Cooperative Living February 2014 - 14

READER RECIPES
MANY OF THE TOOLS YOU'LL NEED CAN BE FOUND IN A WELL-STOCKED KITCHEN:
* A medium-sized saucepan with a heavy bottom and straight sides. It should be large enough to
hold three to four times the volume of the ingredients, which will help prevent boil-overs.
* A long-handled wooden spoon for safe stirring when preparing recipes with hot, boiling sugar.
* A good candy thermometer. Choose one with a metal clamp that attaches to the side of the pan
and test before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212°F.
SOME OTHER TIPS FOR CANDY-MAKING:
* Measure and assemble all ingredients for a recipe beforehand. Do not substitute or alter
ingredients.
* If you make candy on a regular basis, you may want to invest in a marble slab for cooling hot
candy and a copper pan for use in recipes that involve caramelizing.
* Store homemade candies in tightly covered containers unless otherwise directed. Don't store more
than one kind of candy in a single container.
Sweets for Your Sweetie
ELSPETH'S TOFFEE
R.E. Campbell of Staunton
INGREDIENTS:
¾ cup chopped pecans
1 cup butter
1 cup dark brown sugar
½ cup chocolate chips
DIRECTIONS: Sprinkle the
pecans in a well-buttered 9 " x
13 " dish. Melt the butter in a
deep, heavy saucepan. Add
the brown sugar and bring to a
boil over medium heat, stirring
constantly. Maintain the boil
and stir for six minutes, then
pour over the pecans. Sprinkle
the chocolate chips on top,
allow them to melt and then
spread to make a chocolate
layer. Cool in refrigerator or
freezer until firm.
PAW'S SUPER FUDGE
Carol Boyer of Fort Valley
INGREDIENTS:
3 bags chocolate drops
(such as " Old Fashioned
Cream Drops " in 7.5-oz.
bags)
¾ stick margarine
3 cups chopped pecans
3 cups coconut
DIRECTIONS: Melt chocolate
drops and margarine in
microwave. Stir in pecans and
coconut and reheat slightly before
pouring into buttered 11 "
x 13 " pan. Cool and cut.
12
PEANUT BRITTLE
Mary Barrack of Tappahannock
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup white corn syrup
3 cups raw peanuts
2 T butter
¼ t salt
1 t vanilla
1 T baking soda
DIRECTIONS: Combine sugar,
water and corn syrup in a heavy
four-quart saucepan. Cook to 250
degrees with a candy thermometer.
Add peanuts and cook to 300
degrees. Remove from heat and add
butter, salt and vanilla. Mix until butter
melts. Add soda and stir until foamy
and creamy in color. Pour quickly into
two 11 " x 14 " pans lined with foil
and greased with butter. When cool,
break into pieces.
CHOCOLATE PRETZEL
RINGS
Lisa Mills of Locust Grove
INGREDIENTS:
48 pretzel rings
8-oz. package of Hershey Kisses
¼ cup M&Ms candy
DIRECTIONS: Place pretzels on a
greased baking sheet and put a
chocolate kiss in the center of each
ring. Bake at 275 degrees for 2-3
minutes until chocolate is softened.
Remove from oven. Place an M&M
on each, pressing down slightly so
chocolate fills each ring. Refrigerate
5-10 minutes or until chocolate is
firm; store at room temperature.
CARAMEL CRUNCH
Yvonne Burnette of Sutherland
INGREDIENTS:
Two 3-oz. bags of microwave
natural popcorn or 20 cups
of popped corn
12-oz. jar salted dry roasted
peanuts
1 cup butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown
sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ t baking soda
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven
to 250 degrees. Lightly grease
two 15½ " x 10½ " pans. Put
popped corn in a very large bowl.
Discard any unpopped kernels.
Add peanuts; toss to combine. In
a 3-quart saucepan, heat butter,
sugars and corn syrup on medium
until butter melts and sugars dissolve,
about five minutes, stirring
frequently. Increase heat to
medium-high and heat to boiling,
about three minutes. Boil three
minutes longer. Remove saucepan
from heat. Stir in baking soda (mixture
will bubble vigorously) and
pour over popcorn mixture in
bowl. Stir immediately and
continue stirring until all popcorn is
evenly coated. Divide mixture between
the two pans, spreading
evenly. Place on two oven racks
DIRECTIONS: Spray two
9 " x 13 " pans with cooking
spray. Put half the pecans in
each pan. Toast in a 325degree
oven for five minutes.
Beat the egg whites with salt
until stiff peaks form. Fold in
the sugar and then the pecans.
Pour half the melted butter in
each pan. Put half the nut
mixture into each pan. Fold the
nut mixture with the melted
butter, using a wooden spoon
or spatula. Bake uncovered for
10 minutes. Stir and repeat two
more times. Remove pans from
the oven and spread the
pecans on wax paper. Let them
cool slightly and then separate
them. Cool completely before
storing. 
Cooperative Living/February 2014
and bake for 45 minutes,
rotating pans between upper
and lower racks halfway
through and stirring occasionally.
Cool completely in pans
about one hour. Break apart
any large clusters of popcorn
when cool. Store in a tightly
sealed container at room temperature
for up to two weeks.
CANDIED PECANS
Patricia Harbin of Louisa
INGREDIENTS:
2 lbs. pecan halves
2 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
½ cup melted butter

Cooperative Living February 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Cooperative Living February 2014