I want to make fudge and candy to give as gifts this year. Do any you have favorite goodies. Pls help !!!

[Trueblue1968]

[leftieNanner]

1. We used to make

Walnut chocolate fudge

Honey Vanilla Caramel

And

Peanut brittle.

I have recipes, if you want them. For the caramel and the brittle, you need a candy thermometer.

[Ilsa]

2. Perhaps mini-pies or hand-held pies?

I've never been good at candy-making. Or how about mugs with some ingredients and instructions for a microwave mug cake?

Chocolate cake in a mug:
https://www.thepioneerwoman.com/food-cooking/recipes/a84317/chocolate-cake-in-a-mug/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=mgu_ga_pw_md_pmx_hybd_mix_us_17963889983&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17957914252&gbraid=0AAAAABxutSp-1WACQy7O8OwSylErxlZ5p&gclid=Cj0KCQiArt_JBhCTARIsADQZaymfCv6J6aCEhcOZoYhkFf8YMxEpvv-O_G6GdqNtcWZNbzIFT2IgTk8aAuJKEALw_wcB

[Trueblue1968]

8. Good idea. Dollar store has christas mugs that are so cute !!!!!

[niyad]

3. Simplest fudge recipe in the world:

bring the contents of one can sweetened, condensed milk just to boil point using fairly low heat. Keep watching it. As soon as it begins to boil, remove fom heat immediately, stir in 1 1/4 cup chocolate chip morsels (I like the smaller chips, melt faster), stir in chopped nuts or crushed peppermint candies, or a small amount (1 to 1 1/2 tsp) of flavouring extract. Stir till just combined, immediately turn onto pan, dish, whatever, lined with plastic or aluminum foil large enough to fold over wwhn cool. I usually use the small, 6" round disposable pans with covers from Dollar Tree since I am giving them as gifts.

At this time of year, some companies have flavoured chips.

[Trueblue1968]

9. Thanks so much. And this fudge sets up good ????

[niyad]

11. Yes, and fairly quickly, too.

[eppur_se_muova]

4. Happy to test any samples you can send. :)

Just keep the cat hair out of the recipe, and pretty much anything is OK.

Have you ever tried adding a swirl of tahini to fudge ? I've never gotten around to trying that, but it sounds good. There are tons of variations available online, but mostly behind paywalls.

https://jackienewgent.com/chocolate-tahini-fudge-with-sea-salt/ I'm likely to try this one, since I have all the ingredients but date syrup, which is evidently pretty cheap (and I love dates!) -- and it's all plant-based. Brown rice syrup (on hand) might be a good substitute, as would agave syrup. And I do have pomegranate syrup on hand, not sure if that would go well with the tahini or not.

Oh, I'd leave off the salt flakes. I'm not sure why so many people treat salt (and bacon, yuck) as if they'd just been discovered.

[Keepthesoulalive]

5. Turtles

The chocolate and caramel kind.

[Old Crank]

6. We will be giving chocolate chip cookies

To our new building neighbors. Germans don't do them the same way. And it is a bit of an introduction of us to the others in the building.

[Tesha]

7. Chocolate truffles! So simple, so tasty

Chocolate and cream

warm the cream, pour over chopped chocolate and stir
add vanilla if you like, and butter if you want extra creamy
chill
roll into balls
roll in cocoa or chocolate sprinkles or whatever you like - like chopped candy canes

uncovered in the fridge for a bit

[Trueblue1968]

10. Oh wow. Thank you. I will check to see if I can find recipe for exact amounts.

[Nikossitti]

12. Fantasy Fudge

Google the recipe. So, so easy, and everyone will rave about it.

[MissMillie]

13. buckeyes!!!!

I have a good recipe in my Cook's Country cookbook.--no candy thermometer required. I'm going to be making them.

I'm going to try a twist on Rice Krispy treats by adding some crushed candy canes.

I'll also be making chocolate cupcakes and oatmeal cookies (w/ orange zest and dried cranberries)

[Marthe48]

14. Brigadieros

Easy recipe, with just a few ingredients.

A 14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
1 TBS butter
3 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder

Chocolate ants (jimmies) or candy sprinkles

You can Google for instructions. Butter a plate and set a side. Cook the first 3 ingredients over low-med. heat for 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly, so it doesn't burn, untill it starts pulling away from the bottom of the pan and starts balling up. Transfer the ball to the plate. Let it cool so you don't burn your hands. Make walnut sized balls and roll them in the jimmies or the sprinkles. I put mine in the small paper liners.

These are a Brazilian treat. We hosted a student from Brazil years ago and they made them for us. Yum

********************************************************

You can also get the bite sized waffle pretzels. Lay the pretzels out on a cookie sheet. Put a Hershey's kiss or hug on each one, and heat in the oven, low temp. as soon as the candy is soft, remove the pan from the oven to a rack. Immediately and lightly push an M&M onto the top of each candy and let cool. Make a lot. There are addictive.

Have fun!

[justaprogressive]

15. A tasty one..

Chocolate Fudge

With just three key ingredients—chocolate chips, sweetened condensed
milk, and butter—this creamy chocolate fudge comes together like a dream!

Ingredients

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 tablespoon butter, cubed

1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional

pinch of salt, optional

Instructions

Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. Leave
an overhang for easy removal. Combine the chocolate chips,
sweetened condensed milk, and cubed butter in a large heavy-
bottomed saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring constantly, until
the mixture is smooth and fully melted.

Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and salt (if using).

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spreading it evenly with a spatula.
Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until firm.

Once the fudge is set, lift it out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang.
Cut into 1-inch squares with a sharp knife. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Cook over low heat and stir constantly to avoid burning.
While the fudge is still wet, feel free to sprinkle over chopped
nuts, crushed cookies, extra chocolate chips, or dried fruits
for texture.

Tips For The Best Chocolate Fudge

What I love most about this luxurious chocolate fudge is how versatile it is.

Add a handful of chopped nuts for crunch, sprinkle some sea salt over the
top, or try dried fruits for a unique chewy finish.

Better yet, it comes together without a candy thermometer.

Just read these tips before you start, and it'll be flawless!

Use high-quality chocolate. I like Guittard, Ghirardelli, or Valrhona
for the best results. They melt smoothly and have a superior flavor.

Chocolate flavors. Since the milk is sweet, I stick to semi-sweet
chocolate. But you can use milk or dark if you prefer.

Avoid over-stirring. Stir slowly but constantly until the mixture is
smooth and melted. Use a heatproof spatula, and be sure to scrape
the bottom and sides of the pan often.

Troubleshooting tips. If the fudge is too soft, it wasn't heated enough.
If the fudge is too hard, it is overheated. You can remelt and try again
if needed.

Clean cutting method. Use a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped
clean between cuts for perfectly smooth squares.

Creative variations. While it's still wet, sprinkle over chopped nuts,
toasted coconut, crushed cookies, chopped pretzels, and more.
You can also mix peanut butter or mint extract into the fudge.


https://insanelygoodrecipes.com/chocolate-fudge/

*I recommend this site.

[Trueblue1968]

16. Awesome !!!!!! ft

[Trueblue1968]

19. Based on your recommendation, i think this is the fudge im making for the family !!!!

[Trueblue1968]

17. I am making easy fudge in the next few days. Wish me luck.

[justaprogressive]

21. You can do it!

[spinbaby]

18. I do not have a favorite

However I’m about to make candied orange slices, which I’ve never done before.

[FarPoint]

20. Making home made vanilla extract....

Start out a year ahead....place split vanilla beans into vodka/ dark bottle.....shake weekly....

when preparing the gift....I get labels with my name on it...use brown/amber 4 oz bottles...add a split vanilla bean or 2 into each bottle...use a ribbon for color as a gift....

Delightful gift....Later, after use, folks can also add a bean and /or vodka to the 4 oz gift bottle to refill the extract...

[chowmama]

22. Toffee is always good

This is the kind that's like the center of a Heath bar. Not soft or flexible. It's essentially fried sugar.

Equal parts butter and sugar, usually 1 cup each. Put in a heavy metal saucepan that's light enough to judge the color of the mixture. (Most non-stick fail this test.) Have a buttered pan ready to receive the hot mixture at the end - an 8x8 or 9x9 metal pan is good for the 1 cup version, but shape isn't essential. You're going to break it up anyway. I've never had the nerve to pour it into an oven-glass pan, but it would probably work.

Heat the butter and sugar over medium heat until it's a little darker than peanut butter. Don't let it burn - stir, swirl and/or remove from heat as needed. Make sure no children or pets are in the vicinity because this stuff is a candy version of napalm.

When the color is reached, pour it into the prepared pan, let it cool and break it up.

You can vary it a little by adding very finely chopped nuts and/or a tiny bit of vanilla (carefully). I've sometimes tried to coat it with chocolate once cool, but I can never get the chocolate to stick. Maybe I'll try using vanilla sugar - I've got some old stuff around.

As long as nobody gets hurt, this is really good.