Recipes - Christmas sweets and confectionary

[Randi]

I just made half a portion of these for the first time and I think they turned out perfect. :) Quite easy, actually.

Cream Caramels

approx. 56 pcs .

½ l whipping cream 38%
250 g sugar
125 g glucose (glucose syrup is available in well-stocked supermarkets )

Cook all ingredients on medium heat in a thick bottomed pot until it is golden. Stir occasionally, this is especially important after about 10 min - don't leave it! It takes about 20-25 min. to make, but it's worth it. The caramel should be dark golden, thick and chewy.

Remove the pot from the heat. Set aside a small sample on the kitchen table when you have a feeling that the caramel is ready cooked. You will then quickly be able to assess whether the caramel will be too soft in texture and thus should be cooked more.

The caramel is poured into a container 18 X 18 centimeters which is lined with a butter oiled cookie sheet on both the bottom and sides.

Let the caramel cool at room temperature, preferably until next day - alternatively 4-5 hours-
Cut it out in approx. 56 pieces and wrap them individually in cellophane.

The pot is quite easy to clean... put some hot water in along with dish washing soap.

Enjoy! :)

[Karen]

I can help eliminate the "Set aside a small sample on the kitchen table when you have a feeling that the caramel is ready cooked."

Get a glass of cold water, and drop a bit of the caramel from the spoon into the water - if it forms a ball on the way to the bottom, and just flattens a bit when it hits, you are at "soft ball stage." If it flattens completely, keep cooking!

[Randi]

Thank you, Karen, that's a smart trick! :) It is cooling now, but I wonder... should I really leave in the kitchen until tomorrow? I mean, it has whipping cream in it, so wouldn't it go bad?

[Karen]

Thank you, Karen, that's a smart trick! :) It is cooling now, but I wonder... should I really leave in the kitchen until tomorrow? I mean, it has whipping cream in it, so wouldn't it go bad?

The sugar and the cooking "cures" the cream, so you need not worry about it going bad.

[Randi]

Oh, that's good - and it's probably easier to cut tomorrow if I don't put it in the fridge. Now let's hope that Lucy will leave it alone! She still hasn't been on the kitchen counter.

[Karen]

Oh, that's good - and it's probably easier to cut tomorrow if I don't put it in the fridge. Now let's hope that Lucy will leave it alone! She still hasn't been on the kitchen counter.

I would definitely "tent" it with aluminum foil, just in case she gets curious!

That was the method I learned from my grandmother years ago, before we owned a "candy thermometer" and still the one I use, as then I don't have an extra item to clean, and it is just as accurate! If I am doing something pickier, I will use the thermometer, though!

[Randi]

Have anyone else made sweets for Christmas? I put the caramels in boxes and give to my family, along with chocolade truffles. One year, I made some Bounty Balls, they're also quite easy to make.

I found a new recipe for them.... I suppose the word "dessicated" means dried? Oh, can you use anything other than condensed milk? Only few shops have it.

3 cups dessicated coconut
200g sweetened condensed milk
1/2-3/4 cup icing sugar
1 tsp. vanilla essence
350g dark chocolate, melted

Combine the coconut and condensed milk in a large bowl. Add enough icing sugar to make a stiff mixture. Add the vanilla and stir until well combined. Roll into walnut sized balls and refrigerate overnight until hardened.Coat in melted chocolate and serve when set.

[Randi]

I was going to make some marcipan cookies, but realize I'm out of marcipan. However, I just bought lots of almonds, so I looked for a recipe.

If you can't get marcipan in your supermarket, you can make it yourself. This recipe below is one without eggwhite, there are pictures of the process. Read the reply by Paul, second last reply, and there's an explanation of why you would use eggwhite.



http://thegracefulkitchen.net/2013/03/homemade-marzipan/#sthash.FVEe6TaK.dpbs

Once you have the marcipan, you can make "Kransekage" - it's a tradition here for New Years Eve. When the clock strikes midnight, this cake is served, along with Champaigne.

The recipe for this is:

500 gram marcipan
200 gram powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1 eggwhite (small egg)

For the icing you use:
1 eggwhite
1/2 teaspoon of winegar
150 gram powdered sugar

You can make rings and build a tower, or can make any shape you like. Here's a video of how Mette Blomsterberg makes them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUn0-a2MKl8

Marcipan you can also use to cover the top of cake, just roll it out thin.

Enjoy! :D

[pomtzu]

I haven't done any baking yet. Right now there are 2 loaves of pumpkin bread in the oven, and they will get wrapped in foil and put in the freezer for closer to Christmas. The 2 that I made for Thanksgiving have all but vanished - just a couple of slices left. I won't do any cookies till VERY close to Christmas - otherwise they will be gone by then. My son The Cookie Monster can devour them just as quickly as the Muppet character does. His very favorite are toll house - I always use the recipe on the Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate morsels bag - never found one I liked better. I also use that recipe and switch out the semi-sweet for white choco chips, and add macadamia nuts for a little different variety/taste. I like them both pretty equally - so does the rest of the family. :D

[Lady's Human]

I can help eliminate the "Set aside a small sample on the kitchen table when you have a feeling that the caramel is ready cooked."

Get a glass of cold water, and drop a bit of the caramel from the spoon into the water - if it forms a ball on the way to the bottom, and just flattens a bit when it hits, you are at "soft ball stage." If it flattens completely, keep cooking!

I use a spoon resting on an ice cube. If it cools and feels correct, it's done.

[Randi]

Actually, I made "caramels" yesterday, but they were hard as a rock. Last time, they were too soft. :rolleyes: The taste is good, but I need a hammer to be able to eat it. :D

The only difference I made, was to use the healthy brown sugar, instead of white, and I may have used less Glucose. Hmm, will try again tomorrow, I have normal white sugar now.

[Lady's Human]

Actually, I made "caramels" yesterday, but they were hard as a rock. Last time, they were too soft. :rolleyes: The taste is good, but I need a hammer to be able to eat it. :D

The only difference I made, was to use the healthy brown sugar, instead of white, and I may have used less Glucose. Hmm, will try again tomorrow, I have normal white sugar now.

You just cooked them a little too long. There's a fine line between softball and hard crack, it doesn't take much to cross the line and wind up with hard candy.

[cassiesmom]

Oreo truffles

36 OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz./225 grams) cream cheese, softened
16 ounces (455 grams) Semi-Sweet chocolate, melted

RESERVE 1/4 cup (112 grams) cookie crumbs. Mix cream cheese and remaining cookie crumbs until blended.

SHAPE into 48 (1-inch / 2.5cm) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store in a tightly covered container.

--I've made these one time, with half the ingredients. It was a little messy because I wasn't smart about crushing the cookies, but my family sure liked them. I wonder if you could dip them in melted white chocolate, so they'd look like snowballs.