Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge

Dark Chocolate Marshmallow Fudge 

2 ¼ cups sugar

½ tall can evaporated milk (1/2 cup and a splash more)

1 stick (or ½ cup) butter or cooking margarine

1 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream/fluff

12 oz. package chocolate chips (2 cups)

1  3 oz. dark chocolate candy bar (80% cocoa)

½ cup chopped pecans or your favorite nut

In a heavy saucepan, bring first three ingredients to boil and boil on medium high for 5 minutes.

Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and fluff and stir well until melted.

Add pecans.

Pour into buttered or sprayed 9 x 13 pan. Cool. Cut into squares. Store in airtight container.

 

Aunt Bill's Brown Candy - the original

Aunt Bill’s Brown Candy, the original

This original candy from my home state of Oklahoma is a rich, caramel-like fudge that makes a large amount-6 pounds. Recipe can be halved if desired. Aunt Bill’s takes quite a while to make, has some complicated instructions, and is expensive but worth the once yearly effort. This is my family’s favorite Christmas candy.

6 cups white granulated sugar – divided

2 cups whole milk (or cream)

1/4 pound or ½ cup butter or margarine

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 pounds coarsely chopped pecans (This is a lot of pecans—about 8 cups!)

1. In a heavy pan over low heat, begin heating 3 cups sugar.  (I use a cast iron skillet and wooden spoon.)  Stir constantly to prevent scorching. This will take about 30 minutes and will scorch if rushed.  When melted, it should be a light brown, caramel color.
2. As soon as you have the first sugar heating:
3. In a separate deep heavy pan, pour the remaining sugar and the milk. Cook over low heat. (Both mixtures will be cooking at the same time.)
4. When the first sugar is melted, begin pouring it slowly into the pan of sugar and milk. (The secret to mixing these ingredients together is to pour the golden sugar in a very thin, constant stream, no thicker than a knitting needle.) Stir constantly, remembering to stir the bottom too. This is easier if you make it a two-person task!
5. Continue cooking and stirring until the mixture forms a firm ball when dropped into cold water. (250 degrees on the candy thermometer.)  Remove from heat. Add baking soda. Stir vigorously as it foams up.  Add butter and stir.
6. Set pan aside to cool for 20 minutes.  Add vanilla. Beat until mixture is thick and heavy and begins to loss its gloss.  Mix in pecans. Turn onto buttered, sided cookie sheetor 9 x 13 pans and let cool. Cut into one inch squares, store in airtight containers.

Blogger is being uncooperative and won't let me post a picture. Perhaps, later!

PEANUT BRITTLE, anyone?

Peanut Brittle

Tips:    Make on a dry day. Humidity above 40%  kills Peanut Brittle.

            Use a candy thermometer for best results.
            Have all ingredients measured, pan buttered and ready before you start.

2 cups sugar

1 cup white syrup

1/3 cup water

Dash salt

Stir all this in a big, heavy pot over high heat until it gets to boiling good. Lower heat to medium high and cook to hard ball stage. 260 degrees (Mixture forms a hard ball when dropped in cold water.)

Add:

2 cups peanuts

4 T. butter

Continue cooking over medium heat cook until hard crack or 300 degrees. The syrup turns a rich caramel brown and the peanuts begin to separate from their skins. Don’t scorch but be sure to cook long enough. Lift spoon from pot, let a small amount of syrup fall in a thin stream. If “spider webs” begin to spin from the spoon, it’s ready. Remove from heat.

Add:

3 t. soda mixed with 1-2 t. of vanilla

Mixture will foam up. Stir well and pour onto buttered cookie sheets. (2 regular or one large.) Spread thinly. Cool and then crack into pieces. Store in airtight containers or zip bags.

BLOG TOUR AND BIG GIVEAWAY!

November 11, 2015 I will joining a blog tour with a big giveaway.

Join me as I share my Christmas tradition of Candy Day and for a chance to win lots of goodies from these authors:

http://melissawatercolor.blogspot.com/2015/11/blog-tour-naughty-or-nice-with-linda.html

Participating authors/titles include:

·        Christmas in Mustang Creek by Linda Lael Miller (HQN)
·        When Secrets Strike by Marta Perry (HQN)
·        Act Like It by Lucy Parker (Carina)
·        Evergreen Springs by RaeAnne Thayne (HQN)
·        A Cold Creek Christmas Story by RaeAnne Thayne (HQN)

And me!

Harlequin will be giving away, among other things:

2 print copies of each: EVERGREEN SPRINGS by RaeAnne Thayne,
CHRISTMAS IN MUSTANG CREEK by Linda Lael Miller,
A COLD CREEK CHRISTMAS STORY by RaeAnne Thayne,
WHEN SECRETS STRIKE by Marta Perry and
THE CHRISTMAS FAMILY by Linda Goodnight