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Vanilla Pecan Pralines

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Every year at Christmas I try a bunch of new cookie and candy recipes. There are so many great ones out there – so many recipes, so little time.

Vanilla Pecan Pralines

This year I’m starting with Vanilla Pecan Pralines – a terrific candy that didn’t start out to be pralines, but ended up that way!

This candy starts out a lot like my Butterscotch Spoonnoodles (one of my favorites, by the way).

Vanilla Pecan Pralines

I expected it to be a chewy candy because of the marshmallow. It’s really more of a soft, but still firm praline – kind of like the ones you can get at a Mexican restaurant.

The marshmallow and vanilla chips give these pralines a wonderful mellow flavor.

I usually don’t like regular pralines because they’re grainy to me, but this candy isn’t grainy at all. They kind of melt in your mouth, then you get some of those nice crunchy pecans. They get that great texture from the mixture being boiled for 8 minutes – don’t skip that part.

Vanilla Pecan Pralines

Speaking of pecans, our eight pecan trees are being very prolific this year! Every time the wind blows, a ton more pecans fall into our front yard.

I kind of look forward to the Fall pecan crop. Neighbors from blocks away come to pick up pecans and since they come back every year it’s fun to get to know them.

This year the pecans are particularly flavorful and make these Vanilla Pecan Pralines even better.

Vanilla Pecan Pralines

You can freeze pralines if you want to make them early. Just let them thaw to room temperature before serving.

The best way to store them for ultimate freshness, though, is to wrap them individually in little pieces of plastic wrap and put them in an airtight container. Put waxed paper between the layers to keep the pretty shapes.

I hope you enjoy these pralines. They’re fairly easy to make and should definitely go on your holiday and Christmas candy list!

Vanilla Pecan Pralines

More holiday candy recipes for you!

Christmas candy on a green plate

Vanilla Pecan Pralines

Yield: 5 dozen
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

Soft, melt-in-your mouth vanilla pralines with fresh, crunchy pecans.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 C granulated sugar
  • 7 oz. evaporated milk
  • 1/4 C butter, cubed
  • 1 pkg (11 oz) vanilla or white chocolate chips (recommend Ghirardelli)
  • 4 oz marshmallow creme
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 C chopped pecans

Instructions

  1. Place two long sheets of waxed paper either on cookie sheets or your counter.
  2. Add the sugar, milk, and butter to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, constantly stirring. Boil, then turn down the heat a little to a low boil. Boil and stir for 8 minutes.
  3. Add the vanilla chips and marshmallow creme and stir until chips are completely melted. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and pecans. Stir to coat pecans until everything is evenly combined.
  4. Let cool for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be thick, but creamy - if not, add a couple of more teaspoons of evaporated milk and stir well. Carefully drop by tablespoons onto the waxed paper and let cool until set.
  5. Store in an airtight container, layering the candy between waxed paper.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Boil and stir the entire 8 minutes - time it.  It dissolves the sugar and gives the candy a great texture.

After removing from the stove, add a touch more evaporated milk if needed.  The texture should be creamy, but not runny.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 60 Serving Size: 1 praline
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 79Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 3mgSodium: 12mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0gSugar: 10gProtein: 1g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Adapted from TOH, Glenda Gibson
Category: Candy

Easy Eggnog Fudge

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Easy Eggnog Fudge

I love eggnog! Sometimes it seems like I’m the only person around that likes it, but I’m going to take a chance that there are other eggnog lovers out there and post this Easy Eggnog Fudge.

The original recipe comes from Happy Life Blogspot, so thank you Lisa!

There are only six ingredients in this luscious fudge, including the ground nutmeg sprinkled on top as the final touch. It’s very straightforward to make, but always stay nearby your boiling candy because it can go from almost ready to oops too far quickly.

Eggnog Fudge

The eggnoggy fudge is very sweet, rather firm, and I love it. You can use pre-ground nutmeg, but fresh is best.

Fresh whole nutmeg will last almost indefinitely stored in your cabinet, so you can use it year after year on your holiday goodies.

Eggnog Fudge

I halved the original recipe. If you double it, use a 13×9″ pan.

It’s very sweet and rich, so a little of this Easy Eggnog Fudge goes a long way, so cut it into small pieces. It’s so pretty on a Christmas plate and gets snapped up quickly!

Eggnog Fudge

Easy Eggnog Fudge

Yield: 2 lb. of fudge (about 40 pieces)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Inactive Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Sweet, thick fudge that completes your holiday goodies platter.  Be sure and use fresh nutmeg!

Ingredients

  • 3/4 C. eggnog
  • 2 C. granulated sugar
  • 1 (12 oz) package white chocolate chips
  • 1/2 C butter
  • 5 oz. marshmallow cream (little more than half of a container) **
  • freshly grated nutmeg

Instructions

  1. Line an 8x8" pan with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
  2. In a large, nonstick sauce pan, combine the eggnog, and sugar.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, and bring to a boil.  Continue to constantly stir for 10 minutes while it boils. (Full 10 minutes so it won't be grainy!)
  3. Turn off the heat and add the white chocolate chips, butter, and marshmallow fluff.  Stir briskly until the chips are completely melted and smooth (be patient!)
  4. Pour the mixture into the foil-lined pan and spread evenly until smooth.  Sprinkle the top with a light dusting of fresh nutmeg.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.
  5. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour until firm.  Once it's thoroughly chilled, lift out of the pan and cut into 1" or so squares.  Store in an airtight container.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Cut the butter into pieces before putting into the pan to melt for easier combining.

**This is a firm fudge.  If you want it creamier, use the whole 7 oz. container of marshmallow fluff.

If you don't have fresh nutmeg, that's OK, just use what you have.

I halved the original recipe, so if you double, use a 13x9" pan.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 40 Serving Size: 1 piece
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 81Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 25mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 13gProtein: 0g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Happy Life Blogspot
Category: Candy

Dreamy Krispie Toffee Squares

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These Dreamy Krispie Toffee Squares are from one of my favorite sweets cookbooks of all time – ‘500 Best Cookies, Bars & Squares’ by Esther Brody.

Krispie Toffee Squares

I think I paid five dollars at a used book store a long time ago and it’s been one of the best cookbooks in my collection. Everything I’ve made from it has been great and that’s hard to find in a cookbook!

Dreamy Krispie Toffee Squares (originally named Krispie Toffee Triangles) are no exception to the successes.

These dessert bars have three scrumptious layers, starting with a buttery brown sugar krispies crust. The middle layer is luscious creamy caramely-toffee (courtesy of the sweetened condensed milk) and the final layer is simply chocolate-covered krispies.

Krispie Toffee Squares

Pretty, simple, right? Well, yes it it simple. You bake the crust for 10-12 minutes, pour the filling over the top of the crust, and top it with the two-ingredient crunchy chocolate topping.

It does take time to firm up (about 3 hours in the refrigerator after put together), but the final result is absolutely, decadently eye-rolling.

Just an aside: I used chocolate sweetened condensed milk because that’s what I had in my cabinet. If you can get your hands on that flavor in your area, I highly recommend it!

Krispie Toffee Squares

I want to mention some of the other recipes from the cookbook that are posted in my blog, too. The Soft Cinnamon Roll Cookies are one of my most popular recipes (over 500,000 hits).

Also from this cookbook are the Cinnamon Honey Oatmeal Biscotti (one of my favorites) and the snickerdoodle-textured Soft Sugared Maple Cookies.

I’m definitely going to be choosing a couple of new holiday-oriented cookies for Thanksgiving and Christmas get togethers this year. It’s nice to be so confident in a cookbook that I can browse through it, point, and make a recipe that sounds good to me and comes out great!

Krispie Toffee Squares

I hope you’ll make these Dreamy Krispie Toffee Squares – I think you’ll love them. Just remember to cut them fairly small (about 1″ squares) because they’re veeeeerrrrry rich!

Krispie Toffee Squares

Dreamy Krispie Toffee Squares

Yield: 32 1-inch squares
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Inactive Time: 3 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 35 minutes

Outstanding, sweet, rich, crispy, chocolately, creamy - perfect! 

Ingredients

  • Base
  • 1/2 C all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 1/3 C butter, melted
  • 1/3 C packed brown sugar
  • 3/4 C crispy rice cereal
  • Filling
  • 1/2 C butter
  • 1 can (about 1 1/4 C) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 C packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla
  • Topping
  • 1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 1/4 C crispy rice cereal
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt (not table salt)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°.  Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil (longer at two ends to lift out after done) and lightly spray the bottom and sides.
  2. For the Base:  Mix together the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.  Make a well in the center and add the melted butter, brown sugar, and rice cereal.  Stir together until well combined.  Press into the prepared pan and bake for 10-11 minutes until very lightly browned.  Set pan on a rack to cool slightly while you're making the filling.
  3. For the Filling:  In a non-stick saucepan over low heat, stir together the butter, condensed milk and brown sugar until sugar feels dissolved. 
  4. Increase the heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for about 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  Pour the filling over the crust and let sit for 20-30 minutes on the rack until the filling firms up a bit.
  5. For the Topping:  In a saucepan over low heat, melt the chocolate chips.  Stir in the cereal and stir together until well combined.  Spread evenly over the filling and slightly press with your fingertips to help adhere a little to the filling. 
  6. Sprinkle the kosher salt over the topping.  Cover the pan with aluminum foil and set in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. When ready to serve, cut into 32, 1-inch squares.  
  7. Store in the refrigerator for 3-4 days if needed.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

I used chocolate sweetened condensed milk (which was awesome, by the way), but regular will be just as good.  That's what I had in the cabinet!

The last sprinkle of kosher salt (not regular table salt, please) is optional, but cuts the sweetness a little and gives the bars a little of that sweet-salty thing.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 32 Serving Size: 1 bar
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 91Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 13mgSodium: 73mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 7gProtein: 1g
© Esther Brody
Category: Candy

Trisha Yearwood’s Peanut Brittle

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One more post before Christmas. You probably already have your Christmas goodies finished, but I wanted to get this one up in case you’re needing one more!

This Peanut Brittle is the first Trisha Yearwood recipe I’ve tried and it came out so well.

I questioned the tablespoon each of vanilla, baking soda and salt. A tablespoon of salt! But I was determined to make it like Trish (she lets me call her Trish) wrote it and I’m glad I did.

This peanut brittle came out great! It’s very buttery tasting and so flavorful. The best peanut brittle I’ve ever had.

You get to see our tiny little Christmas tree above. It’s perfect for us two and storing it after Christmas is a breeze (gently put a kitchen trash bag over it and put it back in the store room!). I have two candles on either side of it and at night it lights up nicely.

Anyway, back to the peanut brittle. The recipe is easy, but is a commitment because of the stirring and watching the candy thermometer slowly go to 300 degrees. Be sure and pour it out quickly after you stir in the butter, salt, and soda. It stars thickening immediately.

If you don’t get to make peanut brittle this Christmas, be sure and put it on your list for next year!

More Christmas candy that you need to make!

Trisha Yearwood's Peanut Brittle

Trisha Yearwood's Peanut Brittle

Yield: 3 lbs.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Inactive Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 40 minutes

Great Peanut Brittle.  Crunchy with an abundance of peanuts and just right on the flavoring. Read instructions before starting - you need to have all your ingredients in place before you start.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp vanilla
  • 1 Tbsp baking soda
  • 1 Tbsp salt
  • 3/4 C  butter
  • 3 C sugar
  • 1/2 C water
  • 1 C light corn syrup
  • 3 C shelled raw peanuts

Instructions

  1. Measure the vanilla into a small bowl and set aside.  Combine the baking soda and salt in another small bowl and set aside.  Butter two cookie sheets or a jelly roll pan thoroughly with 1/2 stick of butter.  Set nearby for easy access.  Cut the remaining butter into 1/4 inch slices (for easier melting) and set aside.  
  2. Combine the sugar, 1/2 cup water and corn syrup in a dutch oven or very large saucepan.  Bring to a boil on medium-low.  Boil to 240° (or until syrup spins a thread when poured from a spoon).  Stir in all of the nuts and continue cooking and stirring until golden brown (to 300°).
  3. As soon as the thermometer hits 300°, remove the pan from the heat and immediately add the butter, vanilla and baking soda/salt mixture. 
  4. Stir quickly until butter is melted and immediately pour half of the mixture onto one cookie sheet and then the other half on the other cookie sheet.  Spread evenly and thinly. 
  5. Cool for at least 2 hours until completely cooled, then break into pieces.  Store in a tightly covered container.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Be sure and have your vanilla and baking soda/salt ready in small bowls, and butter cut and ready, because when you take the pan off the heat you have to quickly stir the rest of the ingredients into the peanut mixture.

Getting the peanut mixture up to 300° takes about 30 minutes of stirring and waiting.  Be patient!

I couldn't really see the mixture turn golden brown because there were so many bubbles in it, so just make sure you get it to 300°.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 48 Serving Size: 1 piece
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 99Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 252mgCarbohydrates: 18gFiber: 0gSugar: 18gProtein: 0g
© Trish Yearwood
Category: Candy

Creamy Soft Homemade Caramels

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These caramels are another new test recipe for Christmas platters. I knew they would turn out well because they’re Ina Garten’s recipe and every recipe of hers I’ve tried has been a success.

A couple of years ago I tried another caramel recipe and although it came out pretty well, it was so slippery and buttery that they were hard to handle and left quite the butter trail behind.

These Creamy Soft Homemade Caramels came out perfectly! Soft and buttery without being greasy, and so, so very creamy.

A note on making caramels and candy in general. If you’ve made candy before, you already know this – always use a candy thermometer and never turn your back on the candy while it’s cooking! It can go from a friendly little transparent boil to a frighteningly dark burn in an instant.

Also, don’t stir the sugar/syrup mixture while it’s boiling or it will be grainy. Swirl the pot around gently if you really feel you need to.

All-in-all this recipe was step-by-step easy to follow with terrific instructions. Ina Garten calls hers “Fleur del Sel Caramels” and she sprinkles salt lightly on the finished caramels, but I used salted butter and found that topping them with a sprinkle of salt made them too salty for us.

I enjoyed the candy-making process on these Creamy Soft Homemade Caramels and this recipe will be my go-to from now on.

Don’t forget to keep them refrigerated. They are very soft and will spread at room temperature. I could see these dipped in a coating of chocolate. Oh, yeah!

Creamy Soft Homemade Caramels

Soft and Creamy Homemade Caramels

Yield: 36 pieces
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Inactive Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

****Outstanding.  Very soft and creamy - such a smooth texture.  They're unbelievably good.  Adapted very slightly from Ina Garten. 

Ingredients

  • vegetable oil
  • 1/4 C water
  • 1 1/2 C sugar
  • 1/4 C light corn syrup
  • 1 C heavy cream
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 scant tsp fine fleur del sel, (I used kosher salt)
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Prepare wrapping papers by cutting 4x4" pieces of waxed paper (about 36 pieces).  Line an 8" square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides (for lifting out), and very lightly brush the paper with the oil.
  2. In a deep saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat (don't stir after the initial combining of ingredients).  Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown.  Remove from heat immediately.
  3. While the sugar/syrup mixture is cooking, in a small pot bring the cream, butter and 1 tsp of salt to a simmer over medium heat.  Turn off the heat and set aside.
  4. When the sugar/syrup mixture is finished and removed from heat, slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar/syrup pan.  Be very careful!  It will bubble up violently and is very hot!  Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and return the pan to medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until a candy thermometer reaches 248 degrees (firm ball) on a candy thermometer.
  5. Very carefully pour the very hot mixture into the prepared pan and let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes.  Move the pan to the refrigerator and let it firm up for 3-4 hours.
  6. When the caramel is cold and firm, lift the parchment paper out of the pan and onto a cutting board.  Cut the caramel into 6 by 6 rows.  Take one piece of the caramel and place it on one edge of one of the waxed paper pieces.  Gently, but firmly roll up the caramel and twist the ends to seal.  Keep refrigerated and serve the caramels chilled.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

Don't use table salt for these - it will make them way too salty.  Fleur de Sel and kosher salt are pretty much interchangeable.

When you see the boiling sugar mixture start to lightly brown, watch carefully and take the pan off the heat almost immediately unless you like a more burnt caramel taste.

For the cream and butter mixture, let it just come to a simmer and then remove from the heat.  You can stir this mixture, just not the boiling sugar mixture.

If you're using salted butter (as I did), taste one of the caramels with a sprinkle of salt on top and see if it's too salty.  I thought it was, so left the finishing salt off.

The very easiest way to cut the caramels is with a sharp pizza cutter.  

You can make these disk shaped or log shaped - whatever floats your boat.

These are very soft and creamy, so if you're looking for a firm caramel, this isn't it.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 36 Serving Size: 1 piece
Amount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
© Ina Garten "Fleur de Sel Caramels"
Category: Candy