Lollipops

15 lollipop sticks
1/4 c. butter
1/2 c. light corn syrup
3/4 c. sugar
Few drops of food coloring

Lightly butter baking sheet, 10 1/2 x 12 inches. Arrange lollipop sticks on baking sheet. Combine butter, corn syrup and sugar in 1 quart saucepan. Heat to boiling over medium high heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce heat to medium. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, to 270 degrees on candy thermometer (or until a few drops of syrup dropped into very cold water separate into threads which are hard but not brittle).

Stir in food color. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls over end of each lollipop stick. If desired while lollipops are hot, press on candy decorations. To decorate when cooled, brush underside of candy decorations with corn syrup and press into lollipops. Cool lollipops thoroughly before removing from baking sheet.

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Almond Truffles

16 ounces white baking pieces with cocoa butter
1/3 cup whipping cream and 3 tablespoons butter
1 cup sliced almonds, toasted and chopped
2 tablespoons pure bourbon vanilla extract
18 ounces (3 cups) semisweet chocolate pieces
3 tablespoons shortening
4 ounces white baking pieces with cocoa butter
2 tablespoons shortening

Heat and stir 16 ounces of white baking pieces, cream and cream of coconut or cream and butter just till melted. Remove from heat. Stir in almonds and amaretto (or vanilla extract). Transfer to 8×8x2inch
baking pan; cover. Freeze 2 hours or until firm. Cut filling into 48 portions; shape each portion into a ball. Place on baking sheet. Freeze 15 minutes.

Melt chocolate using tempered method below. Using a fork, dip balls one at a time into chocolate; place on waxed-paper-lined baking sheet. Melt 4 ounces white baking pieces and 1 tablespoon shortening over hot
water. Spoon over candies. Makes 48.

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Chocolate Chip Truffles

Ganache

9 oz semisweet chocolate
1 c. heavy cream, room temperature
3 oz dark sweet chocolate, chopped into small chunks
1 Tablespoon Sabra Orange-chocolate liqueur

Dipping

16 oz. dark sweet chocolate
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Garnish

1 cup dark chocolate shavings.

Prepare ganache by chopping or grating semisweet chocolate into small pieces. Place in top half of double boiler along with cream. Put hot (not boiling) water in bottom of double boiler, taking care that water
doesn’t touch top half. Stir with a wooden spoon. When melted, beat vigorously until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

When ganache is at room temperature, add Sabra Liqueur and dark chocolate chunks, stirring until thoroughly blended. Transfer to covered bowl and refrigerate overnight to harden.

Take a little ganache at a time and form 1″ balls, using fingertips (with as little contact as possible so the chocolate doesn’t soften). Keep unused portion refrigerated as you work. Place balls on waxed paper-lined baking sheet; continue until ganache is used up. Refrigerate baking sheet until ganache is hardened, overnight or up to two days. Allow to set in refrigerator at least two hours before loosely covering with waxed paper.

Dipping

Prepare chocolate coating with 16 ounces dark sweet chocolate and 1/4 cup vegetable oil.Chop or grate chocolate into small pieces. Heat chocolate and oil together in top of double boiler over hot water,
stirring with a wooden spoon until smooth. Insert candy thermometer and begin dipping the ganache balls when temperature registers between 85-90F. If chocolate begins to cool and thicken before you’re
finished dipping, reheat over hot water.

Work with 1/2 dozen ganache balls at a time, keeping the rest refrigerated. Drop ganache into the chocolate, turning until completely covered. Lift with fork, letting excess drain off, then gently rap fork against rim of pan to remove more chocolate. Gently slide truffle off of fork (using a butter knife) onto waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining truffles.

Garnish

Garnish truffle by sprinkling dark chocolate shavings over top. Repeat with remaining truffles. Refrigerate truffles overnight or until firm. Allow to set in refrigerator at least 2 hours before loosely covering with waxed paper.

Makes approximately 40 truffles.

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Easy Sponge Candy

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup dark corn syrup
1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
1 tablespoon baking soda
melted chocolate (optional)

Cook sugar, syrup and vinegar over medium heat, stirring until sugar melts. Cook without stirring until mixture is very brittle when placed in cold water. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Pour into a well greased 9-inch pan. When hard, break into pieces.

Optional: Dip pieces into chocolate and set on wax paper to dry.

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Pralines

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter
1 3/4 cups pecans
2 tablespoons rum or pure vanilla extract (optional)

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, milk, baking soda, light corn syrup, salt, and butter; boil without stirring to the soft ball stage. Add pecans and cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in rum. Beat the mixture until creamy. Drop by spoonfuls onto buttered wax paper.

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Divinity

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup ice water
2 large egg whites
1 cup pecans, finely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla

Combine sugar, syrup and water in a heavy saucepan. Heat on low, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved. Raise heat and bring to a boil, cooking until it reaches the firm-ball stage. Remove from heat. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff but not dry. Slowly add syrup to egg whites in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed. When all syrup is mixed in, beat at high speed until candy holds its shape when the beaters are pulled away from the bowl, about 20 minutes. Fold in nuts and vanilla. Drop by spoonfuls onto a wax paper-lined baking sheet and let stand until firm.

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Fudge

2 cups sugar
1 cup whipping cream
2 ounces butter
3 tbsp. water
1/2 cup milk
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

Put the sugar, cream, butter, water and milk into a heavy pan and place over a low heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.

Break the chocolate into small pieces and put into the sugar mixture, still on the low heat and stir until it dissolves. Once dissolved, turn up the heat and bring the mixture to the boil. It should now boil, with an occasional stir, until it reaches 240°F.

Remove from the heat and beat the mixture with a wooden spoon (best done by an adult) until it thickens. Pour the mixture into an 8 inch square cake pan greased with butter. Leave to set. Cut fudge into small squares.

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Peanut Brittle

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 cup peanuts
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon baking soda

Grease a large cookie sheet. Set aside.

In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil, sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in peanuts. Set candy thermometer in place and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.

Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter or margarine and baking soda; pour at once onto cookie sheet. With 2 forks, lift and pull peanut mixture into rectangle about 14×12 inches; cool. Snap candy into pieces.