From our survey the other day it looks like many of you would like to branch out in your candy-making repertoire. Here are a few favorite candy recipes from our archives, with some notes on how newbie-friendly they are. Each stores very well, and most can be made within a few hours.
One of the nice things about candy as an Un-Gift is that it scales well. Yes, you may be rolling Buckeyes or orange truffles for hours, but at the end you've made enough for your office, extended family, and any number of friends.
When giving candy, a little goes a long way. A sweet gift of half a dozen truffles will be appreciated and will last just long enough in this sweets-saturated season.
- Divinity
Divinity is a whipped confection of egg whites and sugar. It's cheap to make and so good. You will definitely need a stand mixer, though, and a candy thermometer. If you have those two things these are easy. They were one of our first forays into candy-making and a perennial favorite.
- Buckeyes
Easiest one on the list, and people go crazy for these. Peanut butter, powdered sugar, butter. Roll, dip in chocolate, watch them disappear.
- Mailing Toffee
Also super-easy. Just cook, pour into a pan, and break into pieces. It's sweet and buttery - a Christmas tradition.
- Chocolate Orange Truffles
These are made of crushed cookies, butter, and cornstarch and powdered sugar - also dipped in chocolate. They're very economical and they last perfectly in the freezer. Gather up a few people to help you roll and dip.
- Fruity Gumdrops
These are softer and more delicate than drugstore-variety gumdrops. They are a bit of a pain to cut and roll, but if you make them with real juice they are such a treat.
- Peanut Butter Popcorn
Not exactly candy, but wonderful rolled into big balls and offered in an old-fashioned wax paper bag, tied with a ribbon.
I'm also a big fan of Ina Garten's toasted coconut marshmallows. link
They're a bit of a hassle, but super-yummy!
view christianne's profile
I am making candy instead of cookies this year to give to neighbors. I might even have a candy week on the blog soon!
view rachel's profile
I've made this toffee recipe many times - it's easy and delicious, almost too delicious!
view mangosteen's profile
I'm making salted caramels this year. Would love to hear any suggestions on packaging candies or cookies....
view AmyE's profile
The toffee recipe is indeed awesome. When I was younger, I was tasked with making all my grandmother's holiday candy when her arthritis got to the point where she could no longer do it. It was insane - peanut butter cups, truffles, chocolate covered cherries with liquid centers, chocolate lollies, almond bark, peppermint bark, coconut clusters, and more. It was a days of painting candy molds, chilling and filling molds, and having my grandmother incessantly scold me for doing it all wrong. Oddly, I still think of it fondly, but don't do it anymore since there are so many diabetics in our family that it just seems cruel. If anyone is interested, I'll post the recipes. The truffles are fantastic, probably the least nit-picky of the bunch, and don't require candy molds.
view LauraII's profile
I love buckeyes (the peanut butter kind, though my friend from Ohio did give me a buckeye nut as a good luck charm of sorts)! Thanks for the recipe!
view OneWallKitchen's profile