Tag Archives: sugar

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.

Breads and Pancakes

Mom’s Banana Bread

A simple recipe that was always a favorite. It takes easily to conversion to a vegan version and is also delicious with a few chopped walnuts and/or raisins added.

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup milk, soured with 1 tsp vinegar

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs and stir till smooth. Add flour and baking soda. Mash bananas and add, alternating with milk. Bake 1 hour at 350 F.

Vegan substitutions:

Use 1/3 cup coconut oil instead of the butter, almond milk instead of regular milk, and replace the eggs with 1 T finely ground flax seed and 3 T of water per egg (soak the flax seed in water for a few minutes until thickened before adding to the recipe).