Showing posts with label Candy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Candy. Show all posts
Christmas Crack is a delicious candy that I make only once a year. Using only four basic ingredients (not counting the toppings), it goes together very quickly and I have to say it is so tasty that its darn near impossible to eat only one piece!
One year I thought that if I froze it, I would be able to keep it untouched until Christmas, but its even delicious frozen, so that was not any kind of deterrent for me at all! I know. I am incorrigible!
It truly is a treat, both for the family and for the cook. I made this a week or so back when I thought my son and his family were going to be coming for Christmas. I thought it was something the boys would enjoy!
My children always enjoyed it. I was really looking forward to being able to spoil at least two of my grandchildren this Christmas. Oh well, better safe than sorry! I am not the only person who has had their Christmas plans disrupted by this virus!
One bonus that I really like about this candy is that you don't really need any specialized equipment except for a baking sheet, some aluminum foil and a saucepan.
As far as making candy goes, it truly is a cook's dream!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHRISTMAS CRACK
As I said, there are only four basic ingredients required. The toppings are additional and subject to taste and desire. Very adaptable.
- 40 soda crackers (You can use salted or unsalted. In the UK, use Italian crackers)
- 1 cup (240g) butter (if you are using salted crackers use unsalted butter)
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
- 12 ounces (340g) semi sweet chocolate chips
The brand of cracker I used in the UK was Doriano Crackers. They were just like the soda crackers here in North America, except maybe a tiny bit smaller width wise. Not enough to make a significant difference.
You can also use other types of crackers. Club House. Tucs. Even Ritz, however Ritz crackers will leave big gaps. I would only use square or rectangular crackers given the choice.
HOW TO MAKE CHRISTMAS CRACK
Nothing could really be easier. If you keep the timings to my suggestions you will have no problems with this candy at all!
Begin by preheating your oven to 425*F/225*C/ gas mark 6.
You will need a lipped baking sheet large enough to hold all of your crackers in one layer. I like it with aluminum foil for ease of clean up.
Line your crackers up on the baking sheet in even rows. I did mine about four across and ten down.
You will need a saucepan with a fairly heavy bottom. If your saucepan is too thin your candy may scorch.
Measure your butter and brown sugar into the saucepan. Use a medium-large sized one so that when the candy mixture comes to the boil, it doesn't boil over.
Allow both to melt over medium heat. The sugar will no longer feel gritty. Once they have melted and are well whisked together bring them to the boil.
It is important to let them boil, undisturbed without stirring, for five minutes. This will bring the candy almost to the hard crack stage.
At the end of that time you will need to carefully pour it over the crackers on the sheet pan. Try to pour it evenly over them. You can use the back of a metal spoon to help you spread it out. (Remember this mixture is VERY hot!)
Pop the sheet pan into the preheated oven and bake the candy for only five minutes. At the end of that time it should be nicely bubbling away, and will have achieved the hard crack stage.
Remove it from the oven and immediately scatter the chocolate chips evenly over top. The heat from the caramel will cause it to melt and you will be able to spread it out evenly over top. I use an offset spatula, but the back of a metal spoon also works very well.
You will want to sprinkle your toppings on while the chocolate is still warm and melty. You can use any number of toppings. Today I used chopped toasted pecan nuts, but walnuts would also be nice, or chopped toasted almonds.
You can use white chocolate chips and top this with crushed Christmas Candy or Candy Canes.
You can use broken up Peanut Butter Cups, Smarties, M & M's, cupcake sprinkles.
Crushed pretzels are nice. Crumbled ruffles potato chips are nice. Combinations of these things are nice. Just go with the things you know your family will enjoy.
Once topped, it is only a matter of leaving everything to sit at room temperature to set up. This will take at least an hour if not longer. You can hasten this time by popping the baking sheet into the refrigerator.
Once it has set and hardened, you can break it up into pieces. Store it in an airtight container, and like I said, it does freeze well.
This is a wonderful Christmas treat! Its salty and sweet, crisp and crunchy. Incredibly moreish indeed! It makes great hostess or neighbor gifts as well. My family has always loved it and I am sure yours will as well!
I make another recipe which I got from one of my father's lady friends one year that is equally as good. Its called Almond Florentine and is made using graham crackers or digestive biscuits. Its topped with the caramel toffee and flaked almonds.
Both varieties are exceptionally delicious!
All of the content you see here on this page, both photography and written, are the sole property of The English Kitchen, Marie Rayner. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.
Every Christmas my mother would make us the most delicious Peanut Butter Fudge. Mom was not one to make us a lot of treats throughout the rest of the year, but at Christmas time she would always make us our favourites.
One of those was this Peanut Butter Fudge. It was rich and creamy and a real taste treat for each of us. We all loved it.
Our mother had been quite chubby during a period in her childhood, and she had an obese mother. I think controlling weight was a really important thing to her. For the life of me, I cannot remember her ever sitting down at the table to eat a meal with us.
My sister and I spoke about this one day and she could not remember mom eating with us at the table either, although she did remember her standing at the counter eating leftovers from the day before.
It was not something I ever thought about while my mother was alive, so I will never ever know what motivated her. She was a very tiny woman. Short and petite.
I remember thinking throughout her last years of her life that I must have been a huge disappointment to her with my size and weight problems. All that effort she went to while we were growing up to help to keep us thin had all gone to waste!
Oh well, we are who we are. My father has always struggled with his weight, and my last thirty-five years of life have been a huge struggle with my own. I have decided though that I am simply not going to worry about it anymore.
I will eat healthy, with the occasional treat and let what be, be. I think that is the healthiest attitude to take. I will indulge and partake of treats every now and then like Mom's Peanut Butter Fudge. And I will enjoy them, for all of their delicious taste and the wonderful memories that they bring into to my heart and soul.
I truly believe that good food nourishes the soul as well as the body.
One thing my mother always made at least once during the holidays was
peanut butter fudge. It was never chocolate or any other kind . . .
always peanut butter, but we didn't mind because we loved it so very
much. It was a real treat for us! WE never got candy as a rule!
She always made her fudge in the same pot. It was an old aluminum one that she had
gotten in her original set of Wearever cookware back in 1955.
I think the set of pans cost almost as much as a house, but here we are 2020 and we are still
using them. Money well spent, I'd say!
Mom never measured anything. She didn't need to. It was all done by
memory, and she knew exactly how much of each thing she needed to add by
sight alone . . . and it always worked like a charm, every time.
Me .
. . I made fudge sometimes for my children when they were growing up, but, 9 times out of 10 they'd end up having to eat it with a spoon. They ate and enjoyed it anyways.
We'd watch our mother as it went together . . . as if by magic . . . and then sometimes she would let us beat it when it was ready, with her big old wooden spoon.
If we'd been very good . . .we'd be given the pot and spoon to lick clean. We always did a pretty good job of that, coz it would always be as clean as a whistle by the time we were done.
The beaten fudge would be poured into the same pan each time. It was an old aluminium tin, blackened through use . . . it's bottom engraved in a swirly pattern of raised tin.
Some how those little traced swirls on the bottom of each piece only added to it's flavour. Every sweet and cake of my childhood used to come with that swirly pattern on the bottom as well. We never minded. What I wouldn't give to have that tin now!
But even more I would love to have my mother here. One year, when I was all grown up and had a family of my own, she let me watch and take measurments while she made it. This delicious recipe is the result. Enjoy!
Mother's Peanut Butter Fudge
Yield: Makes one 8-inch square pan
It just wouldn't be Christmas without a pan of this to munch on! Creamy and peanut buttery. If you don't like peanut butter, look away now!
Ingredients
- 3 cups (585g) of white finely granulated sugar
- 3 TBS smooth peanut butter
- 1 cup (240ml) of whole milk
- 1/4 cup (60g) butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Butter an 8 inch square pan. Set aside.
- Place the sugar, peanut butter and milk into a LARGE saucepan. (You will need a really big one as it really increases in volume when it is boiling. Trust me on this.)
- Heat, whisking, until the peanut butter is completely melted into the mixture. Increase the heat slightly and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce the heat to a medium boil and continue to boil, stirring occasionally to help prevent it from catching. You will want to boil it to the soft ball stage, (115*C/235*F) This should take between 18 to 25 minutes or so. Once this happens, remove from the heat immediately.
- Stir in the butter and vanilla. Beat with a wooden spoon until it begins to look creamy and begins to lose it's gloss.
- Pour into the prepared pan immediately. (Don't wait too long or it will harden in the pot and you won't be able to pour it into the prepared pan. You just want it to begin losing it's gloss.)
- Allow to set for about an hour at room temperature, before cutting into squares to serve.
- Store in an airtight container. This also freezes well.
What favourite treat created for the holidays reminds you most of your childhood? I really would love to know!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for visiting. Do come again!
I've told you about my friend Leona many times before. She has figured large in my life and is one of those lifelong friends that we all love and cherish.
She is the same age as Todd, which makes her about 80, so a fair bit older than myself, but as in love, age is only a number. We hit it off from the start and still do.
I have had many women in my life who have influenced me culinarily speaking and Leona was one of them. She may not know it, but she taught me a lot through the years and shared a lot of really delicious recipes with me that were old family favourites in her family.
(She is from New Brunswick, and I am from Nova Scotia.) We are both maritimers, which is probably a huge part of the reason we gravitated towards each other in the first place.
There is always a special kinship which is shared amongst Maritimers. The Maritime provinces have traditionally been some of the poorest provinces in Canada, as well as (in my opinion) being some of the prettiest places.
Most people go West when they visit Canada. I think they are missing the best part of Canada however, which is the Martime Provinces. Beautiful and filled with lovely salt of the earth people.
The people are humble and friendly and kind. They are some of the nicest people on the planet, and upon meeting a Maritimer, I would be most surprised if you did not get an invite to supper before your conversation was done!
When you go to a Maritimer's home, no matter their situation, you will always be invited into the kitchen and offered a hot drink and a bit of cake or a cookie. That's just the way we roll!
My friend Leona shared this lovely Peanut Butter Ball recipe with me many, many years ago and it is something which has been a huge part of my Christmas fixings ever since!
It just would not be Christmas in my home without some of these being offered. They're delicious and very easy to make.
Like fudge or taffy, they figure big in the area of sweets and candies that we Maritimers love, especially at this time of year. They are almost a cross between a cookie and a candy.
(I have always counted them as being more candy than cookie at any rate) They are simple to make, quick to make and oh-so-delicious!
Especially if you are a fan of peanut butter!!! I adore peanut butter. Smooth peanut butter is simply creamed together with some icing (Confectioner's) sugar until well combined and smooth.
You then stir in crisp rice cereal and a quantity of toasted nuts. I like walnuts myself. And I always toast my nuts when I use them for things like this or in my baking. It just really helps to enhance the natural flavours of nuts.
This takes about 8 to 10 minutes in a moderate oven. Just spread them on a baking tray in a single layer. (Do let them cool before using them.)
Once that's all mixed together, you roll the mixture into 1-inch sized balls, pop them onto a baking tray, and then pop the tray into the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill.
While they are chilling, melt some semi sweet chocolate and butter together. You then dip/roll the chilled peanut butter balls into the melted chocolate and place back on the baking tray, popping them back into the refrigerator to set them up.
(I actually like to store them in the fridge in a covered container once set.) These are crisp, nutty, creamy and delicious!
Yield: 30
Leona's Peanut Butter Balls
prep time: 15 minscook time: 15 minstotal time: 30 mins
A holiday tradition in my home for the past 40 years! Where I come from you won’t find too many houses without a plate of these on offer at Christmas time! Easy and quick to make, and delicious too!!
ingredients:
1 cup smooth peanut butter (180g)
1 cup icing sugar (130g)
½ cup chopped toasted nuts (I prefer walnuts) (60g)
½ cup rice crispies cereal (11g)
2/3 cup (4 ounces) semi sweet chocolate (115g)
1 TBS butter
1 cup icing sugar (130g)
½ cup chopped toasted nuts (I prefer walnuts) (60g)
½ cup rice crispies cereal (11g)
2/3 cup (4 ounces) semi sweet chocolate (115g)
1 TBS butter
instructions:
Cream
together the peanut butter and icing sugar. Stir in the nuts and
cereal. Shape into small balls and chill in the refrigerator for 15
minutes.
Melt together the chocolate and butter, mixing until
smooth. Dip the chilled balls into the chocolate and set aside on a
parchment paper lined plate. Set in the fridge to harden. These also
freeze really well so they are an excellent make ahead!!
together the peanut butter and icing sugar. Stir in the nuts and
cereal. Shape into small balls and chill in the refrigerator for 15
minutes.
Melt together the chocolate and butter, mixing until
smooth. Dip the chilled balls into the chocolate and set aside on a
parchment paper lined plate. Set in the fridge to harden. These also
freeze really well so they are an excellent make ahead!!
For the holidays I sprinkle them with a few candy cake sprinkles to dress them up a bit. Not necessary, but very pretty. If you can eat just one of these, you are a much better person than I am! They are incredibly moreish. They also make great gifts! Happy Holy-Days!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The
English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are
reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you
may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for
visiting. Do come again!
I am not sure where the tradition of making fudge at Christmas began, but I know that we always had a pan of fudge in our home for the Christmas holidays, the whole time I was growing up.
Normally it would be my mother's peanut butter fudge. What a treat that was! She didn't have a recipe for it. She made it off the top of her head.
She always used the same aluminum pot for it and filled it up according to the size of that pot with the ingredients needed for the fudge. It turned out perfect every time and so delicious.
One year I watched her making it and wrote down every thing she did, and composed my own measurements for it. Somehow though, while it is still very good, it never quite tastes as good as the memory of hers tastes!
Food memories have a tendancy to be like that!
My ex husband loved chocolate fudge and I had his mother's recipe for that. Sometimes it turned out, other times it didn't.
This chocolate fudge here today ALWAYS turns out. It is fool proof.
Not only is it foolproof, but it is creamy and delicious and uses things you probably have in your kitchen right now.
Well, if you are like me at any rate!
It has walnuts in it and chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. I am sure I probably got the recipe from a tin of the milk years and years ago.
Whatever . . . I can attest to the fact that is is truly no fail and always delicious. You can of course leave out the nuts.
For the holidays I like to make it a little bit extra special and I shape it into a wreath, which is very easily done.
You just shape it in a lined cake tin, around a small unopened tin of food that you have wrapped in cling film, and decorate with glace cherries to look like holly.
Its a doddle and looks so pretty.
You can pop it into a pretty tin lined with tissue paper for gift giving. I can't think of anyone who wouldn't enjoy getting this for Christmas!
Its so creamy and delicious and so easy to make. It's a win/win thing all around!
*Foolproof Chocolate Fudge*
Makes 1 pound
Have ready a 8 or 9 inch square pan, which you have lined with
greaseproof paper, wax paper or plastic cling film. Alternately if you
are making a wreath, line an 8 or 9 inch round tin. For the wreath,
wrap a small sized tin with plastic cling film and place into the centre
of the round tin.
My husband really likes this. Funny, he is not fond of chocolate cakes or cookies, but chocolate candy or fudge he loves! Especially if there are some toasted nuts and candied cherries involved! Happy Holidays!
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The
English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are
reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you
may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com Thanks so much for
visiting. Do come again!
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