I want candy!
Roanoke Times file photo
We’ve talked about holiday cookies this year and shared some recipes, but we have yet to really delve into that other big category of Christmas treats: candy. I know lots of folks who wouldn’t think to whip up a batch of candy outside of December, but when the wreaths and ornaments come out they start dreaming of fudge, peanut butter balls, pralines and other special-occasion treats.
It doesn’t take a “Sweet Genius” (anybody watched that bizarre show?) to know that candy is so fickle – just a few degrees in temperature or a little too much humidity can ruin a whole batch. I have even heard people say that a woman should not make candy at certain times… and that’s as far as I’ll go with that interesting advice.
Here are a few candy-making tips from my favorite candy cookbook, “Field Guide to Candy” by Anita Chu:
- Cook sugar on a clear, dry day. Sugar absorbs water, so excess humidity can lengthen the process or prevent the candy from turning out right. Chu advises turning on an air conditioner to make the kitchen cool and dry.
- Use a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, at least 3-quart size. Chu recommends aluminum and copper pans because they conduct heat evenly. Use unlined copper pans. The best thing is a “sugar pot,” or a large, all-copper saucepan.
- Watch for crystallization that can ruin sugar syrup. If a stray sugar crystal or particle gets in your syrup, it can turn the entire mix into a mess. You must throw out crystallized sugar syrup and start from scratch with a clean pan. Chu says agitating the syrup at the wrong time can cause crystallization.
- Prevent crystallization by using “doctors” or “interfering agents” such as cream of tartar, lemon juice, corn syrup, butter and cream.
If you’re looking for some beginner-level candies to make, try chocolate-covered strawberries (to go fancy, dip in white chocolate, then dark chocolate, leaving a “V” of white chocolate visible in front. Draw on buttons and a bowtie with dark chocolate to make tuxedo strawberries). Also fairly easy are preacher cookies; chocolate-covered dried fruit, such as apricots or apples; stuffed dates; peanut butter balls or buckeyes; chocolate bark; rum balls; pecan pralines; candied nuts; chocolate-dipped pretzels or potato chips; crispy rice treats; and potato pinwheels.
I am going to share recipes here for stuffed dates, rum balls and pralines. I would love to hear about what kind of candy you make around the holidays, and any candy-making tips you have learned over the years.
December 13, 2011 - 5:25 AM
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Candy is my favorite Christmas treat and gift. I usually make about 10-12 different kinds of candy each year.
I paint chocolate into the small paper candy cups- about 1000 cups, fill with different fillings, then coat with chocolate.
My new filling this year is lemon cream.
1-12oz. container of whipped cream cheese
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tbls. fresh lemon peel
2 tbls. fresh sqeezed lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon flavoring, if needed
Mix together and fill shells, then cover with melted chocolate.
This recipe makes about 60 cups.
I have watched Sweet Genius. They must have put out a casting call for strangest looking pastry chef, as host.
That sounds wonderful, Betty. What painstaking work that must be!
Debbie, I joke with Howard that Ron-Ben Israel looks like Voldemort. But that’s not very nice of me. I’m actually quite a fan of that show. I can’t tear my eyes away from it – it’s like a train wreck! haha! But I like to imagine what I would do with those mystery ingredients if I knew all of the techniques.
I’ve only really noticed this this year but why are the above called “candy”? I consider those to be cookies, fudge, chocolates, bon bons, etc… called what they actually are and not “candy”.
lol regarding Ron-Ben Israel as Voldemort!! That show is so odd but I keep watching!
I make chocolate dipped peppermint marshmallows and gift them with a bag of homemade hot cocoa mix.
I cannot watch Sweet Genius because of the host. I love to watch cooking competition shows (Chopped, Iron Chef), but cannot sit through that one.
We always used to make Graham Cracker Balls when I was a kid, but haven’t done so in years. I will have to ask Mom to dig out her recipe…
Wow, Betty. I can’t imagine making 1000 cups of candy each year. I’m sure your recipients appreciate it.
Lindsey, he looks to me, like he should be a character in a sci-fi movie. I like the show too. It’s not easy to meet his requirements.
My favorite show on FN is Chopped. I love that show.
Meghan, candy can be broadly defined as any type of confection made largely of sugar.
Israel is definitely an odd one. “I want to see genius! GENIUS! Are you showing me genius?”
I am a big fan of Chopped, too. What gets me is how the chefs all immediately dash for the pantry when they get their mystery ingredients. I’d have to stand there and stare off into space for a minute to figure out what I was doing. Probably why I have not been invited to Chopped.
On Iron Chef America, before the show starts the chefs get a short list of what the secret ingredient might be, so they can plan a bit.
I wonder if the chefs on Chopped are given any such prep in advance.
Chopped, ICA and the Next Iron Chef are some of my favorite shows. I just love seeing the creative things that these chefs come up with.
My favorite memory as a child was my mother’s peanut butter pinwheels – made with corn syrup & egg whites – not confectioners sugar! Every year I try to make these and out of 5 years had one successful batch! I will be trying again this weekend. Thanks for the ‘candy tips’ Lindsey. Maybe they will help!
I haven’t seen this ‘Voldemort’ show, but now I am totally intrigued!
Lindsey, did you see the Chopped episode with the cafeteria ladies? It was so touching, I was crying at the end along with the people on the show.
With some of the ingredients they are given on Chopped, I’d definitely be standing there wondering what in the world am I going to do with this?? Sardines and marshmallows, anyone?
In the past, I’ve made and gifted many treats, such as flavored hard candy, peanut butter pinwheels, fondant balls, plain or with cherries or nuts, dipped in chocolate, caramels, marzipan strawberries, peanut butter cups, truffles and even marshmallows. A little advice: for hard candy, do not stir the sugar mixture while waiting for it to reach hard ball stage – if crystals begin to form or the sides of the pan, use a slightly wet pastry brush to wash them back into the syrup; when making truffles, keep the dipping chocolate at as low a temp as possible to still be able to coat what you’re dipping – if it’s too warm, it will melt the filling quickly; most importantly, if it stresses you out, don’t do it – make it a fun activity to create candies and treats with your children or grandchildren. Merry Christmas/happy holidays to all.
Debbie, I have not seen that episode but I am watching for it. My mom was once a cafeteria lady!
Vickie, what excellent advice. I have heard about the wet pastry brush before but had forgotten. It sounds like you have a lot of candy-making experience. Your gift recipients are lucky folks!
I hope you can catch a rerun of it some time. The judges treated the women with such respect, and that is not something they were used to in their jobs. Which is a shame.
I agree with Debbie. That was a great episode.
I have started making/gifting treats the last few years, and it is definitely something you have to love. I made almond brittle a few weeks ago just to freshen the skills. But for Christmas I’ll do at least 2 batches each of penuche, popcorn balls, English toffee, & fondants; and I also like to try at least one new candy each year. WRT not cooking sugars on rainy days, I don’t have a choice; I have to do it when I can. You just have to be really careful and watch the thermometer closely.
This isn’t candy, but it does make a great gift. I got the recipe from a Southern Living cookbook years ago.
Sugared Pecans
2 egg whites, room temperature
1 cup sugar
Little pinch of salt
4 cups pecan halves
1 stick butter
Preheat oven to 325
Melt butter in a 9 x 13 baking dish. I put it in the oven while it’s preheating.
In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar and pinch of salt until very stiff. Add pecans, stirring until well coated. Add to baking dish, stirring to coat with butter. Spread out evenly in dish and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. After removing from oven, spread evenly on parchment liked cookie sheet to cool.
Great to eat by themselves or add to ice cream.