Create these holiday goodies and then share with others in celebration of the season.
Nuttin’ to It Clusters
This recipe is easy if you follow chocolate’s rules. Melt it gently over very hot, not boiling, water. Patrol for steam and wipe away condensation carefully if you lift the bowl or pan. If water droplets fall into the chocolate, it becomes grainy.
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped semisweet or milk chocolate (Callebaut or other quality chocolate is recommended)
1/2 cup roasted Macadamia nuts
2/3 cup roasted peanuts
Directions:
In a small saucepan or the bottom of a double boiler, bring about 1 inch of water to a boil. Remove the water from the heat.
In a metal bowl slightly larger than the saucepan, or the top of the double boiler, melt the chopped chocolate over the hot water. Stir the melted chocolate to smooth consistency.
Arrange 24 1-inch candy cups on a baking sheet. Spoon about half a teaspoon of chocolate into each of 12 candy cups. Add a layer of peanuts. Top with more melted chocolate. Finish with more peanuts. Continue with the rest of the candy cups, this time using Macadamia nuts. If you use salted nuts, salt grains may be visible on the surface of the chocolate after the candy sets. Refrigerate.
Makes 24 1-inch candies, depending on type and number of nuts used.
Maple Sugar Bites
This candy is seriously sweet. Keep the pieces small, but make enough for guests to have seconds – maybe thirds for sugar fiends. It boils furiously, so use a heavy-bottomed saucepan at least twice the depth of the maple syrup. Have a candy thermometer handy.
Ingredients:
2 cups pure maple syrup (not maple-flavored pancake syrup); use dark amber variety for more dramatic maple flavor
Directions:
Prepare molds by spraying with pan spray, or line a baking sheet with foil and prep with pan spray.
Bring the syrup to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally.
Clip the candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Bring the syrup to 238-240 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
Beat the syrup by hand until it becomes slightly thicker, opaque and a lighter amber color, about 3 minutes. If you overbeat the cooked syrup, it will stiffen and set in the pan. But a little care now will let your candy look stylish.
While the syrup is still pourable, fill the prepared molds or ease the mass onto the foil and smooth the top. After about 5 minutes, tap the molds on a countertop to remove the candies. Use a sharp knife to slice the sheeted candy into shapes, or try a cookie cutter that has been dipped in water. Makes about 24 pieces, depending on size.
