)
1 c. (2 sticks) butter
1/2 c. milk
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 c. white sugar
2 c. crushed Vanilla Chex cereal (about 3 1/2 c. uncrushed) or graham cracker crumbs
2 t. vanilla
1 (12 oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 c. creamy peanut butter

Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, letting it extend over the edges.  Grease or spray foil with non-stick spray.  (I use non stick foil.)  Place 24 crackers in the pan, laying them so long edges go across 9-inch width of pan.  Set aside.  Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan.  Stir in milk, brown sugar, white sugar, and crushed cereal.  Bring mixture to a boil, watching closely and stirring frequently.  Reduce heat and boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and add vanilla.  Mix well.  Pour half of mixture over crackers in prepared pan.  Add a second layer of crackers.  Pour remaining mixture over crackers.  Cover with a final layer of crackers.  Combine chocolate chips and peanut butter in a small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until chips are melted and mixture is smooth.  Spread chocolate mixture over the top layer of crackers.  Cover with foil and chill until firm, about 4 hours.  Lift from pan and cut into 1x1 1/2-inch bars.  Makes about 72

White Christmas Frosting Fudge-Improv Challenge

Our leader. Lesa, who blogs over at Edesia’s Notebook picked red and green for this month’s Improv Challenge.  I thought of lots of ideas to combine red and green foods for the challenge, even considering doing something with broccoli and red pepper, which would have been nice and healthy.

In the end, something sweet won out.  There is the matter of my constant sweet tooth, and it is Christmas time, after all.  Since it is Christmas time, I knew the sweet had to be quick and easy, so I decided to make a red and green version of a frosting fudge recipe that first came from Pillsbury, adding chopped candied red cherries and pistachios to the white fudge.  With only 5 ingredients and around 20 minutes of actual work time, this is the perfect candy to make during the busy holiday season.

I colored the pistachios with a little green food coloring to make the candy a bit more festive.

White Christmas Frosting Fudge
1 (11-oz.) pkg. white baking chips
1 (15-oz.) can white frosting
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. candied cherries which have been cut into eighths
1/2 c. chopped pistachio nuts
few drops of green food coloring, if desired

If using food coloring on nuts, add, mix and spread nuts out on a piece of waxed paper to dry while you prepare the rest of the candy.  Line a 8 or 9-inch square pan with a piece of foil big enough so that the extended ends will fold back over the top of the pan to cover.  Place white baking chips in a microwave-safe bowl and heat at 50% power for one minute.  Stir.  Continue to microwave at 50% power for 20-30 seconds, stirring each time.  Stir chips until they are completely smooth.  Add white frosting and vanilla and mix until well blended.  Stir in cherries and nuts.  Scoop into prepared pan.  Refrigerate about 1 hour to set.  I like to store this candy in the fridge, tightly wrapped and uncut, cutting it as I need it and let the candy set 30 minutes or so to firm up.  Makes 64 1-inch pieces.

If you would like to join the Improv Challenge for 2015, you can find all the info on Lesa's Improv Page

An InLinkz Link-up

Butter Rum Fudge-12 Days of Easy Sweets

12 Days of Easy Sweets

This recipe is another flavor variation using the candy chips/canned frosting ingredients.  It is one of my favorites, caters a little more to adult tastes and is a nice flavor addition to those Christmas candy plates.

The hardest part of making this candy is the amount of “elbow grease” it take to stir the chips while they are melting.

I have slightly adapted this recipe from Pillsbury.

Butter Rum Fudge
1(11-oz.) pkg. butterscotch flavor chips
1 (16 oz.) can vanilla frosting
1 t. butter flavoring (optional)
3/4 t. rum extract
1/4 t. nutmeg
3/4 c. chopped, toasted pecans or walnuts

Line a 8 or 9-inch square pan with a piece of foil big enough so that the extended ends will fold back beyond the middle of the pan.  Spray with non-stick spray.  Place butterscotch chips in a microwave-save bowl and microwave at 50% power for 1 minute.  Stir.  Continue microwaving at 50% power in 15 to 20 second intervals, stirring each time until the chips are melted and smooth.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.  Spread candy in prepared pan and fold foil ends back over the candy.   Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.  I like to store this candy, well wrapped in the foil, in the fridge without cutting, and cut into squares as I need it, allowing 30 minutes or so for the fudge squares to firm up.  Makes 64 1-inch squares.

Strawberry Frosting Fudge with Almonds-12 Days of Easy Sweets

12 Days of Easy Sweets

A number of years ago, I ran across a recipe for fudge that was made with canned frosting and candy chips.  The original recipe called for chocolate frosting and semisweet chocolate chips, but I later ran across recipes that called for other flavors of frosting and chips.  It is nice to be able to make candy from ingredients that you can keep on hand in the pantry.
 
This is a very simple and easy recipe, and it allows you to make fudge from unusual flavors like strawberry and pink lemonade.  The pretty pink color makes a nice addition to a Christmas candy plate.
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I prefer to keep the candy well wrapped and uncut in the refrigerator until a couple of hours before I plan to serve it.  I then cut the candy and let the pieces set out to firm up a bit.

Strawberry Frosting Fudge with Almonds
bag (12 oz) white vanilla baking chips
1 can (16 oz.) Strawberry Flavor Frosting
1 t. vanilla
dash salt
1/2 c. toasted slivered almonds

Line a 8 or 9-inch square pan with a piece of foil that is big enough to bring the excess ends back to overlap the center of the pan.  In a microwave-safe bowl, melt baking chips for 1 minute at 50 per cent power.  Remove from microwave and stir.  Continue microwaving and stirring in 15 to 20 second intervals until you can stir the chips smooth.  This takes a little bit of effort when stirring.  Add the frosting mix, vanilla and salt.  Mix until well blended.  Stir in the almonds.  Turn into prepared pan. Fold the excess foil ends back over candy.  Place in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to let candy set up.  Store, well wrapped, in the refrigerator, cutting into squares as you are ready to serve.  These are very rich so I cut them small, into about 1-inch squares.

Pink Applesauce Candy-Get Your Chef On

This is the first time that I have participated in the Get Your Chef On challenge, and I am very excited about it.  The challenge is hosted by Julie from White Lights on Wednesday and Jen from Four Marrs One Venus.  The ingredient this month is applesauce, which reminded me of a recipe that I have been wanting to make and post for awhile now.

In north central Washington State is the town of Cashmere.  One thing that Cashmere is famous for is that it is the home of Liberty Orchards.  Liberty Orchards makes wonderful, jellied fruit candies from apricots, apples and other fruits.  When most people have an Aplet, they immediately fall in love with it’s fresh apple taste contrasted with crunchy nuts.  It used to be that if you did not live in the Pacific Northwest, you could not get this candy.  Now, with the internet, you can order the candy and have it shipped anywhere.

Fortunately, many years ago I found a recipe in Farm Journal’s 1970 Homemade Candy book called Northwestern Apple Candy that produced a very similar candy.  They, of course, could not call the candy Aplets.  The candy is not difficult to make, but it must be allowed to set overnight.  Over the years, I have adapted the recipe to suit our tastes.

Although the candy may be made starting with fresh apples, I usually take the shortcut and start with purchased unsweetened applesauce.  Two tablespoons of unflavored gelatin are needed.  This will not necessarily equate to two packets of gelatin so the gelatin must be measured.  Most of the time, I find that it is necessary to use almost three packets to get the two tablespoons.  I add a couple drops of red food coloring to make the mixture a pretty pink, but it is optional and can be omitted.  Normally, I use walnuts, but almonds and pecans are good also.

Like many candies, these are best if not made on a day with high humidity.  It causes the confectioner's sugar to dissolve into the candy.  This does not affect the taste but does make the candy remain a bit sticky.

Pink Applesauce Candy
adapted from Farm Journal’s Homemade Candy
2 c. applesauce
2 T. unflavored gelatin
1/2 c. cold water
2 c. sugar (reduce to 1 1/3 c. if using sweetened applesauce)
1 T. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
T. lemon juice
3/4 c. coarsely chopped walnuts
red food coloring (optional)
1 c. confectioner’s sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch (up this amount to 1/2 c. if the humidity is high)

Place applesauce in a heavy saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat until very thick, stirring often.  This will take about 10 minutes.  Soften gelatin in the cold water.  It will become very thick.  Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Add to the applesauce, stirring well.  (There will be some foaming)  Continue to cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is again very thick, about 15 minutes.  Add gelatin; stirring until it is dissolved and the mixture is very thick, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Stir in the lemon juice, nuts and a few drops of red food coloring.  Turn mixture into an 8-inch shallow glass dish that has been rinsed with cold water.  Let stand 24 hours.  Sift confectioner’s sugar and cornstarch into a shallow pie pan.  Cut candy into 8 strips, turn and cross cut candy into 8 strips.  This will make about 64 pieces.  Roll each piece in the sugar mixture.  Place on a rack until the outside is dry.  Repeat rolling if necessary.  Store in covered container.  Makes about 1 lb., 12 oz.

If you would like details about the Get Your Chef On Challenge, you can visit this information page at White Lights on Wednesday.

12 Weeks of Christmas Treats-Peppermint Crunch Bars

Here we are at the last week of 12 Weeks of Christmas Treats 2012 hosted by Brenda over at Meal Planning Magic.  It is sort of sad to see this end, but  I appreciate all the great recipe ideas that have been shared.

This will be the last cookie made with the Holiday Cookie Mix posted here, but I will post more recipes here next Thursday and on Saturday sweets until Christmas.

Peppermint is the quintessential Christmas time flavor, so this one is for the peppermint lover.  These pretty pink bars have a cookie base, a white candy-like middle and a topping of cookie dough and crushed peppermint candy.

A package of 30 mini candy cane is the perfect amount for this recipe.  I prefer them to the regular size candy canes as the mini ones are easier to crush.  I leave them in their little packages and crush them with my metal meat mallet  (it just takes two or three whacks), then cut the packages open and pour the candy into a measuring cup.  This makes for easy clean-up. 

The topping will shrink somewhat and there will be some seepage of the middle layer to the top around the edges, but I haven’t yet figured out how to prevent that.  These cookies are unique and delicious and still very much worth making.

To control ingredients and save money, I usually make my own Sweetened Condensed Milk.  So far, I have not had any failures when using it in recipes.  It is necessary to plan ahead when making the milk, so I keep a couple of cans of commercial sweetened condensed milk in the pantry as I have a tendency to bake on the spur of the moment.

The recipe came from Best of Country Cookies, 1999 and was submitted by Martha Kerr from Abilene, Texas.  I adapted it for use with the Holiday Cookie Mix.

Peppermint Crunch Bars
3 1/2 c. Holiday Cookie Mix, divided
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (or make your own)
1 pkg. (11 oz.) vanilla or white chocolate chips
1/2 t. peppermint extract
2/3 c. crushed peppermint candy

Measure 2 c. of the cookie mix into a foil-line 9x13-inch pan.  Press out into a even layer.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes.  Meanwhile place condensed milk and vanilla or white chocolate chips in a micro-safe bowl.  Microwave on high 1 minute, remove from microwave and stir well.  Microwave 1 more minute.  Remove from microwave and stir until smooth.  Stir in extract.  Spread over baked crust.  Combine 1 1/2 c. cookie mix and crushed peppermint candy and sprinkle over the top.  Return to oven and bake 18 to 22 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.  Cut into bars.  Makes about 36 bars.

Be sure to check out the links to find great recipes to help you with your holiday cooking.

Ingredient Spotlight-Red Hot Baked Apple

I have never cared for the skin on apples so usually peel them when I eat them.  It seems that one can never know when the skin will be nice and tender or tough.

Baked apples are usually baked in their skins.  Many years ago I had a recipe called Crystal Apples in which the apples were peeled before baking.  I lost the recipe so have not made them in forever.  Recently I decided to recreate the recipe as best I could but add cinnamon red hot candies to the cavity of the apple.  This is not so much a recipe as a method, I guess.

A good baking apple is needed:  some choices are Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Jonathan, Jonagold, Cortland, Granny Smith, Winesap, Rome Beauty, Gala and Honeycrisp.  The apple variety available will depend on where you live.  I used Honeycrisp.  These all hold their shape well when baked.

I did bake mine a little too long and had my apple collapse.  Of course, that only affects the look of the apple, not the flavor.

Red Hot Baked Apple
Your choice of baking apples, 1 large apple per person
Melted butter, about 1 T. for each apple
Sugar, about 2 T. for each apple
Cinnamon Red Hot Candies, 1 T. for each apple or enough to fill apple cavity
!/4 to 1/2 c. water

Peel and core the apples.  With a pastry brush coat each apple with melted butter.  Place sugar in a shallow pie pan or dish.  Roll the apples in the sugar.  Place apples in a baking pan.  Spoon enough cinnamon red hot candies into the cavity of the apples to fill them.  Pour enough water into the baking dish to just cover the bottom.  Bake apples at 350 degrees for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until tender.  Carefully remove each apple to a dessert plate.  Spoon sauce from apple cavity over the apple.  Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.

Linking to:  Ingredient Spotlight
Cast Party Wednesday
Wow Me Wednesday
What I Whipped Wednesday
Whatever Goes Wednesday
Show and Share Wednesday
Look What I Made

Butterfinger Brownies

Last week I neglected to welcome my new followers and to thank you all for taking the time to read my blog.  I am sorry and want to say that to you today.  I am so honored that anyone is willing to take time out of their busy schedule to stop here.  Have a great week.

Recently I wanted to make cookies.  (Who am I kidding, I always want to make cookies.)  I looked through the recipes I had saved on my computer and found this one.   I had Butterfinger candy bars on hand so thought these sounded really good, and they were.  I also liked that the fat used was melted.  The original recipe called for margarine, but I used butter.  I, unfortunately, do not know the source of the recipe.

I like nuts in my cookies and did miss them a little so may add some next time I make these.

Butterfinger Brownies
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
3/4 c. butter, melted
2 1/4 c. brown sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 t. vanilla
3 regular size Butterfinger Candy Bars, crushed

Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside.  Mix together melted butter and brown sugar and beat well.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth.  Stir in flour mixture.  Add two crushed Butterfingers and mix well.  Pour mixture into  a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.  Crush and sprinkle remaining Butterfinger over the top of batter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.  Cook and cut into bars.  Makes 3 dozen.

These are like a blondie with little bits of chocolate spread throughout.

Ingredient Spotlight-Sesame or Sunflower Seed Toffee

Sesame Toffee

There are lots of recipes around for toffee made with the more common nuts such as walnuts, almonds or pecans.  This toffee is made with sesame or sunflower seeds and is a nice, quickly-made, unusual candy that you might want to include in a Valentine’s Day candy box next week.  If you know someone who likes sesame or sunflower seeds, they will love it.

I clipped the recipe from the 1969 issue of Sunset magazine and have made it often.  Wrapped airtight, the candy will stay fresh and hard indefinitely.

A candy thermometer is necessary to make this recipe.  A nice metal one can be purchased for less than $10.  Each time a candy thermometer is used, it should be checked for accuracy.  Heat some water to a full rolling boil and place the thermometer into the water, but do not let it touch the bottom of the pan.  The thermometer should reach 212 degrees.  If the thermometer reads a lower or higher degree, adjust for the difference when making the candy.  Have the vanilla and salt containers open so they can be measured quickly when the candy reaches the desired temperature.

If you can only find salted sunflower seeds then pour the seeds into a cotton dish towel and rub the towel between your hands to remove as much salt as possible.  Lay the towel down and lift the seeds from it with a slotted spoon.  Discard the salt.  Omit the salt from the recipe.

To toast the sesame or sunflower seeds, spread out in a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan and toast at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, watching carefully and stirring frequently, until they are a pale golden color

Sunflower Toffee

Sesame Seed or Sunflower Seed Toffee

5 oz. sesame seeds or sunflower seeds (about 1 c.)
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. light corn syrup
1 c. sugar
12 t. vanilla
1/4 t. salt (omit if sunflower seeds are salted)  see above

Spray a large cookie sheet with nonstick spray.  Set aside.  Melt butter in a heavy 2-qt. saucepan; mix in corn syrup and sugar and cook over highest heat, stirring frequently until a candy thermometer reaches 290 degrees.  (This goes very quickly, about 5 to 10 minutes.)  Remove at once from heat and quickly stir in remaining ingredients.  Pour mixture into prepared pan spreading as evenly as possible.   Let stand until cool and hard.  The pan may be placed in the refrigerator to hasten cooling if necessary.  Break into bite-size pieces and store airtight until ready to serve.  Makes about 1 lb.

Linking to Ingredient Spotlight
Cast Party Wednesday
These Chicks Cooked
Wow Me Wednesday-Ginger Snap Crafts
Wow Me Wednesday-Polka Dots on Parade
We Did It Wednesday
Overflowing with Creativity
What Works for Me
Mrs. Fox's Sweet Party
Sweet Treats Thursday

Puddin’ Candy Clusters

Here we are at week 12 of the 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies & Sweets.  What an arsenal of new recipes I have at my disposal.  Last year as a reader, I followed along.  This year as a blogger, it has been great fun sharing some of my favorite recipes.  I think I am going to miss this each week for awhile.

Thank you Brenda at Meal Planning Magic for organizing this and being such a great hostess.

The recipe I am sharing this week is for a quick and easy candy made from cook-and-serve pudding mix.  The recipe comes from Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book printed in 1963.  I have two copies of this book.  My old, original copy has no cover and is missing some pages I used it so much.  In 2002 a facsimile edition was published, and I was lucky enough to purchase one of those.

In 1963 there were a number of flavors of cook-and-serve puddings available such as coconut cream and lemon.  Now I can only find vanilla, chocolate, and butterscotch.  I use extracts such as coconut, mint, cherry, almond and orange to vary the flavors of the vanilla and chocolate puddings to create variety.

Any nut can be used in these candies.  Some good pairings are vanilla and toasted almonds, butterscotch and pecan, chocolate and peanuts, chocolate and walnuts.  Coconut can be used in place of the nuts.  Coconut flavoring added to vanilla or chocolate with toasted coconut is very good.  Raisins can be added to the chocolate to make raisin clusters.  This is a fun recipe to play around with.  Today the combination is
butterscotch and toasted pecans.

Puddin’ Candy Clusters
Betty Crocker Cooky Book, 1963
1 pkg. (3 oz.) cook-and-serve pudding mix, butterscotch, vanilla or chocolate
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. evaporated milk
1 T. butter or margarine
1 c. toasted pecans, halved lengthwise

Mix pudding mix and sugar in a 2-qt. saucepan.  Add milk and butter.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a full rolling boil.  (This will take about 7 minutes.)  Lower heat and boil gently 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in the nuts.  Immediately beat the mixture until it thickens and becomes somewhat dull looking.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto aluminum foil or waxed paper.  Let stand until set.  If candy sets up before all mixture is dropped, add a few drops of hot water.  The mixture may also be poured into a greased 9x3-inch loaf pan.  Let it set up and cut into squares.  Makes about 30 clusters.

Here is a list of links to the recipes that I contributed.  There are only 11 as I did not post a recipe the week that my Mom died.

Week 1  No-Bake Peanut Butter or Chocolate Drops
Week 2  Graham Marshmallow Drops
Week 3  Oatmeal Crisp Brownies
Week 4  Cranberry Orange Snack Mix
Week 5  Almond Joy Fudgies
Week 6  Chocolate Bar Cookies
Week 7  Not Pecan Pie Bars
Week 8  No Post
Week 9  Maple Sugars
Week 10  Hidden Kiss Cookies
Week 11  Coconut Medallions
Week 12 Puddin' Candy Clusters (above)

I hope that people have enjoyed some of the recipes that I shared this year.  I am looking forward to making many great new recipes that I found through the swap.

Crazy Cooking Challenge-Pralines & Cream Fudge

I knew as soon as I saw the post over at Something Swanky that this was the fudge I would make for December’s Crazy Cooking Challenge.   Ashton says that this is a copycat for a fudge sold at the BYU book store.  I have never had fudge from the BYU book store, but what could you not like about this.  It has everything-white chocolate, caramel, pecans and toffee bits.  What more could one ask?

This candy is so quick and easy that, if you keep the ingredients on hand, you can almost have candy at the “drop of a hat.”

The next time I make this, I will use nonstick foil or foil sprayed with nonstick spray instead of the waxed paper.  The caramel wanted to stick to the waxed paper.

I make my own homemade Sweetened Condensed Milk so I used that.  I added 1 T. water to the caramels in a glass measuring cup and melted them in the microwave, stirring after each minute.  It took about 2 minutes to melt the caramels.

This could be an opportunity to try substituting broken stick pretzels for the pecans.  Based on my other experiments, the pretzels would keep their crunch just like the pecans.  You might want to consider this if you're watch cost or making this for gifts and don't know if everyone can have nuts.

Below are my little pathetic photos.  If you want to see truly spectacular photos of this fudge, go to Something Swanky.  Her photos made me want to leap right into my laptop screen.

The block of candy before cutting

The cut fudge ready to serve.  Who am I kidding, I don't want to share this with anyone!

A closeup of the deliciousness!

Pralines and Cream Fudge

From Something Swanky

3 c. white chocolate chips (She used Nestles, I used Ghirardelli Premium White Baking Chips)

1 can (14 oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk or make you own

1/2 bag (14 oz.) Kraft Caramels (about 25), melted as above

1/3 c. toffee bits (next time I will use the chocolate covered ones if I can find them)

1/2 c. coarsely chopped pecans ( I just halved the pecans lengthwise)

Line a 9x9-inch square dish with nonstick foil.  Set aside.  Place the white chocolate chips and sweetened condensed in a medium saucepan.  Place over low heat and heat and stir until melted and smooth.  Keep heat low and keep stirring.  It will take about 5 minutes and mixture should easily pull away from the sides of the pan.  Pour into the prepared pan.

Quickly melt the caramels and pour over the fudge.  Use a knife or a spatula to stir the caramel into the fudge lifting the fudge and swirling the caramel.

Sprinkle the toffee bits and the pecans over the candy.  Take a piece of waxed paper and press the bits and nuts into the surface of the candy. 

Chill for a least an hour.  Remove fudge from pan.  With a wet knife cut evenly into 36 pieces. 

I am not sure that I am going to let hubby know that I made this.  Thanks, Ashton, for sharing a delicious recipe.

Please check out the links and vote for your favorite fudge.  We want to see who has that Ultimate Fudge Recipe.

Easy Pretzel Pralines

I still had some of the stick pretzels left from making the Not Pecan Pie Bars and some evaporated milk leftover from the post on Tuesday so I decided that I would give making pralines with pretzels a try.  I adapted a recipe I had for Easy Pralines which uses graham cracker crumbs.

The recipe called for 2 cups of miniature marshmallows which I did not have.  I often substitute cut-up whole marshmallows in recipes calling for miniature ones.  I use a pair of kitchen shears with wet blades and cut the whole marshmallows into 8 pieces.  This makes the pieces the approximate size of miniature marshmallows.  This usually works very well.

When the candy is done, you must work very, very quickly in dropping the candy onto the wax paper.  Use two tablespoons to do this.  Spooning with one spoon and removing from the first spoon with the second one.  If the candy sets up too fast, try adding a little bit of hot water to the mixture.

Break the stick pretzels into about 1/4-inch pieces. You will need 1 cup of the broken pretzels.  If you want to use pecans instead of pretzels in this recipe use 1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans and 1 t. vanilla.  Omit the 2 T. butter.

Easy Pretzel Pralines
1 c. 1/4-inch pretzel pieces
2 T. butter
1 sleeve graham crackers crushed into crumbs
1/2 c. unsalted butter
2 c. sugar
1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk, 2/3 c.
2 c. miniature marshmallows
1/2 t. butterscotch flavoring (opt.)
1/2 t. rum extract

Melt butter over medium heat in a medium-size skillet.  Add pretzels, stir and heat over medium heat until lightly toasted.  Watch carefully.  Pour pretzels and graham cracker crumbs in a large bowl.  Set aside.  Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat.  Add sugar and evaporated milk.  Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring frequently.  Boil and stir constantly for 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add marshmallows, butterscotch, and rum extract.  Stir until marshmallows melt.  Stir in graham cracker crumb mixture until well blended.  Working quickly, drop tablespoonfuls of warm mixture onto waxed paper; cool.  Store in airtight container.  Makes about 4 dozen pralines.

Tomorrow-Hidden Brownie Squares made with the Homemade Brownie Mix

Linking to:  Strut Your Stuff Saturday
Sweets for a Saturday

Cooking with the Journal-One Fudge, Many Flavors

Clockwise from lower left:  Eggnog Cherry, Cinnamon, Peanut Butter,
 Toasted Almond, Butterscotch Pecan and Milk Chocolate

Besides the bread book I mentioned last week and the two cookie books, Farm Journal published one other specialty cookbook, Homemade Candy, 1970.

This book is my “go-to” candy making book and has recipes for all kinds of candies and confections.  One of my favorite recipes from this book is No-Fail Fudge.  Many of you probably have this recipe in your files already.  If you don’t, you should. 

There are other marshmallow or marshmallow crème and chocolate chip fudge recipes around, but I have always liked this one the best.  This recipe uses evaporated milk, cut-up marshmallows, and chocolate chips which are ingredients that I always have in my pantry.  The fudge is very easy to make and takes only about 10-15 minutes to get into the pan.  In another 15 to 20 minutes the fudge is ready to eat.  You can go from wanting fudge to eating fudge in less than an hour.

Any flavor of baking chips can be used in this recipe which makes it very versatile.  Besides semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate, peanut butter, butterscotch, cinnamon, and white chocolate chips can be used.  My preference for white chocolate chips is Ghirardelli Classic White Premium Baking Chips.   They seem to melt a little easier than Nestles.  I have used the Nestles, however, and they will do the job and can easily be found on sale this time of year.  Here is a little trick that I use.  Most baking chip flavors other than chocolate come in packages that have 1 3/4 cups in them.  I keep a package of white chips on hand.  I measure out about 7/8 cup of the chips I am going to use and make up the rest of the cup with the white chips.   That way I get 2 full cups of chips from one package.

Mini marshmallows can be used in this recipe, but I like to use the cut-up regular marshmallows.  The cut-up marshmallows seem to melt a little quicker than the mini ones do.

The original recipes does not call for nuts, but I like nuts in my fudge so almost always use them.  I toast the nuts and try to pair the nuts with the fudge flavor.  I use walnuts with chocolate, peanuts with peanut butter, pecans with butterscotch, almonds with white chocolate.

Many other ingredients can be added to the fudge:  toasted coconut, chopped dried pineapple, candied fruits, chopped, well-drained maraschino cherries, chopped candy.  Whatever your mind can dream up.  I also use various flavorings and extracts with the white chocolate chips and have made anise, almond, cherry, orange, maple, and black walnut flavored fudge.  Mint flavor is very good with both chocolate and white fudge. Food coloring can be used to tint white fudge the color of the flavor used.  For example, red with cherry flavoring, orange with orange flavoring, green with mint flavoring, etc.

An easy way to dress up the fudge is to top the fudge with other ingredients:  sprinkle the nuts on the top, use crushed peppermint candies, coconut, cut up or crushed candy bars, crumbled up cookies, etc.  Pat the topping gently into the fudge with your hand.

To be successful with this fudge, you need to know what a full-rolling boil is.  That is a boil that cannot be stirred down when stirred with a spoon or spatula.  Time the 5 minutes when the mixture reaches that point.

I have only one 8-inch square metal baking pan so rather than butter the pan, I line it with about a 20-inch length of aluminum foil and spray the foil.  I put the fudge in the pan, let it set, take the fudge from the pan and fold the foil over the fudge.  To store the fudge, I put the foil covered fudge in a gallon-size, zip-top bag, seal the bag and put it in a cool, dry place.  I leave the fudge uncut until I am ready to serve it or give it away.  Not cutting the fudge until ready to serve it keeps it from drying out.

No-Fail Fudge

Homemade Candy

Farm Journal Books, 1970

1 (6 oz.) can evaporated milk (2/3 c.)

1 2/3 c. sugar

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 c. cut-up marshmallows (about 11) or 1 1/2 c. mini marshmallows

1 (6 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips (1 cup)

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. chopped, toasted nuts or other ingredient (opt.)

Combine milk, sugar and salt in a 2-qt. heavy, non-stick saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.  Bring to a full-rolling boil and boil steadily 5 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

Add marshmallows, chocolate chips and vanilla.  Beat vigorously until chips and marshmallows are melted.  Add nuts or other ingredients.  Pour into lightly buttered 8-inch square pan.  Cool slightly.  Store uncut or cut in 36 pieces.  Makes 1 3/4 pounds.

Variations for the Fudges pictured.

Eggnog Cherry Fudge:  Use white chocolate chips, add 1 t. rum extract, 1/2 t. ground nutmeg and 1/2 c. chopped red candied cherries.

Cinnamon Fudge:  Use 1/2 c. white chocolate chips and 1/2 c. cinnamon flavor chips.  I get my cinnamon chips from Prepared Pantry, and they are more potent than supermarket cinnamon chips.  If you are using the supermarket chips (I usually can’t find them),  go ahead and use 1 c.

Peanut Butter Fudge:  Use peanut butter chips and 1/2 c. chopped peanuts.

Toasted Almond Fudge:  Use white chocolate chips, 1/2 to 1 t. almond extract, and 1/2 c. toasted, slivered almonds.

Butterscotch Pecan:  Use butterscotch chips and 1/2 c. chopped, toasted pecans.

Milk Chocolate:  Use milk chocolate chips and 1/2 c. chopped, toasted walnuts.

Linking to:  Tuesday Talent Show
Totally Tasty Tuesdays
Tasty Tuesday
Show Me What Ya Got
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
Take a Look Tuesday
Tuesdays at the Table
Tasty Tuesday Parade of Foods
Tuesday Time Out
Tip Me Tuesday
Ingredient Spotlight

Pillsbury Bake-Off Recipe-Fudge Nougats

Since I just found a, new to me, link party at Happier than a Pig in Mud called Celebrity Cook-Along, since they are doing Pillsbury Bake-Off Recipes, since I just happened to have a favorite, since I am off work today, since I am trying to post enough recipes to qualify for The Secret Recipe Club in August, I am posting a second post today.

Edited 7/6/11.  You don't have to look at my kitchen any more, I made the recipe and took some pics.  Again since I left my camera at work and since I already posted one picture, you are going to get another view of my humble little kitchen.

I have been making Fudge Nougats for over 40 years.  This recipe was part of the 1963 Bake-Off.  That was back when contestants had to use Pillsbury Flour in their recipes.  Pillsbury did not have many "convenience products" in those days.  This makes kind of a "fake" fudge.  It has been part of my Christmas goody plates for many, many years.  I always hear about it, if this is not included.  I am sharing the original recipe and the revised recipe that Pillsbury printed in a 1967 cookie book.  I collected the Bake-Off cook booklets for a long time until there began to be "convenience" products in almost all the recipes.

Fudge Nougats
1963 Pillsbury Bake-Off

2 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I usually use milk chocolate chips)
3/4 c. Pillsbury Best All-Purpose Flour
1 c. finely crushed graham crackers (about 5 double graham crackers)
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. chopped walnuts

Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a saucepan.  Bring to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.  Lower heat and boil 10 minutes, stirring often.  Stir in remaining remaining ingredients and blend well, mixing until chocolate chips are melted.  Spread in greased 8x12-inch pan.  Let stand until set.  For faster setting,  place pan in the refrigerator.  Cut into 40 squares

For a richer chocolate flavor, increase chocolate chips to 2 cups or add 1/4 c. cocoa to the sugar/butter/evaporated milk mixture before cooking.

Revised Fudge Nougat Recipe-1967
1 c. sugar
3/4 c. Pillsbury's Best All Purpose Flour
1/2 c. butter
1 (15 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 5 double graham crackers)
1 t. vanilla
3/4 c. chopped walnuts
1 c. miniature marshmallows (optional)

In saucepan, combine sugar, flour, butter and condensed milk.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; boil l minute.  Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients except marshmallows.  Stir until chocolate chips are melted.  Stir in marshmallows.  Spread in greased 8x12-inch pan.  Cool.  For faster setting, place in refrigerator.  Cut into squares.  Makes 40 pieces.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Nougats:  Use 1 c. chopped peanuts instead of walnuts and add 1/4 c. smooth peanut butter with chocolate chips.

Linking to Celebrity Cook-Along, These Chicks Cooked, Cast Party Wednesdays,