Christmas

Homemade Salted Caramels

~ mrsgooses ~ Leave a comment

These caramels are super yummy and easy to make! If it’s your first time making candy, then this is a great recipe to start with.

Buy equipment you ma need:
Loaf pan – http://amzn.to/1yjZ4oh
IYC Baking Parchment Roll – http://amzn.to/1vDu70Y
Candy Thermometer – http://amzn.to/1tC3e9h
Maldon Sea Salt – http://amzn.to/1A7VlA6

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Unsalted butter (1 stick), cubed
1/2 cup Heavy cream
3 tbsp Water
1/4 cup Light corn syrup
1 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp flaked sea salt

– Lightly oil a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, line with parchment paper, and oil the parchment. Set pan aside.
– Place butter and cream in microwave-safe bowl/jug. Microwave for 1-2 min until hot and butter has melted. Set aside.
– In a small saucepan combine the water and corn syrup.
– Then gently add the sugar, so it doesn’t spray up the sides of the pan.
– Stir the sugar into the water and corn syrup, just moistening the sugar.
– Bring to a boil over medium heat, then cover with a lid for 1 minute.
– Remove lid and attach a candy thermometer.
– Continue to cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until the sugar reaches 320ºF/160ºC and has a slight amber color around the edge.
– Once the sugar reaches 320ºF/160ºC, carefully pour in about a sixth of the butter/cream mixture and stir using the candy thermometer. Be careful as it will bubble up quickly and is extremely hot.
– Continue to add small amounts of butter/cream mixture stirring, with candy thermometer, after each addition. It will continue to bubble up after each addition. (By adding the cream and butter, the temperature will drop).
– Once all of the butter/cream mixture has been added, continue to cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the caramel reaches between 240ºF-245ºF/115ºC-118ºC, depending on how soft you’d like your caramels (stop at 240ºF for softer caramels).
– Once the caramel reaches your desired temperature, pour into the prepared loaf pan.
– Cool 20 to 30 minutes and then sprinkle the sea salt over the caramel.
– Continue to cool completely – about 3 1/2 hours.
– Unmold the caramel. Cut into desired size and wrap in cellophane, parchment or waxed paper.
– If not eating right away, you can refrigerate or freeze them for later.

Recipe from here: http://www.inspiredtaste.net/8947/salted-caramels-recipe/

French Almond Nougat

~ mrsgooses ~ Leave a comment

This is the best almond nougat recipe and it makes lots. I love giving it as a gift! Feel free to change the almonds to your favorite nut and add in some dried fruit too.

Buy equipment you need here:
KitchenAid Mixer 6 qt. – http://amzn.to/1y9hEEp
8” Square Pan – http://amzn.to/1tyQvVa
Baking Parchment Roll – http://amzn.to/1vDu70Y
Candy Thermometer – http://amzn.to/1tC3e9h

Ingredients:

For the first part (mazetta):

2 Egg whites, room temperature
3/4 cup Light corn syrup
1/2 cup Sugar

For the second part (nougat):

1 1/2 cups Light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups Sugar
4 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp Vanilla extract
1/4 tsp Salt
3 1/2 cups Whole raw almonds, skin on

– For the first part: Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites until stiff and set aside.
– In a small saucepan, combine corn syrup, 1/4 cup water, and sugar. – Clip on a candy thermometer and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon.
– Reduce to a medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until temperature reaches 242 degrees (soft-ball stage).
– Remove sugar syrup from heat. Beating constantly on medium speed, slowly pour hot syrup into egg whites. Continue beating for 3 to 4 minutes until syrup is incorporated.
– Spray an 8″ square baking pan with vegetable-oil spray, line with parchment, oil parchment, and set aside.
– For the second part: In a medium saucepan, combine corn syrup and sugar, clip on candy thermometer, and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.
– Reduce to a medium-high heat and cook to 280 degrees (soft-crack stage) without stirring. If heat is too high it can boil over, so watch carefully.
– Remove from heat and, without scraping pan, pour syrup over first part.
– Working quickly, stir with a wooden spoon until almost smooth.
– Stir in butter, vanilla, and salt until incorporated.
– Stir in nuts.
– Scrape into prepared pan, and smooth the top.
– Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, until firm, 4 to 6 hours.
– Unmold nougat from pan and cut nougat into bitesize pieces or other desired shapes. Wrap each piece in baking parchment or waxed paper.

Recipe from here: http://www.marthastewart.com/350253/french-almond-nougat

Homemade Marshmallows

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Impress with your own homemade marshmallows! They’re a great treat to eat on their own or floating in hot chocolate…perfect for the winter weather 🙂

Buy your equipment here:
KitchenAid Mixer 6 qt. – http://amzn.to/1y9hEEp
Candy Thermometer – http://amzn.to/1tC3e9h
IYC Baking Parchment Roll – http://amzn.to/1vDu70Y
Wilton Non-Stick Cookie Pan Set – http://amzn.to/178A116
Ateco Snowflake Cookie Cutter Set – http://amzn.to/1tyPTPb

Ingredients:

2 envelopes Gelatin, unflavored
1½ cups Sugar
2/3 cup Light corn syrup
1/8 tsp Salt
1 tsp Vanilla extract
Vegetable oil/cooking spray

– Coat a 12″ x 17″ rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and coat parchment with cooking spray. Set aside. – Pour 1/3 cup cold water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Sprinkle with gelatin.
– Place sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/3 cup water in a medium saucepan. Cover and bring to a boil.
– Remove lid, clip on candy thermometer, and cook, swirling pan occasionally, until syrup reaches 238 degrees (soft-ball stage).
– With mixer on low speed, whisk gelatin mixture, and slowly pour the syrup in a steady stream down the side of the bowl (to avoid splattering).
– Gradually raise speed to high and beat until mixture is thick, white, and has almost tripled in volume, about 12 minutes.
– Add vanilla and beat 30 seconds to combine.
– Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet and smooth with a lightly oiled offset spatula.
– Let stand at room temperature, uncovered, until set, at least 3 hours or overnight.
– Coat snowflake-shaped cookie cutter with cooking spray to prevent it from sticking and cut out as many individual marshmallows as possible.
– Marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Original recipe from here: http://www.marthastewart.com/334710/marshmallow-snowflakes

Hello Dolly Squares

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We always make these at the start of the holiday season. They’re really quick and easy and bring back great memories for me!

Buy your pan here:
8” Square Pan – http://amzn.to/1tyQvVa
IYC Baking Parchment Roll – http://amzn.to/1vDu70Y
Cooling Wire Rack – http://amzn.to/1tIsHwU

Ingredients:

4 tbsp Butter, melted
1 cup Graham cracker crumbs
1 cup Sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup Chocolate chips
1 cup Walnuts
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk

– Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC. Line an 8″ (20cm) square pan with a piece of parchment.
– Mix melted butter and graham cracker crumbs and press into the bottom of the pan.
– Sprinkle the coconut, chocolate chips, and walnuts over the top.
– Evenly drizzle the can of sweetened condensed milk on top and bake for about 30min or until golden brown.
– Cool on wire rack.

Quick One-Day Moist Fruitcake

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This is a great recipe for a last minute fruitcake. It’s nice and moist and only takes a day to make! Substitute your favorite dried fruits, nuts, and liqueur.

Makes a 9″ round or 8″ square.

Ingredients:

2½ lbs Mixed dried fruit/glace fruit
2 sticks + 2 tbsp Butter
1¼ cups Brown sugar
1 tbsp Corn syrup
½ lemon, juice and zest
¼ tsp Nutmeg
¼ tsp Allspice
¼ tsp Cloves
¼ tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Curry powder
2½ oz Blanched almonds, chopped
¾ cup Brandy
1 tbsp Cornflour
4 Eggs
2 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking powder
1 tsp Baking soda

– Preheat oven to 320ºF/160ºC.
– Line baking pan with baking parchment. If using a regular baking pan, wrap some newsprint or parcel paper around the outside of the pan and secure with baking twine.
– In a large pot, bring fruit, butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup to a boil, stirring constantly.
– Once bubbling, add in lemon zest, lemon juice, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, curry powder, salt, almonds, and brandy.
– Simmer for 10 min, stirring constantly.
– Remove from heat and cool completely.
– Once cool, stir in corn flour.
– Mix in eggs, then flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
– Scrape into prepared pan.
– Bake at 320ºF/160ºC for 30min. Then reduce temperature to 250ºF/120ºC and bake for 3½ hrs or until done.

My Mom’s Turkey Croquette Recipe

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These are the turkey croquettes my Mom always made after we had a turkey dinner. They are cheese, onion, sage, and turkey all rolled into a golden fried croquette. Yum!

Ingredients:

4 cups shredded leftover turkey
1 stick (8 tbsp) butter
1 medium onion, diced
4 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
12 oz cheddar cheese, grated
salt, pepper, sage to taste
dried breadcrumbs and eggs for coating
vegetable oil for frying

– melt butter in saucepan
– add onions and saute until translucent
– add flour and cook for 1 min.
– gradually add in milk, stirring constantly
– add cheese and allow mixture to thicken, stirring to prevent sticking on the bottom
– add salt, pepper, and sage to taste
– remove from heat and stir in turkey
– chill until set enough to form a croquette
– shape turkey mixture into desired size croquettes
– roll in breadcrumbs, then egg, then back in breadcrumbs
– fry in oil until golden brown, turning once if necessary
– remove from oil and drain on paper towel