Any candy makers? Any good candy recipes?

**Sara Noel** · 07-17-2002, 08:56 PM

I have some candy and candy molding recipes to share, but wondered if anyone else was into this? Thought we could start a thread. I'd like to get a lot of the HM goodies together for the holidays. LOL (omg it's 95 degrees out and I am thinking Christmas)

Soft Caramels
2 C sugar
1.5 C light corn syrup
2 C whipping cream
1/4 C butter/ cut up into small pieces
1 tsp vanilla

Combine the sugar, 1/4 c whipping cream, corn syrup in a saucepan and cook til it reaches 238 degrees with a candy thermometer. (make sure to stir to get the sugar dissolved)
add an additional 1/4 c whipping cream slowly so the boiling doesn't stop. Heat it again to 238 degrees. Add the rest of the 1 1/2 c whipping cream again don't allow boiling to stop and heat to 240 degrees. Make sure you're using medium heat so nothing scorches. Stir as necessary Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter. Stir gently til butter melts. Por into a buttered 9 inch square pan.
Can cut into squares once it cools. (wrap in plastic wrap if you like)

Sara

**Sara Noel** · 07-18-2002, 12:58 AM

Cream cheese mints
1 3 oz pkg cream cheese (room temp)
few drops of food coloring and flavor
2.5 c confectioners sugar
and some granulated sugar

combine cream cheese with food coloring and flavoring in a bowl. Add the confectioner's sugar and knead it in with your hands until it feels doughlike. Roll it into balls and dip it into the granulated sugar and then press the ball into a soft rubber mold. Allow the mint to form a soft crust.

Buttermints
1 c water
3 c sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons whipping cream
1 1/2 teaspoons of vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter
3 drops of peppermint oil

combine water, cream, sugar, vinegar, salt and butter in saucepan. cook to 258 degrees on a candy thermometer. Por onto a cold buttered surface. Let cool slightly. Pull candy until it turns bright white and ridges form, add your peppermint oil as you pull the candy. Pull out into a twisted rope and cut with scissors into bitesize pieces.

**QuilterMom** · 07-18-2002, 12:09 PM

Here's a thread I posted a few days ago............

http://www.usave2day.com/forums/show...&threadid=6162

**Sara Noel** · 07-30-2002, 11:23 AM

makes 3 6 inch rolls

1/2 C whipping cream
1/2 C milk
1 C light brown sugar
2 C granulated sugar
1/4 C light corn syrup
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 C mini marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp black walnut flavoring
1 1/2 cupe finely chopped walnuts

Combine cream, milk, sugars, corn syrup and salt in a saucepan. Cook to 238 degrees, stirring occasionally. Add marshmallows. Cool onto a flat surface. Allow it to cool until it's warm. using a spoon and add vanilla and walnut flavoring. Once the mixture starts to set, add 1/2 C of walnuts. Keep working trhe candy until it creams and can be rolled. Form into 3 rolls and press 1/3 of remining nuts into each roll. wrap rolls in plastic wrap and slice to serve.

**Jenlee** · 07-30-2002, 05:05 PM

Last year at Christmas, I made 35 tins of candy for some of dh's employees and I love to make it. Unfortunately, I love to eat it as well!!

I will check through some of my recipes and post a few tomorrow. My faves are Pralines and Chocolate Dipped PB Balls.

Let's keep this thread going as these are inexpensive gifts almost ANYONE can make!!

**Sara Noel** · 08-02-2002, 01:33 PM

I totally agree that homemade candy is a great gift. Here are some candy recipes online:

http://www.recipesource.com/desserts.../indexall.html
http://www.freerecipe.org/Dessert/Candy/
http://www.free-greetingcards.co.uk/candy_recipes.htm
http://www.acplace.com/holiday/candy.html
http://www.masterstech-home.com/The_...ipesIndex.html
http://www.caymandesigns.com/candy.htm
http://members.amaonline.com/nrogers...iday_candy.htm
http://www.justchocolaterecipes.com/candy/index.shtml

I'll add more later. Yum.

Sara

**Michelle** · 08-02-2002, 01:57 PM

Originally posted by smnoel

Can cut into squares once it cools. (wrap in plastic wrap if you like)

Sara

I recommend wrapping these in wax paper (like salt water taffy), as they are pretty sticky. Also, when you cut, use a hot knife as it can get pretty hard.

Michelle

**Michelle** · 08-02-2002, 02:01 PM

Anyone make divinity? I've never tried making it myself, but my mother used to struggle when making it.

I'd also love a good praline recipe too.

Michelle

**Sara Noel** · 08-02-2002, 02:05 PM

http://w3.one.net/~proicer/recipes/candies.htm
http://www.crumbledcookies.com/feedme/candy/
http://family.go.com/recipes/family/...s/candies.html
http://www.cdnbiz.net/xmas/candies.html
http://www.sugarcraft.com/catalog/ca...oc-recipes.htm
http://www.123easyaspie.com/candy.html
http://www.backofthebox.com/recipes/candies.html
http://www.carrieschocolates.com/Rec...%20recipes.htm
http://bitsyskitchen.com/candy.html

**Jenlee** · 08-02-2002, 02:34 PM

This is a recipe for Pralines that I used in my candy business a few years ago.

Pralines

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups pecans
3/4 cup brown sugar
6 TBSP butter, no substitutes
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all except vanilla and bring to a coil; cook to a soft ball stage, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir until mixture becomes cloudy and creamy. Spoon onto waxed paper.

Chelle, this took me several tries to get right, so don't worry if they don't turn out the first time. Worst case scenario? Eat from the pot with a spoon!!!!

Peanut Butterscotch Crispies

12 oz. butterscotch morsels
3 cups Corn Flakes
1/4 cup peanut butter

Melt morsels and peanut butter together, stirring until smooth. Add corn flakes and mix well. Drop by TBSP onto waxed paper.

These are so good and the pb cuts the sweet of the morsels.

This one is my personal favorite!!!!!!!

No Cook Fudge

2 sticks butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa
1 box powdered sugar
1 cup roasted pecans

Melt butter and peanut butter. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Put in buttered dish and refrigerate until hard. Cut into squares.

**Jenlee** · 08-02-2002, 02:35 PM

Oh, Chelle, the only time I made Divinity and it turned out was a recipe from the Southern Living Collection cookbook. You have to make sure you do it on a sunny, low-humid day. Sounds crazy, but it has to do with the egg whites in the recipe.

**Sara Noel** · 08-02-2002, 02:43 PM

How cool that you had a candy business. I'm happy to have someone to pester because I am a beginner. LOL
Do you have any good wholesale suppliers?

Sara

**Jenlee** · 08-02-2002, 04:37 PM

No problems, Sara, question away!! I didn't make it big, but I still know my candy and have plans to do again when the children are older.

I always shopped for my ingredients on sale and since it was small, I wouldn't have been able to use all my ingredients before they needed to be or store them.

Most of my candies use interchangable ingredients - butter, sugar, flour, powdered sugar, vanilla, peanut butter, etc... and I would only buy when I could get a really great deal. If I had only had an Aldi's then like I do now.

There was a wholesaler about 30 miles away that I had planned to use when I increased my clientele, but ds#2 came and a few months later we moved.

I don't do any fancy things, per se, but I manage to make everything look good and taste good.

HINT: Some stores are marking down their "almond bark"-type chocolate. I use this to coat some of my truffles. For instance, a local store charged $2.99 a pound during the holiday season and a few weeks ago they had it half-price. This stuff can last a year or so and if you freeze it, even longer. I asked them if they would further discount it if I bought a large amount. They said they would discount 50 cents a pound if I would buy 25 pounds. What a deal!!!!! $75 worth of chocolate for $25.

What got you into candy? For me, my mom always made batch after batch of candy for friends, relatives, shut-ins, new moms, wedding receptions, etc... and I just inherited the love of it. Unfortunately, I inherited her love for the TASTE of it as well.

**Sara Noel** · 08-02-2002, 04:56 PM

I have a need to always do something creative. I worked as an event and party planner, so was used to always planning things. I would run into the most creative chefs and bakers. I love to bake, but I don't have the patience for items that take hours. (so things like pastries and cake decorating are out) I would love to, but know my limitations. My personality is too anal. I'd be there forever. I like the idea of candy because the recipes are short and it's a great result for effort spent. (and ultra yummy too)

Let me know if you have any recommended books. I have a couple of small cookbooks here that I reference.

My family did candy on a small scale. (fudges, brittle, pb balls, molds)

If you get a chance post your pb ball recipe. Does yours have wax in it? I recall my mom's having wax.

Sara

**Jenlee** · 08-05-2002, 04:26 PM

I'll have to find my recipe, but I didn't use wax in the "ball" part. I did add a little paraffin to the chocolate coating so it would harden quicker.