Tag Archives: candies

Desserts and Sweets

Squamish Bars

Squamish is a community on the Pacific coast of Canada, just north of Vancouver, British Columbia, not far from the place of my birth. It is known as the “Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada.”  What’s there to do in Squamish? Hike, climb rocks, watch the bald eagles and other wildlife, go kayaking, and simply enjoy the incredible coastal landscapes.

Squamish bars are a variation on Nanaimo Bars, named after another west coast community.

  • 1 cup peanut butter
  • 1 cup Rice Crispies cereal
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup Cornflakes cereal
  • 1/2 cup corn syrup
  • 2 cups icing sugar
  • 2 T light cream
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 1-1/2 t vanilla
  • 3 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate
  • 1 T butter

In a large pot over low heat, beat peanut butter, sugar, and corn syrup until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat; stir in cereals. Press into a lightly oiled square pan and let cool.

In a bowl, beat icing sugar and butter; beat in cream and vanilla. Spread over cereal base and chill for 1/2 hr.

In double boiler over hot water, melt chocolate and butter. Let cool and spread evenly over filling.

Chill for 20 minutes. Cut into squares. May freeze.

Desserts and Sweets

Turtle-Shaped Chocolates

These homemade chocolate candies are modeled after DeMet’s (formerly Johnston Candy Co.) Turtles® brand chocolates, which were candies fashioned into turtle shapes by combining pecans halves, caramel, and chocolate into the appropriate shape.

Here’s a recipe to which you can apply your artistic turtle-making abilities. Good luck.

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 cup light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 6 oz. pecan halves
  • 2 bars (4 oz. each) German chocolate

Line an 8×8″ pan with foil. Butter lightly. In pot, combine all ingredients except vanilla, nuts, and chocolate. Cook, stirring with wooden spoon, over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Continue cooking to firm ball stage (244ºF).

Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Turn into pan; let cool 30 minutes. With sharp knife, cut into 26 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball; place on buttered cookie sheet 1/2″ apart.

Press 5 pecan pieces into each side to form head and feet. Melt chocolate in double boiler. Spoon 1 t melted chocolate over each caramel. Refrigerate to set chocolate.

Desserts and Sweets

Quick Chocolate Fudge

I remember watching my oldest sister making fudge; I was always waiting for some chocolate-encrusted utensil or bowl to come my way for “cleanup”…

Ingredients for Quick Chocolate Fudge

  • 1 egg, well beaten
  • 1 T cream
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1/4 t salt
  • 1 lb powdered sugar
  • 4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 T butter
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation for Quick Chocolate Fudge

Mix the egg, cream, vanilla, salt, and powdered sugar together. Melt the chocolate with the butter. Add to the first mixture. Stir in the nuts and spread in a buttered pan. Cut into squares.

fudge

Desserts and Sweets

Sesame Snaps

A type of sesame brittle similar to peanut brittle, but densely populated with seeds and with just enough honey binder to keep it all together.

1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
2 T water
1 T lemon juice
1 cup toasted sesame seeds

Mix sugar, honey and water. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 25 to 35 minutes, to hard-ball stage.

Add lemon juice and sesame seeds.

Pour into greased metal pan, score and cool till firm

Desserts and Sweets

Nanaimo Bars

Nanaimo is a city on Vancouver Island, B.C., Canada. It touts itself as the city so beautiful that it’s all right to stare.

The Nanaimo bar, said to be the product of local culinary ingenuity, is a no-bake chocolate-based bar that bridges the gap between a cookie and candy. Nanaimo bars are a typically Canadian dessert and incredibly decadent.  You can read about the possible origin of Nanaimo bars at Wikipedia: Nanaimo Bar.

  • 3/4 cups butter
  • 10 T cocoa
  • 2 cups coconut, unsweetened
  • 1/2 to 1 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 10 T sugar
  • 4 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 t vanilla

For custard layer:

  • 5 T butter
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1 pkg. instant vanilla custard or pudding powder
  • 2 cups icing sugar

For chocolate topping

  • 5 squares semi-sweet chocolate

Melt butter and add cocoa powder. Beat eggs with sugar, add cocoa butter mix, vanilla, coconut, walnuts, and cracker crumbs. Press into bottom of greased pans.

Mix vanilla custard powder with 1/4 cup milk, 2 cups icing sugar, and 5 T butter to make a pasty thick custard. Spread on top of graham cracker base.

Melt semi-sweet chocolate squares and spread evenly on top.

Servings:  two 8×8″ pans

For vegans, here’s a vegan version of the Nanaimo bar:  http://about.spud.com/blog-nanaimo-bars/

Nanaimo, B.C., Canada: Nanaimo Bars
Nanaimo, B.C., Canada
Desserts and Sweets

Candied Orange Peel

Marmalade lovers will gravitate to snacks of candied orange peel. They’re not very hard to make. Be sure to purchase organic oranges and scrub and rinse the peels well before processing.

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 T corn syrup
  • 1 cup prepared orange peel (see below)

Combine the sugar, water, corn syrup, and prepared peel in a pot and cook slowly until the peel is almost transparent (230ºF).

Remove peel and place on a plate to cool. Roll in granulated sugar and spread on wax paper to dry. Store in a sealed container.

To prepare peel: Cut into sections. Cover with cold water. Bring to boil and cook about 15 minutes. Drain and scrape out the white part and cut into thin strips.

Desserts and Sweets

Pull Taffy

Pull Taffy was a great sweet treat when we used to have sleep-overs of friends and everyone could help pull and cut the candies (less work for us!).

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 T vinegar
  • 1/4 t baking soda
  • A few drops of vanilla

Mix sugar, water, and corn syrup together and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves, then allow to cook with stirring until a candy thermometer registers 270ºF, or hard crack stage.

Remove from heat and add vinegar, soda and a few drops of vanilla. Pour onto a buttered platter.

When cool enough to handle, pull until the taffy is white and porous. Cut into pieces with scissors.

CherryTaffy

Desserts and Sweets

Carob Nut Balls

Variations of these healthy carob-based sweets, sometimes called Bliss Balls, Power Balls, or Energy Balls, were always on the shelf by the cash register at Annie’s Health Food Store, Grand Forks, B.C. (no longer in existence). Vary the ingredients in any way you want, as long as your proportions of dry to wet allow them to hold firm without being sticky.

Carob Nut Balls

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup carob powder
  • 1/2 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/4 cup dry milk powder
  • 3/4 cup mixed chopped walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds
  • Unsweetened coconut

Combine all ingredients except coconut, adding enough nuts and seeds to form a mixture that will stick together. Add extra milk powder if necessary. Mix well and press into balls 1 inch in diameter. Roll in coconut or additional carob powder. Store in sealed jar.

Vegan version

For a vegan version, substitute the honey for agave syrup, maple syrup, or processed dates, omit the milk powder (or use finely ground rolled oats or oat flour instead), and add a bit of coconut oil or more peanut butter if the mixture needs more moisture.

Family, by Anna (carob nut ball recipe)
Family, by Anna