I love making candy. Here are two of my favorite recipes.
Millionaires
Chocolate Millionaires – makes 75 - 80
1 ½ bags of Kraft caramels - 14 oz bags (21 oz caramels total)
1 can Eagle brand condensed milk
3 cups pecan halves
Use a double boiler to melt caramels and milk. Add nuts. Stir often over boiling water to melt. Drop by teaspoons onto BUTTERED cookie sheets – NEVER onto waxed paper or foil! Try to put two pecan halves in each spoonful. FREEZE. Drop frozen candies into melted chocolate one at a time. Work quickly or the caramel will melt into the chocolate. Let dry on waxed paper – not buttered. Touch up with chocolate it caramel comes through.
One thing to remember about all candy-making is that quality of ingredients is extremely important. Buy name-brand products. Look for the freshest, largest pecans you can find. (We order mammoth pecans from here.) Also, you can use chocolate melts from the store (Wilton)…the “wafer” chocolate pieces are already tempered. However, this year we ordered Guittard Chocolates online, because they carry a chocolate line for dipping that doesn’t contain hydrogenated oils. They’re absolutely delicious!
Also, NEVER sit chocolate on top of actively boiling water. It will ruin. To melt chocolates using a double boiler: Boil water in the bottom pan. Set the pan off on a different unit. Then set the top pan, containing the chocolate, on top of the pan of hot water. Within minutes the chocolate will melt and you can stir it smooth.
the finished product.
cracked open…
center view.
Reese’s Cups
Peanut Butter Cups – makes 80 - 100
¾ cup peanut butter
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 stick butter
Cream above ingredients. Add 1 lb powdered sugar gradually. It may not take the whole pound. Mixture will be very dry but you need to be able to mold it into the flat circle centers.
Place ½ tsp melted chocolate in paper liners in small muffin pan, then peanut butter shape. Cover with more chocolate. Gently shake the pan and add more chocolate to completely cover the peanut butter filling. Tap pan on counter to remove all air bubbles. Candy is ready when chocolate hardens. Speed up the process in the freezer or refrigerator for a few minutes.
peanut butter amazingness.
Millionaires
Chocolate Millionaires – makes 75 - 80
1 ½ bags of Kraft caramels - 14 oz bags (21 oz caramels total)
1 can Eagle brand condensed milk
3 cups pecan halves
Use a double boiler to melt caramels and milk. Add nuts. Stir often over boiling water to melt. Drop by teaspoons onto BUTTERED cookie sheets – NEVER onto waxed paper or foil! Try to put two pecan halves in each spoonful. FREEZE. Drop frozen candies into melted chocolate one at a time. Work quickly or the caramel will melt into the chocolate. Let dry on waxed paper – not buttered. Touch up with chocolate it caramel comes through.
One thing to remember about all candy-making is that quality of ingredients is extremely important. Buy name-brand products. Look for the freshest, largest pecans you can find. (We order mammoth pecans from here.) Also, you can use chocolate melts from the store (Wilton)…the “wafer” chocolate pieces are already tempered. However, this year we ordered Guittard Chocolates online, because they carry a chocolate line for dipping that doesn’t contain hydrogenated oils. They’re absolutely delicious!
Also, NEVER sit chocolate on top of actively boiling water. It will ruin. To melt chocolates using a double boiler: Boil water in the bottom pan. Set the pan off on a different unit. Then set the top pan, containing the chocolate, on top of the pan of hot water. Within minutes the chocolate will melt and you can stir it smooth.
the finished product.
Reese’s Cups
Peanut Butter Cups – makes 80 - 100
¾ cup peanut butter
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 stick butter
Cream above ingredients. Add 1 lb powdered sugar gradually. It may not take the whole pound. Mixture will be very dry but you need to be able to mold it into the flat circle centers.
Place ½ tsp melted chocolate in paper liners in small muffin pan, then peanut butter shape. Cover with more chocolate. Gently shake the pan and add more chocolate to completely cover the peanut butter filling. Tap pan on counter to remove all air bubbles. Candy is ready when chocolate hardens. Speed up the process in the freezer or refrigerator for a few minutes.
peanut butter amazingness.
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