Apple Cider Caramels

Remember the apple cider I talked about here and here?  The stuff I got from Trader Joe's.  Well, I'm still finding uses for it. I really loved the apple cider pancakes, but these caramels are so unique and wonderfully delicious. 

I'm a sucker for holiday treats, mostly caramels and fudge (ok, throw cookies in there too). I grew up eating these caramels my mother made every Christmas.  She would keep a tupperware container on the dining room table of  fudge, caramel and sugar cookies to make neighbor plates with.  Every time I walked by I couldn't help but snitch a piece or two.  So, you see, I have a soft spot for caramels.

Make sure when making these caramels that you get real apple cider, like the kind you can find at a local orchard, farm or produce stand.  Occasionally you can find decent apple cider at the store, but you have to search for it.  Although it's a little more expensive than regular apple juice, it's worth every penny!  Don't skip the sea salt either.  It's an unexpected little crunch in every bite that's a little explosion of salty to go with your sweet.
 

Apple Cider Caramels
4 cups apple cider
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. flaky sea salt
8 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/3 cup heavy cream

Boil the apple cider in a 3 or 4-quart saucepan over high heat until it is reduced to a dark, thick syrup, between 1/3 and 1/2 cup in volume; somewhere around 30-40 minutes or so. Stir occasionally.

Meanwhile, prep the rest.  Line the bottom and sides of an 8- inch straight- sided square metal baking pan with 2 long sheets of crisscrossed parchment.  Set aside. Stir the cinnamon and flaky salt together in a small dish.

Once you are finished reducing the apple cider, remove it from the heat and stir in the butter, sugars, and heavy cream. Return the pot to medium- high heat with a candy thermometer attached to the side, and let it boil until the thermometer reads 252 degrees, only about 5 minutes. Keep a close eye on it.
(Don’t have a candy or deep- fry thermometer? Have a bowl of very cold water ready, and cook the caramel until a tiny spoonful dropped into the water becomes firm, chewy, and able to be plied into a ball. I actually use this method in addition to my candy thermometer, just to make sure it's the right firmness.  Altitude will affect thermometers, so it's good to know your thermometer, have a back up and even calibrate your thermometer to where you live.)

Immediately remove caramel from heat and stir down the bubbles a bit. Add the cinnamon and salt mixture, and stir to combine. Pour caramel into the prepared pan. Let it sit until cool and firm—about 2 hours, though it goes faster in the fridge. Once caramel is firm, use your parchment paper sling to transfer the block to a cutting board. Use a well- oiled knife, oiling it after each cut (trust me!), to cut the caramel into 1-by-1-inch squares.  Individually wrap, if desired. Caramels will be somewhat on the soft side at room temperature, and chewy/firm from the fridge.


SOURCE: Smitten Kitchen

Chocolate Coconut Fudge

Healthy fudge....what! I've mentioned before how much I love coconut and what great health benefits it has. It also has great flavor to boot and when paired with chocolate, it's like a match made in heaven.

I created this fudge using coconut oil instead of butter and coconut milk instead of any kind of dairy milk or cream. I also used dark chocolate and about a fourth of the sugar used in regular fudge recipes. Don't you worry though, it's still plenty rich and sweet and incredibly creamy and smooth! My husband and I both agreed that this was the best fudge either of us had ever eaten (and believe me, I've had my fair share)....a million dollar recipe.....hmm, maybe!

Chocolate Coconut Fudge
16 oz. dark chocolate, chopped (or dark chips)
1/2 cup flaked coconut
3/4 cup canned coconut milk, full-fat
3 1/3 cups mini marshmallows
5 Tbsp. coconut oil
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp. salt

Grease a 9-inch square baking pan with coconut oil, or lightly spray with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper, if desired, leaving about 2 inches of overhang on each side for easy removal.

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine coconut milk, marshmallows, oil, sugar and salt. Stir until everything is melted and completely smooth. Remove from heat and add chopped chocolate. Stir again until completely melted and smooth. Add flaked coconut and stir to combine. Pour into prepared baking pan and spread evenly. Allow to cool.

Fudge will be soft at room temperature. To aid in cutting, place fudge in the fridge until slightly firm. Cut into 1-inch squares and store either at room temperature or in the fridge. You can also wrap it up in wax paper and put it into a freezer safe zip-top bag and store it in the freezer. Serve at room temperature.


Linked to...
These Chicks Cooked @ This Chick Cooked

S'mores Pops

I'm all about s'mores in any way, shape or form. They are just delicious and such a fun summer treat. It's been fun finding different s'mores treats made in many different ways, yet still resembling that classic s'mores taste. Check out these former posts for more S'more inspiration:

Giant S'mores Cookies
S'mores Bars
S'mores Ice Cream
Brownie S'mores
S'mores Pancakes

I made these S'mores pops several months ago for my daughter's 4th birthday party. They were actually really fun to make and pretty quick and easy. And, of course, they were loved by all who ate them.

I inherited the block of wood you see in the picture from my dad. He made it when we were very little kids. See, when my parents were still in college, my dad managed a gas station and my mom made homemade suckers to sell there. So, my dad made this sucker stand to hold all the suckers as they sat on the counter top. Pretty nifty if you ask me. I feel lucky to have it. I also inherited all the candy-making molds and oils, but that's another story for another day...

Show up with these treats at your next get together or family barbecue and you'll be the hit of the party!

S'mores Pops
1 bag large marshmallows
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 sleeve cinnamon graham crackers
lollipop sticks

Lay out about 20 marshmallows on wax paper and insert lollipop stick about 3/4 of the way through.

Using a food processor, whiz graham crackers until it makes a fine crumb. Alternately, you can place crackers in a zip top bag and crush with a rolling pin. Pour crumbs onto a plate for dipping.

Melt chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave for about 2 minutes at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds.

Taking one marshmallow at a time, dip in the melted chocolate, then roll in the graham cracker crumbs. Place coated marshmallow back on the wax paper to completely cool and harden.

Linked to...
Sweet Indulgences Sunday @ A Well-Seasoned Life
Sweets For A Saturday @ Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Mangia Monday's @ Delightfully Dowling
Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prairie Story
It's A Keeper Thursday @ It's A Keeper
Sweet Tooth Friday @ Alli-N-Son

Caramel Corn

Wow, I feel like I haven't made anything in forever! Come to think of it, other than that lucious sour lemon pie I made for Thanksgiving, I really haven't. I hope everyone had a good holiday. We spent a wonderful couple of days at my parent's house and had a great time with family.

Sometimes I forget to post the simple recipes I make now and again that are as old as the hills. Enter caramel corn. We grew up eating this stuff, my mom has been making it forever and I've continued making it for my family. I believe the recipe came from tiny little Newdale, Idaho, where my mom grew up. It was from a church cookbook, if you could even call it that. The recipes were printed on colored index cards and held together with big metal rings. I believe the caramel corn was in the pink section!

This yummy treat is very quick to throw together and fun to eat. It's more of a gooey caramel corn, as opposed to the harder kind you bake in the oven. Most of the time I make it as the recipe says, but we also like to throw in vanilla and cinnamon once in a while.

Caramel Corn
1 stick butter (add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water

1 large bowl of popped popcorn, old maids removed (about 3/4 cup total popcorn kernels if air popping)

Put everything except the popcorn in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Boil for 4-5 minutes. If you like it more gooey, stop closer to 4 minutes, more hard, stop closer to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir down the bubbles (now would be the time to add vanilla and cinnamon if you want). Pour over popcorn and stir, in a folding motion, until popcorn is totally coated. Let cool before eating.

Peanut Butter White Chocolate Popcorn

As I contemplated the title, I wondered if I even needed to write the recipe after that because it really says it all. It's pretty simple. Simple is good. Sometimes it's even the best. I'm pretty sure that's the case here. This takes literally about 5 minutes to throw together and it tastes fantastic! I was introduced to white chocolate popcorn last Christmas when a friend gave it to me as a gift. I couldn't believe how simple yet addictingly good the stuff was. If you're a peanut butter lover, this will be over the top for you-yes, it's that good!

This little treat makes the perfect little teacher or friend gift for fall or Halloween, and it's also great for crowds. So, if you're having a get together or need a last minute gift for someone, try this.

1 large bowl popped popcorn, kernels removed (or 2 bags microwave popcorn, popped)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 bag white chocolate chips
1/2-1 cup Reeses Pieces

Pop the popcorn then sift through to remove all unpopped kernels. Melt the white in the microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds at a time for 2 minutes, stirring after each interval. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth and incorporated. Pour over popcorn and gently stir to coat popcorn evenly with chocolate. Add Reeses Pieces as you stir in the chocolate. Spread out popcorn on waxed paper to set.

SOURCE:Adapted from The Sister's Cafe

This post is linked to Recipe Swap Thursday @ Prarie Story.

Hershey's Candy Cane Kiss Brownie Bites

For the brownie:
1 brownie mix 9×13 inch size
Candy Cane Hershey Kisses, unwrapped, about 36

For the ganache:
2 Tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Garnish:
3 original candy canes, crushed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Prepare mini muffin tin(s) by generously spraying with cooking spray, both inside the cups and over the top. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions.



Spoon batter into tins, filling about half way. Press kisses into center of brownie batter, pushing them in only about a quarter to a third of the way down; do not push all the way to bottom, some of the tip should stick out the top. Bake for 15-17 minutes or until brownies are cooked through.

As they bake the kisses will sink down a little...

and the brownie will start to envelop them...

until they are completely covered. Notice how the brownie bites didn't spill over even though they came over the top. If you do not spray the tops as well as the insides, the brownie will spill over, stick to to the top and make it virtually impossible to remove the bites intact.

Let brownie bites cool COMPLETELY in the tins, they are difficult to get out otherwise. Once cool, gently run a thin knife around them and ease them out onto a cooling rack.

Put candy canes in plastic baggie and gently crush, making sure not to make them into a powder.

Melt chocolate chips in microwave at 30 second intervals until smooth and melted. Stir in cream until silky smooth. If needed, microwave 10 seconds more. Dip tops of brownies into melted chocolate, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes.

NOTES:These can be kind of tricky, but if you are careful to completely spray the tins and cool the brownies before taking them out they should be ok. The flavor is wonderful. The Hershey's Kisses are amazing!

SOURCE:Adapted from Picky Palate

VARIATION: Raspberry Kiss Brownie Hearts

Use the following substitutions with the recipe above:
*use Hershey's Raspberry Hugs in place of the Candy Cane kisses
*use a pan with heart-shaped cavities (the pan I used had 6 cavities and could hold about as much or a little more than a standard muffin tin cavity)
*only fill cavities about 2/3 to 3/4 full; you won't need to spray the top of the tin, it shouldn't spill over.
*Bake about 18-20 minutes
*Makes 9 heart-shaped brownies


Linked to...
This Week's Cravings @ Mom's Crazy Cooking

Christmas Crunch

4 cups captain crunch
4 cups rice crispies
2 cups spanish peanuts
1 pkg almond bark
crushed mints

Pour first 3 ingredients into large bowl. Crush mints and add. Mix together. Melt almond bark according to package directions. Pour over mix and stir together until well-incorporated.

NOTES:I got this recipe from a lady I used to work with. She always brought it to the office at Christmas time. It's a great snack.

Mom's Caramels

Mom's Caramels
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup butter
2 cups cream

Butter a square 8x8 pan and spread nuts on the bottom.

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, butter and 1/2 of the cream. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in remaining cream. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until candy thermometer reads 245°F or caramel reaches hard ball stage. Caramel should have a reddish-brown color, like a paper bag. Take off heat and stir a minute to get the bubbles out. Immediately pour into pan.

NOTES:I absolutely die for these caramels at Christmas time, they are so good! I like mine a little softer than hard ball. Check your candy stages or when it gets to being near done, drop a little spoonful into cold water to check hardness. I also make mine without nuts most of the time.

Mom's Fudge

1 can evaporated milk (12-oz)
4 cups sugar
2 sticks butter
pinch salt

Put everything in a large pot. Melt and stir. Cook to soft ball candy stage (about 7 minutes). Take off heat and add 1 tsp. vanilla, 1 12-oz pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips, 1 7-0z Hershey's milk chocolate bar (or 2/3 cup milk chocolate chips). Stir to melt then add 1 jar marshmallow cream. Pour into buttered pan. Cool completely.