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candy

Birthday Cake Marshmallows

Y’all know that one of my favorite things in the entire world is cake batter goodies. The other night we went out for froyo and my husband made fun of me because I filled my cup with birthday cake, red velvet cake, and cheesecake (with pistachio thrown in for good measure). What?! I just love anything cake flavored!

Well, tomorrow is Nicole’s birthday! So we decided that a birthday cake Thursday theme was in order! I’ve had these Birthday Cake Marshmallows on my “must make” list forever now so this was the perfect opportunity.

I’m really not a marshmallow person – s’mores being the exception, of course – but I really love the process of making marshmallows. It’s just fun to take something as basic as gelatin and sugar and turn them into marshmallows. Plus it’s one of those things that seems really impressive to other people because holy cow! You made marshmallows! But really, it took me less than 30 minutes to whip these up.

Be sure to stop by Nicole’s to wish her a happy birthday and check out her birthday cake shot!

One year ago: Cheesy Breadsticks
Two years ago: Bacon Wrapped Meatloaf

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Birthday Cake Marshmallows
from The Baker Chick
Ingredients
  • 4 1/2 tsp of unflavored powdered gelatin
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup divided
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup yellow cake mix
  • 2 tablespoons sprinkles
  • coating: 1/4 cup corn starch and 3/8 cup powdered sugar combined
Instructions
  1. Line an 8x8-inch pan with aluminum foil. Set aside.
  2. Whisk together the gelatin and cold water in a small bowl and let soften for 5 minutes
  3. Stir together the sugar, 1/4 cup of the corn syrup, 1/4 cup water and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Boil, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches 240F on a candy thermometer.
  4. Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1/4 cup corn syrup into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Microwave gelatin on high until totally melted, about 30 seconds. Pour into the mixer bowl, Set the mixer speed to low and keep it running.
  5. When the syrup is 240F, slowly pour it into the mixer. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 5 minutes. Increase to medium-high and beat for 5 more minutes. Beat on the highest setting for 1-2 mins more and beat in the vanilla. The finished marshmallow will be opaque, white, fluffy and tripled in volume. (don't overwhip the batter or it will make folding in the cake mix a huge mess.) Sift in about half the cake mix over the marshmallow batter. Use a spatula to gently fold it in and then sift and fold in the rest. Fold in the sprinkles.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, using an offset spatula to smooth it into the corners. Sift the coating over the top, reserving some for later. Let it set for 6 hours in a cool dry place.
  7. Use a knife to loosen the marshmallow from the edges of the pan. Invert the slab onto a coating-dusted work surface and dust it with more coating. Use kitchen scissors to cut the marshmallows into pieces and dip the sticky edges into more coating, patting off the excess.

Maple Pecan Fudge

I am not a candy maker. I’ve told you guys that many times. My grandma? An excellent candy maker. Fudge, divinity, you name it, she can make it. And everyone in my family looks forward to the mass quantities that she makes every Christmas. I’m not sure why I didn’t end up with the candy making gene but such is life.

This Maple Pecan Fudge recipe spoke to me because it doesn’t require a candy thermometer. (And because it has maple and pecans, of course. ) Let me tell you, it couldn’t be easier! And the results were so amazing! I could’ve easily gobbled up the entire pan myself. That good.

If you’re like me and haven’t had much luck with candy, you need to do yourself a favor and try this recipe!

2 from 1 vote
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Maple Pecan Fudge
Ingredients
  • 2 cups light brown sugar
  • 5 ounces evaporated milk
  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Instructions
  1. Butter an 8×8-inch or 9×9-inch square pan. Line with parchment paper or foil, and butter that; set aside.
  2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, evaporated milk and butter. Bring to a full boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat slightly (no lower than medium-low) and boil for an additional 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar and maple syrup. Transfer the mixture to a standing mixer (or use a hand mixer) and beat the fudge on medium speed until thick and glossy – about 3 minutes. Fold in the pecans and pour the mixture into the prepared pan.
  4. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then cover tightly and refrigerate overnight. Slice the fudge into 1-inch squares and serve. (Fudge can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container.)

Three Musketeers

Homemade Three Musketeers – only 3 ingredients! These taste just like the real thing and they are so easy!

Homemade Three Musketeers - only 3 ingredients! These taste just like the real thing and they are so easy!

This right here is the easiest candy recipe you will ever see.

(It will be even easier for you than it was for me because I know you don’t suck at melting chocolate. I, however, consider myself lucky that I got 2 decent looking bars. Someone come give me chocolate melting lessons. Please.)

So I don’t love Three Musketeers. I think it is the lamest candy bar. I mean, have you ever heard someone say, “Wow, I’m really craving a Three Musketeers”? Yeah, I haven’t either. BUT I saw this recipe on Beantown Baker almost a year ago and I remember tweeting about it. And then my friend Pam made it and told me how much she loved it.

It’s not often that I remember tweeting something. That recipe made a serious impression on me.

When I set out to do Halloween week, I immediately thought of the recipe. I pulled it up, saw the super short ingredient list, and made it that day.

They taste exactly like a Three Musketeers bar only better because hello! homemade. It’s got that bizarre spongy texture that the store-bought version has! Who knew Cool Whip and melted chocolate could create that! I’m so in love with these, y’all.

More Copycat Candy Recipes:

Snickers – homemade nougat topped with caramel and peanuts and coated in milk chocolate. These taste just like the real thing!

Chocolate Nonpareils – you can make your favorite movie theater candy at home! Just 2 ingredients!

Homemade Almond Joy – these are seriously easy and taste even better than store-bought Almond Joy! Only 5 ingredients and takes less than 15 minutes!

Homemade Three Musketeers - only 3 ingredients! These taste just like the real thing and they are so easy!

Homemade Three Musketeers Recipe:

 

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Three Musketeers
from Beantown Baker
Ingredients
  • 1 8 oz container of frozen whipped topping, thawed
  • 2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
Instructions
  1. Line an 8 or 9-inch square pan with wax paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave at fifty percent power, or use a double boiler.
  3. Using an electric mixer on high speed, beat melted chocolate for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add whipped topping to melted chocolate and beat until well combined and fluffy, 30-60 seconds more.
  5. Spread chocolate mixture evenly into prepared pan (if mixture is too stiff, press into pan with lightly dampened hands). Place in freezer for 30 minutes.
  6. Remove pan from freezer and turn chocolate mixture onto a cutting board; cut into one-inch squares. Return squares to freezer for another 15-20 minutes.
  7. Meanwhile, melt milk chocolate chips with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and stir until well combined. Dip frozen chocolate squares into melted chocolate to coat. Place on wax paper to set. Keep chocolates in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

More Candy Recipes:

Crockpot Candy

Crockpot Candy

Maple Bacon Fudge

Maple Bacon Fudge

Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle

Homemade Snickers Bars

Halloween is fast approaching, y’all. Ready?! I am. Kind of. I got the costumes months ago but I still haven’t been able to find all our Halloween decorations! I need to get on that. And I haven’t begun buying candy. Because I will eat all of it. In one day. I’m definitely that person that goes to the store on Halloween afternoon looking for whatever candy is left. I just can’t be trusted before then.

But since it’s getting so close to Halloween, I wanted to do a week of fun Halloween-y treats and we’re kicking off the week with Snickers! Because who doesn’t love Snickers?!

I’m not a candy maker, you guys know that, but I thought these came together beautifully. There are 3 steps – the nougat, the caramel, and then the coating. The nougat was fairly simple as long as you’re okay with a candy thermometer. Same with the caramel. It’s the chocolate that got me. I am just no good with melted chocolate. But it’s not appearance that matters, right?

They taste almost exactly like a Snickers. I think my caramel is a little chewier than the store-bought version but that’s to be expected with homemade caramel. They were a lot of fun to make and really upped my candy-making confidence.

Snickers

Snickers

Ingredients

For the peanut nougat:

  • 1 large egg white, at room temperature
  • 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup natural crunchy peanut butter, no added sugar

For the caramel:

  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1/2 stick
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups roasted salted peanuts
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the chocolate coating:

  • 2 pounds chopped milk chocolate or chocolate melts

Instructions

For the peanut nougat:

  1. Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with cooking spray, then line the pan with parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on each side. Set aside.
  2. Place egg white in the base of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Spray a rubber spatula with cooking spray and set aside.
  3. Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a small saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer and place over medium-high heat. Stir mixture until sugar completely dissolves.
  4. Once sugar mixture is at 270°F, add salt to egg white and beat at high speed to stiff peaks, about 2 minutes.
  5. Once sugar mixture reaches 275°F, remove from heat. Keeping the mixer on high speed, very slowly pour 1 tablespoon of the hot syrup in a thin stream down the side of the bowl (avoiding the whisk) and let it completely incorporate before adding more. Repeat until you’ve added all the syrup; it should take about 2 minutes. Continue to mix until nougat pulls away from the sides of the bowl, about 1 minute more. Turn off the mixer and, using the oiled spatula, stir in peanut butter; mixture should be thick and spongy.
  6. Immediately turn nougat into the prepared pan and, using the oiled spatula or your hands, spread mixture evenly. Let sit uncovered while you make the caramel, at least 5 minutes.

For the caramel:

  1. Combine all ingredients except peanuts and vanilla extract in a heavy-bottomed 4-quart saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer and place over medium-high heat. Stir mixture until sugar completely dissolves, about 2 minutes. Wash down the inside of the pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent crystallization. Boil mixture, swirling pan occasionally (but not stirring), until syrup is at 248°F, about 8 minutes.
  2. Immediately remove the saucepan from heat, stir in peanuts and vanilla extract, and mix until peanuts are evenly distributed. Pour caramel mixture over nougat and, using an oiled rubber spatula, spread evenly in the pan. Let cool until caramel is no longer warm to the touch and is opaque, about 70 minutes. Remove nougat-caramel mixture from the pan, transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place in the refrigerator until caramel is cool and gives slightly when pressed.
  3. Remove nougat-caramel mixture from the refrigerator and place on a cutting board, caramel side down. Cut into 4-by-1-inch rectangles (you need at least 24). Return to the parchment-lined baking sheet and place in the refrigerator to harden while you melt the chocolate.

For the chocolate coating:

  1. Melt chocolate in a double boiler (or the microwave).
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Remove undipped candy bars from the refrigerator and drop them one at a time, nougat side down, into tempered chocolate. Cover caramel side with more chocolate, then remove candy bar. Use a fork to remove the bars to allow the excess chocolate to drip.
  3. Place bars on the baking sheet by tilting the fork(s) so the edge of each candy bar touches the parchment-lined pan, then smoothly pull the fork(s) out. Repeat until all candy bars have been dipped. Let sit at room temperature until completely set, at least 20 minutes.
  4. Trim any excess chocolate from edges of candy bars and place in an airtight container.

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© Amanda Livesay

Cookies & Cream Fudge

Cookies and Cream Fudge – easy 3 ingredient white chocolate fudge with chopped Oreos! Perfect for holiday cookie tins and parties.

Cookies and Cream Fudge - easy 3 ingredient white chocolate fudge with chopped Oreos! Perfect for holiday cookie tins and parties.

I am having the worst time coming up with Christmas goodies this year!

I always want to make something that just screams CHRISTMAS but I just haven’t stumbled upon much inspiration.

So I guess I’m sticking with the treats I make every year. Starting with this one!

Cookies and Cream Fudge - easy 3 ingredient white chocolate fudge with chopped Oreos! Perfect for holiday cookie tins and parties.

How To Make Cookies & Cream Fudge recipe

This Cookies & Cream Fudge is what I like to call Cheater’s Fudge. It’s so easy and turns out delicious every time.

You just melt chocolate with some sweetened condensed milk and then fold in chopped up Oreos. Seriously, that easy.

From there, you just have to wait for it to set up in the fridge (torture!) and then you can slice and enjoy!It makes a ton so you’ll have plenty for your cookie tins or to share at holiday parties.

It’s not going to have the exact texture as your normal candy thermometer fudge, but it’s so good that I don’t even care. Plus, you can’t beat how easy it is!

And yes, totally use different cookies if you want! And the holiday Oreos are especially fun in this!

Cookies and Cream Fudge - easy 3 ingredient white chocolate fudge with chopped Oreos! Perfect for holiday cookie tins and parties.

More Fudge Recipes

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Cookies and Cream Fudge - easy 3 ingredient white chocolate fudge with chopped Oreos! Perfect for holiday cookie tins and parties.

Yield: 36

Cookies & Cream Fudge

Cookies & Cream Fudge
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 18 ounces white baking chocolate
  • 1 14-ounce can of sweetened condensed milk
  • 3 cups Oreo cookies, chopped

Instructions

  1. Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper.
  2. Put white baking chocolate and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan over low heat and stir frequently until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in Oreo cookies. Pour mixture into the prepared pan. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until set. Slice and bring to room temperature before serving.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

36

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 226Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 5mgSodium: 96mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 3gSugar: 16gProtein: 4g

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© Amanda Livesay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peppermint Bark

Ever since I tried my first peppermint bark candy waaaay back in November (heh..) I’ve been wanting to try my hand at making some. For some reason I expected it to be difficult but the only hard part was not digging in while it was chilling.

This is such a great holiday candy and now that I’m in love with it, I have a hard time imagining that there’s anyone out there who wouldn’t love it. I’m already looking forward to next year’s batch!

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Peppermint Bark
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces semisweet chocolate finely chopped
  • 12 ounces white chocolate finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup whipping cream
  • 1 tsp Peppermint extract
  • 6 oz peppermint candies
Instructions
  1. Line a 13 x 9 baking pan with foil and coat with cooking spray.
  2. Melt the semisweet chocolate, peppermint extract and whipping cream and stir until smooth. Pour the dark chocolate into the baking pan and evenly smooth out. Place in the fridge for about 15 minutes to firm.
  3. While the chocolate is chilling, crush peppermints in a large, heavy duty plastic storage bag. Make sure you have smaller and larger pieces.
  4. Melt the white chocolate and stir until smooth. Remove the semisweet chocolate from the fridge and pour the white chocolate over top. Place in fridge to firm for about 1 hour. Remove and cut to your desired shape and size.
  5. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container.