Prevent Curdling When Making Caramel

When your caramel mixture first boils, toss in a pinch of baking soda. This helps keep it from curdling.

Smooth Fudge

For the smoothest cooked fudge, cover the pan for a few minutes after the mixture comes to a boil. This will help dissolve any sugar crystals on the sides of the pan, and keep your fudge smooth.

Dipping Chocolates

Melting candy for coatings is easier if you use the microwave. Place the chopped chocolate in a glass measuring cup and microwave on medium for 1-2 minutes, stirring halfway. Continue to melt for 1 minute intervals, checking frequently. The chocolate is much less likely to scorch in the microwave.

Fanny Farmer Fudge

Fanny Farmer Fudge

4-1/2 cups sugar
1 13-oz. can evaporated milk
2 sticks butter
12-oz. pkg. chocolate chips
6-oz. pkg. chocolate chips
1 square unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar and milk in heavy saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Stir constantly during this time, as the milk can burn easily. Boil 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Place remaining ingredients except vanilla in a large bowl. Pour the sugar/milk mixture over and beat and blend until everything is melted and smooth. Add vanilla and beat. Pour into 9x13" buttered pan and let cool.

Keeping Caramel from Sticking

Before you begin cooking caramel, butter the sides of the pan. This will help keep it from sticking.

Twice Cooked Divinity

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, then cover pan for 2 minutes to help wash down sugar crystals. Cook until syrup reaches 260 degrees or firm ball stage on candy thermometer. Meanwhile, beat egg whites with salt until stiff peaks form when beaters are raised. Slowly add half the syrup to egg whites, beating constantly. Return the remaining syrup to stove to boil again. Then gradually beat into egg whites and continue beating until mixture loses its gloss and begins to stiffen. Add vanilla, beating by hand. Drop by tablespoons onto parchment paper and let cool.

Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark

Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Bark

1 cup milk chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
1/2 cup chopped salted peanuts

Line 13x9" pan with foil. In medium saucepan over low heat, melt both types of chips together, stirring until smooth. Stir in peanuts. Pour into prepared pan and spread. Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm. Break into pieces before serving.

Divinity

It´s really helpful to have a stand mixer when making divinity. Constant beating of the egg whites is necessary for success.

Adding Baking Soda

When making brittles, make sure to use a large saucepan. Many recipes call for adding baking soda at the end of cooking, to add air and make the candy more tender. The mixture will foam up, sometimes significantly, and a large pan will contain all the candy without spilling.

Dipping Candies

When you are going to melt chocolate to dip candies, use a relatively small glass measuring cup. A container that is almost full of melted chocolate is easier to use, since you can completely immerse the candy and don´t need to spoon chocolate over the top of the pieces.

Divinity

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. light corn syrup
2 egg whites
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine sugar, syrup and water in medium heavy saucepan. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Then cook over low heat, without stirring, to hard ball stage - 260 degrees. Meanwhile, put egg whites and salt into a large bowl. Beat until stiff, about 2 minutes. Slowly pour hot syrup over egg whites, beating constantly. Scrape bowl while beating. Beat until mixture begins to lose its gloss and stiffens. Drop from teaspoon onto parchment paper and let cool.

Soft Ball Stage

When making cooked fudge, remove the fudge from the heat when your candy thermometer registers around 230 degrees. This is lower than the recommended 232 degrees, but your fudge will be softer and smoother when finished.

Dry Frosting Mixes

If you find a recipe in an older cookbook that calls for a brand of frosting mix that is no longer available, any other type of frosting mix will work just fine.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bonbons

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bonbons

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup chopped dates (don´t use the chopped type)
1 Tbsp. butter, softened

Mix well and form into 1" balls.

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 square unsweetened chocolate, chopped

Melt together in a glass measuring cup in microwave, stirring once, until melted and smooth. Stir in 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Dip each ball into melted chocolate mixture and set on parchment paper. Chill to harden chocolate. Store at room temperature.

Coconut Drops

This easy candy recipe tastes better than the packaged store bought kind!

2 cups flaked coconut
2 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 Tbsp. milk
12 oz. pkg. milk chocolate chips
6 oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate chips

In small bowl, combine coconut, butter and milk. You may need to add more milk if necessary so mixture holds together, depending on the moisture content in the coconut. Form into 1" balls and place on waxed paper.

Melt chocolate chips in microwave on MEDIUM power, stirring every minute. Let cool slightly. Dip coconut balls in chocolate, place on waxed paper. Refrigerate to harden chocolate. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator. Makes about 24 candies

Peanut Brittle

1 cup corn syrup
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
2 cups peanuts
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tbsp butter

In a heavy, 3 quart stainless steel saucepan, place corn syrup and water over medium-high heat. After it warms up, but before it begins to boil, stir in the sugar. Bring to full boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Insert candy thermometer after a few minutes. When the temperature reaches 250 degrees F, add the peanuts and salt and stir. Bring the mixture back to a full boil. Stir occasionally, but not constantly.

When the temperature reaches 300 degrees remove the pan from the heat immediately. You may do this at 290 degrees, if the desired level of brownness has been reached. Do not let it go above 300 degrees, or the finished product may develop a weak, spongy structure. Immediately after removing the pan from the heat, add the butter and vanilla extract, and stir (carefully-it´s HOT) until the butter is melted. Sprinkle the baking soda over the surface of the mixture and stir. The mixture will begin to foam up and double in volume. Now you need a clean, smooth, flat surface to pour the mixture onto. A marble pastry board is ideal. Prepare the surface ahead of time by coating it with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Immediately after stirring in the baking soda, pour the hot mixture onto the surface. Leave the candy alone to cool, which will take a couple of hours. After cooling, the peanut brittle can be broken up by hand. Store the peanut brittle in airtight containers.

Guess Again Candy Crunch

Guess Again Candy Crunch

1/2 cup white chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup purchased dry bread crumbs
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanuts, finely chopped

Line cookie sheet with waved paper. In small microwave safe bowl, melt 1/2 cup white chocolate and peanut butter on medium for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Add bread crumbs and mix well. Place on lined cookie sheet. Place another sheet of waxed paper over candy and pat or roll to form 1/4" thick rectangle. Remove top waxed paper.

Melt chocolate in microwave on medium for 2 minutes, stir until melted. Spread half of the melted chocolate over the candy and sprinkle with half of the peanuts. Freeze the candy 5 minutes to set chocolate. Carefully turn candy over, spread with remaining chocolate and sprinkle with rest of peanuts. Refrigerate 10 minutes until firm, then break into small pieces. Serve cold.

Making Caramel

Do not try to make caramel in humid weather, as it will not harden properly.

Toffee

Toffee

1 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
10 chocolate bars
1 cup slivered almonds

In heavy saucepan, combine butter and sugars. Melt together, then bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Using a candy thermometer, cook to 270 degrees.

Meanwhile, in 9x13" pan, spread 1 chocolate bar, chopped into small pieces, and the almonds. Pour the cooked toffee over the chocolate and nuts. Immediately place the rest of the bars over the toffee and let melt. Spread to coat and cool.

Passover Honey Nut Candy

This recipe from Mimi Sheraton is really fabulous.

1 cup honey
2 cups sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
grated rind of 1/2 orange
1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped walnuts

In heavy 2 quart saucepan, combine the honey, sugar, lemon juice and ginger and stir gently until mixed. Place over low heat and cook slowly, stirring constantly until sugar is melted. Raise heat slightly and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until mixture turns deep golden brown and forms a soft ball when dropped into cold water (234 degrees on a candy thermometer).

Remove from heat and stir in the orange peel and nuts. Let cool for 5 minutes.

Pour onto a platter which has been sprinkled with cold water. Spread the mixture with a wet spatula to even it out. It should harden to a taffylike consistency within 2-3 hours. Cut into 1" squares.

Easy Chocolate Tempering

When melting chocolate for dipping candies, here´s an easy tempering tip. Keep about 1/4 cup of the chopped chocolate out of the mixture when melting. When the rest of the chocolate is smooth, add the reserved chocolate and stir constantly until melted. This helps develop crystals and keep the chocolate firmer at room temperature.

Peanut Brittle

When you´re making peanut brittle from scratch, try using unroasted peanuts. The peanuts cook in the hot syrup, and may get too brown or hard unless they are unroasted.