Christmas Candy

Every year growing up both my Grandmothers and my Mother along with my Aunts would make lots of candy and cookies.  My Grandma Yarbrough had a sun room which was not heated and it became the storage space for all she made!  One year I went and spent a day making candy with my Grandma Graden.  Lots of memories learning to cook from my Grandmothers.

(These recipes came from the cookbook that my mother put together of my families recipes and are in alphabetical order.)

Christmas Candy

ALMOND BARK

2 lb. Almond white bark         2 cups chunky peanut butter   2 cups tiny marshmallows

2 cups Rice Krispy's               1 cup dry roasted peanuts chopped

Melt almond bark and fold in rest of ingredients and drop on wax paper.  Let set and store in a sealed container.

CARAMELS

2 cups sugar                  1 cup butter                   2 cups cream (1 1/2 can condensed milk)

1 cups chopped nuts      salt                       1 3/4 cups white corn syrup

Boil altogether except 1 cup cream for 30 minutes (after mixture comes to a boil) stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Add 1 cup cream and boil to firm ball stage.  (Check stage by dripping a little of mixture in a cup of cold water.)  Add nuts (optional).  Pour without beating into buttered jelly roll pan.  After cooling cut into 1 inch squares.

Candies should be individually wrapped before storing in airtight container.  I use this carmel recipe to make turtles.  After cutting, form 1 piece around a whole pecan.  Freeze.  Dip in dipping chocolate and freeze again.  Store in tightly covered container.

CHOCOLATE FUDGE

4 cups sugar                  1/4 lb. Butter                 1 tall can evaporated milk

Bring to a boil - stirring and watching closely.  Boil to soft stage.  Check by dropping a couple of drops in cold water to see if it forms a soft ball.  Remove from the stove.

Stir in:                  12 oz. chocolate chips    1 qt. Marshmallow crème        1 tsp. Vanilla

                   Nuts if desired

Turn into a buttered pan.  After cooling cut into squares and store.  You could try in microwave for 20-30 minutes on roast till soft ball stage.  Watch and stir occasionally.  After reaching softball stage add other ingredients.

CHOCOLATE NUT CLUSTERS

Melt together:

1 (6 oz.) pkg. butterscotch chips (1 cup)    1 (6 oz.) pkg. chocolate chips (1 cup)

Add (1 1/2 cups peanuts and 1 1/2 cups raisins) or add 3 cups peanuts (it might take more).  Stir well till all the ingredients are covered.  Drop by teaspoon full on waxed paper and chill.  Store in a tightly covered container.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED RITZS

Spread Ritz crackers with peanutbutter.  Place on wax paper.  Freeze until hard.  Heat dipping chocolate and dip frozen crackers and freeze again.  Remove from wax paper and store in air-tight container.

CHRISTMAS CANDY

4 cups sugar                  1 cup water          1 cup white syrup   Cinnamon Oil

Boil to 290 degrees.  Add color and flavoring (last).  Use pure oil for best flavor.  You can buy this at a drug store.  Pour on buttered cookie sheets.  Pick up edges and cut with scissors and drop in powdered sugar.  Sift out candy and store in air tight container.  Candy is a hard sucker candy.

DIVINITY

2 cups sugar                  2 egg whites stiffly beaten       1/3 cup water                 1/8 tsp. Salt

1/2 cup white syrup       1 tsp. Vanilla

Cook sugar, water and syrup until it spins a long thread or to hard ball stage (270 degrees).  Slowly pour syrup over stiffly beaten egg whites to which salt has been added.  Add vanilla.  Continue beating until candy holds shape when dropped from a spoon.  You may add nuts, food coloring, or coconuts.  Drop on wax paper to set.  Store in airtight containers.

FOUR MINUTE FUDGE

1 lb. Sifted powdered sugar (3 3/4 cups)    1/2 cup cocoa

Mix well.  Put into 6-8 measurement cup.  Make a well in middle, put 1/4 cup evaporated milk or cream and 1 stick of butter.  Put in microwave for 2 1/2 minutes on high.  Mix altogether.  Meanwhile count 24 marshmallows and put in big bowl.  Put on high for 1 1/2 minutes.  Mix in fudge mixture and put in buttered 9 x 9  pan.  Put in refrigerator for 1 hour or freezer for 1/2 hour.  Cut and eat.

FUDGE

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

2/3 cups evaporated milk

2 T butter or oleo

¼ tsp salt

2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 ½ cups chocolate chips

½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

1 tsp vanilla extract

LINE 8 inch square baking pan with foil.  COMBINE sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt in medium, saucepan.  Bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat, stirring constantly,  Boil, stirring constantly, for 4-5 minutes.  Remove from heat.  STIR in marshmallows, morsels, nuts, and vanilla extract.  Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are melted.  Pour into prepared baking pan; refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm.  Lift from pan and remove from foil.  Cut into pieces.  49 pieces.

For Peanutty Chocolate Fudge:  SUBSTITUE 1 2/3 cups Peanut Butter chips & Milk Chocolate chips for Chocolate chips and ½ cup chopped peanuts.

JUST RIGHT DIVINITY

(Grandma Yarbrough)

2 cups granulated sugar 1/8 tsp. Salt          1/2 cup light syrup        2 egg whites

1 tsp. Powdered sugar   1/2 cup water       1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix sugar, syrup, water, and salt in sauce pan.  Heat slowly, stirring until sugar is dissolved.  Then boil gently without stirring to soft ball stage (240 degrees).  Meanwhile beat egg whites stiff.  Gradually pour 1/3 of syrup over them beating constantly.  Continue to cook remaining syrup to hard ball stage (265 degrees).  Beat this syrup gradually into egg white mixture and beat until mixture will just hold its shape.  Beat in vanilla and powdered sugar.  This small amount of powdered sugar makes for real improvement in the texture.  For variety change to a red or green color.         

MINTS

(Grandma Yarbrough)

Mix 1/4 of 8 oz. cream cheese.  Stir until soft and creamy.  

Add color and flavoring (1/4 tsp. or less)  to cream cheese. 

Add powdered sugar until firm.  

You will have to knead in at the last to get to the firmness you need.  

Roll into small balls and dip in granulated sugar and press into candy molds.  (If you don't have molds press with a fork.)  

Let mints air dry over-night and then store in air-tight containers with wax paper between layers.  (Approximately 160 mints) 

PEANUT BUTTER BALLS

(Ben Thornton's favorite)

1 box powdered sugar (1 lb.)            2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup chunky peanut butter              1/2 cups peanuts

1 can coconut                                    1 tsp. vanilla

2 sticks margarine

Form balls on cookie sheets.  Freeze.  Melt  2 cups chocolate chips and 1/2 cake paraffin.  Dip balls while frozen.  Put on waxed paper.

PEANUT BUTTER BON BONS

(Grandma Yarbrough)

1 1b. oleo (butter)          4 cups peanut butter               3 lb. Powdered sugar

1 large Hershey Bar                 12 oz. chocolate chips    3 tsp. vanilla

3/4 cake paraffin

Combine oleo, sugar and peanut butter.  Make into small balls.  Freeze  balls.  Melt chocolate chips, candy bar, and wax. (Double boiler or microwave)  Stir in vanilla.  Insert

Toothpicks into candy balls and dip in chocolate mixture (a fork maybe used).  Yield:  125 balls.

PEANUT BRITTLE

(Grandma Yarbrough)

2 cups sugar                            1 cup water          1 cup light corn syrup

1 tsp. Butter or oleo                1/4 tsp. Salt                   1/4 tsp. Baking soda              

2 cups unroasted (raw) Spanish or Virginia peanuts

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in heavy skillet.  Cook slowly, stirring till sugar dissolves.  Cook to soft-ball stage (test a few drops in cold water).  Add peanuts and salt.  Cook to hard-crack stage stirring constantly (remove candy from heat while testing).  Add butter and soda; stir to blend (mixture will bubble.)  Pour onto buttered large plates or platters.  Cool partially by lifting around edges with spatula.  Keep spatula moving under mixture so it won't stick.  When firm but still warm turn over.  Pull edges to make brittle and thinner in center.  Break into pieces when cold.

PEANUT BRITTLE

Makes about 2 pounds.

Mix and set aside:  1 1/2 tsp. Baking soda           1 tsp. Water         1 tsp. vanilla

Mix in a large pan:         1 1/2 cups sugar            1 cup water 1 cup light syrup

Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally to 240 degrees.  Stir in 3 T. oleo and 1 pound unsalted peanuts.

Cook over high heat stirring constantly to 300 degrees.  Remove from heat immediately and add soda mixture.  Mix thoroughly and pour quickly onto buttered cookie sheets (2).  Spread to 1/4 inch thick, cool, and break.

PEANUT BRITTLE (Microwave)

(Bonnie Frye, a teacher that works with Aunt Marcia)

Put together in 1 gallon measuring cup.

1 cup raw peanuts         1/8 tsp. salt 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup white syrup

Stir and cook on high 3 minutes.  Remove and stir.  Add 1 tsp. oleo, 1 tsp. vanilla.  Cook on high for 3 minutes.  Remove and stir.  Cook on high for 2 minutes.  Stir in 1 tsp. baking soda.  Pour onto buttered cookie sheets and spread quickly.

PEANUT BRITTLE (Microwave)

In a 1 1/2 qt. Casserole stir together and microwave 4 minutes on high:

1 cup sugar          1/2 cup white corn syrup

Add 1 cup roasted salted peanuts and microwave on high 3-5 minutes stirring occasionally. 

Add 1 tsp. Butter and 1 tsp. Vanilla.  Blend well and microwave on high 1-2 minutes.

Add 1 tsp. Baking soda and gently stir until light and foamy.

Pour mixture onto lightly greased cookie sheet.  Let cool 1/2 to 1 hour.  Break into small pieces and store in air-tight containers.

PUPPY CHOW

(Grandma Yarbrough)

1 pkg. 12 oz. Chocolate chips           1 cup peanut butter                 1 stick oleo

1 box Crispix cereal                          3 cups powdered sugar

Melt chips,  peanut butter, and oleo.  Pour over cereal stirring to coat.  Put powdered sugar into sack or large plastic bowl.  (I use my big green Tupperware bowl.)  Add mixture and shake to coat.  Store in tightly covered container.

TURTLES

(Grandma Yarbrough)

Use home-made caramels (Check in candy recipes).  Mold around pieces of pecans.  Freeze candy before dipping.  Melt extra large Hershey's candy bar in micro-wave.  Add a small chunk of melted paraffin.  Dip frozen candy into chocolate with a fork.  Shake as you take it out.  Place on wax paper until hardened.  Store in an air tight container.