holiday candy

Try a good old fashioned taffy pull! This is especially fun to make on a chilly day!

Homemade Taffy

sugar

cornstarch

corn syrup

Tbsp. half & half

water

butter

sea salt

These Milk Chocolate Caramel Crunch Bars are like Homemade 100 Grand Bars, but even better! Chewy, homemade, salted caramel is covered crispy milk chocolate. They make a great addition to your holiday candy making plans!

Homemade 100 Grand Bars

Heavy Cream

Unsalted Butter,

Sea Salt

Sugar

Light Corn Syrup

Water

Vanilla Extract

Rice Crispies

Milk Chocolate

Line bottom and sides of an 9-inch square...

Line bottom and sides of an 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. (Related: Kitchen Tip: Lining Pans with Parchment)

Bring cream, butter, and salt to a boil...

Bring cream, butter, and salt to a boil in a small saucepan, then remove from heat and set aside.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a...

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a 4-quart heavy saucepan.

Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until...

Boil, without stirring but gently swirling pan, until mixture is a light golden caramel and sugar is dissolved.

Carefully the cream mixture (mixture will bubble up)...

Carefully the cream mixture (mixture will bubble up) and simmer, stirring frequently, until caramel registers 248°F on thermometer, 10 to 15 minutes.* (see note below regarding altitude)

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla...

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

Let cool slightly while you prepare the chocolate....

Let cool slightly while you prepare the chocolate. It should still be pourable for assembly. If it has cooled too much that it is no longer pourable, then slightly rewarm over low heat.

Place a medium saucepan filled about half way...

Place a medium saucepan filled about half way with water over medium-low heat on your stove. Allow the water to come to a simmer.

Add the chocolate to a heat-proof bowl (or the top portion...

Add the chocolate to a heat-proof bowl (or the top portion of a double boiler if you have one), and place the bowl on top of the saucepan. 

Turn the heat under the pan off.

Let the chocolate sit in the bowl over...

Let the chocolate sit in the bowl over the saucepan of hot water until in begins to melt around the edges.

Then, stir the chocolate until smooth, while monitoring...

Then, stir the chocolate until smooth, while monitoring the temperature using a candy thermometer.

Tempered chocolate will quickly solidify as it cools,...

Tempered chocolate will quickly solidify as it cools, so you'll need to move as quickly as possible.

You can tell that it has gotten too...

You can tell that it has gotten too cool by its appearance, which will become matte and thicker when you stir it. 

If the chocolate gets too cool, just gently...

If the chocolate gets too cool, just gently rewarm it to the appropriate temperature. 

Make sure to stir and scrap up the...

Make sure to stir and scrap up the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix the chocolate throughout.

Once rewarmed, remove the chocolate from the heat...

Once rewarmed, remove the chocolate from the heat and keep stirring to evenly distribute the heat.

Pour half of the melted milk chocolate in...

Pour half of the melted milk chocolate in the prepared parchment lined pan.

Spread the chocolate into a smooth, even layer.

Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the rice crispies evenly...

Sprinkle 3/4 cup of the rice crispies evenly over the chocolate.

Pour the caramel evenly over this layer.

Then, sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup of rice...

Then, sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup of rice crispies over the caramel layer.

Pour and spread the remaining milk chocolate on...

Pour and spread the remaining milk chocolate on top.

Allow the mixture to cool until it has...

Allow the mixture to cool until it has completely hardened. This will take several hours, so it is best prepared the day before you plan to cut and serve.

Once cool, cut into 1.5 inch x 1.5...

Once cool, cut into 1.5 inch x 1.5 inch squares.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter are married in this creamy delicious fudge when old-fashioned Cocoa and Peanut Butter Fudge unite.  Simply delicious!

Cocoa Peanut Butter Fudge

Hershey’s cocoa

salt

milk, (I used 2%)

butter, unsalted

vanilla

peanut butter, creamy

Grease the inside of a 9 x 9 baking dish or pan with butter.  Line the dish with a piece of parchment paper that is long enough to hang over the sides, so that you can grab it to lift the fudge out later.  There is no need to butter the parchment paper again.  You can also use foil if desired.

In a 2 quart heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, cocoa, salt, and milk.  Mix and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Place a candy thermometer on the side of the pan, if not using the cold water test, and cook mixture over medium heat, stirring slowly but constantly, until mixture reaches a soft ball stage (234 degrees) on a candy thermometer or forms a soft ball when tested in cold water.  Immediately remove from heat.

Add the butter, vanilla, peanut butter, and nuts, if using, and beat with a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined and mixture begins to slightly thicken.  This should only take about 30 seconds.  Immediately spread candy evenly into a prepared 9 x 9 baking dish.  I use an offset spatula to spread it.

Run a sharp knife along the two sides of the dish where there is no parchment paper.  Gently grab the ends of the parchment paper and lift the fudge up and out of the dish and onto a counter.  Cut the fudge into squares.  I use a long sharp knife and cut the fudge into long strips first, then into squares.

Store fudge in an airtight container and refrigerate if you&#8217;re not going to eat it right away.  It will stay fresh for up to one week.

All fudge freezes nicely, so feel free to make it in advance and freeze it for the holidays.  Make sure it&#8217;s wrapped tightly or in an airtight container.  If I&#8217;m giving the entire batch to someone after freezing it, I place the candy in a candy tin, place a piece of plastic wrap over the top, then place the lid on the tin and freeze.

This is an excellent  recipe!! I used ghiradelli  dutch process cocoa powder instead of Hersheys cocoa powder. Everyone loved it!!!

This recipe is perfect. I made it a couple of weeks ago and was shocked that it turned out so well the first time. I've never been much on making sweet stuff, but childhood memories invaded my evening, so I made fudge. My mama always made the most perfect fudge (no peanut butter) and divinity at Christmas. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

I have been searching for this recipe for years. . It used to be on the back of the Hershey cocoa can.in early 70's. I love cooking and baking ,started at 9. This is what my Mom requested the most, even when I didn't cook it long enough it made excellent ice cream topping. 
Thank you for sharing

Peanut Butter Cracker Candy 

saltine crackers

butter (2 sticks)

brown sugar

peanut butter chocolate chips

unsalted peanuts, chopped

chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line a baking sheet with foil. Arrange saltines in an even layer, covering the whole sheet.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and then add the brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture starts to bubble.

Once bubbling, cook for an additional 30 seconds then immediately pour the sauce over the crackers. Use a spatula to evenly distribute the sauce if needed.

Working quickly, sprinkle the peanut butter chips over the sauce and place the baking sheet in the preheated oven.

Bake for 5-8 minutes or until the chips are starting to melt. Remove from oven and use a spatula to spread the chips into an even layer.

While still hot, sprinkle chopped peanuts and chocolate chips on top.

Let candy cool and then transfer to the fridge for a minimum of 30 minutes.

Break into cracker-sized pieces and enjoy!

Top 4 holiday candy recipes from across the web

The most viewed holiday candy recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Homemade Taffy

Homemade 100 Grand Bars

Cocoa Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Cracker Candy

Top 4 holiday candy recipes from across the web

The most viewed holiday candy recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Homemade Taffy

Homemade 100 Grand Bars

Cocoa Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Cracker Candy

The most viewed holiday candy recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine