| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| chaddsgirl |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 07:46:18 AM
I absolutely love, love, love to cook and bake and preserve. I'm a total kitchen girl. And my motto has always been, if it has a recipe I can make it! I've baked all kinds of exotic artisan breads, fancy cakes, make my own pasta and tortillas, all kinds of things. I've never been afraid to attempt or experiment with different recipes and foods.
But when it comes to making candy, I freeze up. I don't know if it's because there's a thermometer involved or if it's because it's just something I don't have a lot of experience with, but I can't seem to get past it.
I can make carmel corn, but I can't make popcorn balls (what's up with that?). I've yet to make a batch of fudge that turned out very well. That's about all the candy making experience I have.
With Valentines day coming up, I thought I'd really like to make some neat truffles, chocolate dipped candies and things of that nature, but I am just not sure I can do it!
A person is a success if they get up in the morning and get to bed at night and in between does what they want to do. Bob Dylan |
| 18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Karrieann |
Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 3:51:13 PM
YAY!!!! Sarah! You gooooooooooooo gurl!
Karrieann ~ Farmgirl Sister #766 (29 Sept 2009)
My etsy: Yesterday's Scraps, Tomorrow's Treasures http://www.etsy.com/shop/2TomorrowsTreasures |
| chaddsgirl |
Posted - Jan 25 2010 : 2:00:53 PM
Ha!!! This weekend I made Cherry Cordials. According to the recipe they are best if let to sit a week or two before eating. So That's why I made them so early. This week, caramels and truffles!!!
And I did use my candy thermometer to temper my chocolate. I've had a candy thermometer for years but haven't used it. It's an older one (like 30 -40 yrs old). I gained a new appreciation for it when I took it out of the drawer.
1) The thermometer has a built in block to keep it from touching the bottom of the pan thereby giving an inaccurate temperature reading
2) all the temperatures are marked - Hard Crack , soft ball, etc. How awesome is that!!!???? I'm getting excited girls, I really think I can do this!!!
A person is a success if they get up in the morning and get to bed at night and in between does what they want to do. Bob Dylan
Deeperrootsfarm.etsy.com |
| chaddsgirl |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 2:45:43 PM
Oh my goodness! Those recipes both look fantastic!!! I can't wait to try them!
A person is a success if they get up in the morning and get to bed at night and in between does what they want to do. Bob Dylan
Deeperrootsfarm.etsy.com |
| Sheep Mom 2 |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 2:26:57 PM
Here is my truffle recipe - it's a bit different. It's super rich and the ultimate if you are a chocoholic! Definately not a diet item....
16 oz. bittersweet or semisweet choc. broken (I use the Girardellis chips so no breaking required)
3/4 c. heavy cream
6 Tablespoons butter
1 Tablespoon vanilla or 2 Tablespoons Kahluia or other liquer
Bring cream to simmer in top of double boiler directly on burner. Remove from heat. Add butter & choc. Place over simmering water - heat stirring until smooth. Pour into a greased, wax paper lined 8 x 8 pan. Chill until firm. Shape into balls. You can roll them in cocoa, nuts, or coconut at this point but I always dip them. I freeze the balls on a waxpaper lined cookie sheet at least 2 hours before dipping.
One note here - be sure to watch how many ounces are in a package of choc. chips - not all chips are 12 oz anymore. My daughter found this out the hard way at Christmas when making fudge. I have a kitchen scale and I just got in the habit of weighing everything when I do candy or bake.
Blessings, Sheri
"Work is Love made visible" -Kahlil Gibran |
| LakeOntarioFarmgirl |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 2:07:34 PM
Here is the recipe for truffles:
12 oz. semisweet chocolate (recipe says Baker's but I've used choc. chips too, would love to try Girardellis' next!)
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
3 cups 10x sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
*Ground nuts, unsweetened cocoa, or coconut-toasted
Melt chocolate in microwave ( carefully!) for 2-3 minutes until it is almost melted. stirring after each minute. Beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in sugar, beating in until well blended. Add chocolate and vanilla, mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Shape into 1" balls. Roll in cocoa, nuts, or coconut, or leave plain. Or roll in melted chocolate- see below.
Variation- Substitute vanilla with liqueurs, use 3 TBL. I've used, khalua, hazelnut and raspberry liqueurs.
For chocolate covered- Freeze plain balls. Melt 2 cups chocolate morsels(or whatever you want, you can also use white chocolate) with 3 TBL. shortening(not butter). Drop truffles into mix. Stir to coat, remove with fork. Place on waxed paper and place in fridge for 10-15 minutes. Drizzle tops with more chocolate.
I used to make these all the time at Christmas, but haven't in a few years. My daughter is giving my other daughter a baby shower on Saturday, I'm thinking of making a double batch to bring!
These are soooo good!
Brenda
FarmGirl # 711
Nothing we achieve in this world is achieved alone. It is always achieved with others teaching us along the way. Lee J. Colan
http://theviewfromhere-brenda.blogspot.com/ |
| Sheep Mom 2 |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 1:37:00 PM
I have been making dipped chocolates for about 28 years. I agree - get the best quality chocolate you can. If a specialty shop isn't available in your area, the best chocolate available in the grocery store for truffles is the Gheridelli bittersweet or semisweet choc. chips. I use the bittersweet when I make my truffles. Another good thing is to have a tiny scoop - like an icecream scoop. They are called "dishers" at commercial restaurant suppliers and you can get them on line. It is so much easier to scoop the centers than try to do it with a spoon. I always freeze my centers for a couple of hours on a waxpaper or parchement lined cookie sheet before dipping. You can melt chocolate or candy coating in the microwave but it scorches very easily so only melt on med. setting and stir every 35-45 seconds. Never add butter to candy coating it has too much moisture and will make it seize up and it will be useless. Only add shortening to thin dipping chocolate. I prefer to melt my dipping chocolate in a double boiler instead of the microwave. Most of all - just have fun. It's really easy once you get the hang of it. Investing in a plastic dipping tool really helps as well. If you have any questions or need recipies I'll be happy to share.
Blessings, Sheri
"Work is Love made visible" -Kahlil Gibran |
| chaddsgirl |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 12:11:44 PM
Hee hee!! Heather I have always admired those people on the food network that do the sugar scupltures. That is just absolutely amazing to me. I'd love to learn how to do that. I try not to eat very much sugar either, but I do like to bake cookies and things to send to my farm girl friends. I see such elegant and beautiful candies and I'm a sucker for dark chocolate. One piece of good, dark chocolate is enough for me. I will take pictures and post my Valentine candy boxes for you ladies.
Wish me luck and thanks for all the encouraging responses!
A person is a success if they get up in the morning and get to bed at night and in between does what they want to do. Bob Dylan |
| HeatherAnn |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 11:20:57 AM
I'm a 'I-can-do-it-all' girl in the kitchen as well, but I'm with you Sarah, candy is scary! I have made a few candies, and as with everything, the first few times you learn a lot. see as I'm not eating sugar anymore, I'm also not making candy anymore. But I was really getting into it! chipping hard crack out of a pan though, not so cool... good luck! I always wanted to make shapes with hard crack, like people do with blown glass. like swans and delicate little houses and stuff. ce-la-vie though, nothing hard cracks like sugar :)
have fun! show us pictures if you make something beautiful! And I'll envy you from afar :)
Heather Ann
Apartment Farmgirl
"You got to look at all the good on one side and all the bad on the other and say 'Well, alright then.'" - Aunt Eller, Oklahoma
www.plumblossomknits.etsy.com |
| chaddsgirl |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 10:39:36 AM
Thank you all so much! And Hosanna, thank you for the toffee recipe, I'll let you know how it turns out. :)
I knew you wonderful farmgirls would give me the encouragement I need to just go ahead and do it.
A person is a success if they get up in the morning and get to bed at night and in between does what they want to do. Bob Dylan |
| Karrieann |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 10:25:33 AM
Sarah,
Get brave and dive in and just do it! You'll realize after that it is much more fun than you realized. I did! Just follow the directions to whatever you wish to make.. and yes, have that candy thermometer. It is worth it!
:o)
Karrieann ~ Farmgirl Sister #766 (29 Sept 2009)
My etsy: Yesterday's Scraps, Tomorrow's Treasures http://www.etsy.com/shop/2TomorrowsTreasures |
| melanie47601 |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 10:02:14 AM
I started making candies about 12 years ago. I had my first baby and was strapped for cash for Christmas gifts. Candy was one way I could come up with a small gift for all of my family and it wouldn't break the bank. I attempted to make divinity 10 times before I finally got it right! Yeah the mistakes were a little frustrating, but once I finally got it right it was so worth it!! Divinity is probably the hardest candy I have ever made. Most candies are actually pretty simple. Have fun with it!!
Melanie
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning the devil says "Oh Crap, She's up!"
Blog~ http://wheelsarealwaysturning.blogspot.com/
Swap Blog~ http://mels-swapshop.blogspot.com/ |
| Hosanna |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 09:11:08 AM
I guess it is soft toffee - you don't suck on this, and it has chocolate on top.
Pecan Toffee
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 cup butter
1/3 cup water
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
- Line a jellyroll pan with aluminum foil, and lightly grease the foil. Sprinkle 1 cup of the chopped pecans thinly on the foil.
- Bring sugar, butter and water to a boil in a heavy saucepan over med. heat, stirring constantly. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for about 12 minutes, or until a candy thermometer registers 310 (Hard crack stage.)
-quickly pour over the pecans in the pan. Immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top. (You can use more chocolate chips if you like more chocolate.) Let stand 30 seconds or so; until melted. Using the back of a spoon, spread the melted chocolate around on the toffee. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup chopped pecans on top of the chocolate. Let cool completely.
Break into pieces.
NOTE: The 12 minutes if right on the money. The candy mixture will go from looking pale yellowy to looking look like a caramel color. Don't cook much past the 12 minutes, then something happens to it (I don't know what) but it separates and you have a lump of sugary goo and oil from the butter and you just have to toss it.
One time, I tried using brown sugar and that did not turn out so good. You can also use chocolate bars instead of chips.
My sister prefers it when I don't cook it to hard crack stage; but cook it to about 300-305. It makes it a bit softer; a little crumblier; almost cookie like.
Let me know if you try it and it turns out ok!
www.happilyeverafterhosanna.blogspot.com
www.thewindofheaven.blogspot.com
www.CarolinaRoses.etsy.com |
| chaddsgirl |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 09:06:14 AM
Brenda that would be fantastic, thank you so much!
A person is a success if they get up in the morning and get to bed at night and in between does what they want to do. Bob Dylan |
| LakeOntarioFarmgirl |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 09:00:25 AM
Sarah, I have a delicious, rich, no fail recipe for truffles! If you want I'll dig it out and post it here. It's really very easy, the hard part is the decorating them!
Brenda
FarmGirl # 711
Nothing we achieve in this world is achieved alone. It is always achieved with others teaching us along the way. Lee J. Colan
http://theviewfromhere-brenda.blogspot.com/ |
| chaddsgirl |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 08:56:35 AM
Ooooh, that would be great! Is it the chewy toffee or the hard toffee?
A person is a success if they get up in the morning and get to bed at night and in between does what they want to do. Bob Dylan |
| Hosanna |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 08:27:54 AM
If you want I can post my easy pecan toffee recipe. It is pretty basic and very tasty; the first recipe I tried using the candy thermometer.
www.happilyeverafterhosanna.blogspot.com
www.thewindofheaven.blogspot.com
www.CarolinaRoses.etsy.com |
| chaddsgirl |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 08:24:12 AM
Thanks Hosanna! I knew I couldn't be the only one who felt this way. I'm just going to have to suck it up and do it. :)
A person is a success if they get up in the morning and get to bed at night and in between does what they want to do. Bob Dylan |
| Hosanna |
Posted - Jan 07 2010 : 08:09:33 AM
I was scared too until I just dove in and did it! I made some pretty funny mistakes also, but now I think it is challenging and fun. I like to make pecan toffee. Truffles are a breeze; just make sure you use good quality chocolate, real butter, etc. Last year I made chocolate covered cheesecake balls. YUMMY! Just go for it; expect to make mistakes, and make sure you have spare ingredients on hand to make another go when you do! It's fun.
www.happilyeverafterhosanna.blogspot.com
www.thewindofheaven.blogspot.com
www.CarolinaRoses.etsy.com |
