Recipes for "candy"

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the water, yeast, and honey. Let sit 5-10 minutes, until bubbly on top. Add 5 cups flour, the salt, and 2 tablespoons of softened butter. Knead until the dough comes together, about 1-2 minutes, adding the additional 1/2 cup flour as needed.

2. Divide the dough in half and place one half of the dough in a large bowl. Cover and set aside. Return the other half of the dough to the mixing bowl and add the red food coloring. Knead the dough until the red is mixed throughout and there are no streaks. Cover and let both dough balls sit in a warm place for 1-2 hours, until doubled in size.

3. Preheat the oven to 425°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and place it on your counter, using a little more flour if needed to prevent from sticking. Divide each dough into 16 pieces, about 1 ounce each if using a kitchen scale. Roll both the red and white dough into ropes, about 8 inches long. Take one white and one red rope and twist them around each other. Shape the twists into a candy cane and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ropes. Cover the baking sheets with a damp kitchen towel and let the bagels rise 15-30 minutes.

5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the baking soda. Lower 2-3 bagels at a time into the water. Boil for 3 minutes then flip to the other side and boil for 1-2 additional minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bagels from the pot letting the water drain. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until you've boiled all of the bagels.

6. If needed, reshape the bagels back into candy canes. Brush each bagel with the beaten egg. Make sure there is no water piled up next to the bagels. Transfer to the oven and bake 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter over each of the bagels. Generously sprinkle each bagel with salt. Return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes, or until the bagels are golden brown. Slice, toast, eat whole, slathered with butter, cream cheese or garlic butter (below)!

7. To Make the garlic butter, heat the butter and the garlic in a small skillet over medium heat and cook the butter until it begins turn very light brown and the garlic is fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the thyme. Drizzle or dip the rolls with garlic butter. Enjoy warm!

Set aside 2 tablespoons of the butter. In a large mixing bowl beat the remaining butter or margarine with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar; beat until well mixed. Beat in eggs and 1 tsp. vanilla. Add in dry ingredients and mix until combined.

In a medium saucepan combine the reserved butter or margarine, the sweetened condensed milk, and chocolate pieces. Cook over low heat until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in the 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Press two-thirds of the oat mixture into the bottom of an ungreased square (9×9) baking pan. Spread 3/4 or so of the chocolate mixture over the oat mixture (the other 1/4 can also be added if you want extra chocolate, or reserved for fudge sauce to be used later)! Using your fingers, dot remaining oat mixture over the chocolate. Cut the candy into pieces and sprinkle over the top.

Bake in a 350 degree oven about 15 minutes or until top is lightly browned (chocolate mixture will still look moist).

Arrange oven one rack in the lower third and one in the middle of the oven.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pie dough, pressing into the corners so it sits flush with the plate. Use a pair of scissors or a sharp knife to trim the excess dough (if needed), leaving about a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold the overhanging dough underneath itself to build up the crust and crimp as desired. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust all over with a fork. Freeze for 10 minutes until firm.

Once firm, line the crust with parchment and fill it with dried beans or pie weights. Bake on the lower rack until the crust edge is lightly golden and matte, 15 to 17 minutes.

Remove from the oven and carefully remove the parchment and weights. Lightly re-prick the crust and gently press down any spots bubbling up, if needed. Return the crust to the lower rack of the oven and continue to bake until the bottom and sides are matte and dry, 3 to 5 minutes. Let cool set over a wire rack until room temperature, about 45 minutes.

While the crust cools, prepare the filling. Chop the pretzels; you should have about 1 cup chopped. Crush the graham crackers and add them to a large bowl with the pretzels. Finely chop the caramels using a greased sharp knife, yielding about 1 1/4 cups. Chop the pecans and add everything to the large bowl.

Toss in the coconut and both kinds of chocolate chips and mix to combine.

Turn the oven down to 350°F.

In another bowl, use a rubber spatula to mix the sweetened condensed milk, melted butter, and salt until combined. Pour over the pretzel mixture and fold until evenly combined. The filling will be thick.

Scrape the filling into the room-temperature pie crust and use the rubber spatula to gently press into an even layer. Top with more whole pretzels as desired.

Bake the pie on the middle rack until the filling is set and golden on top, 40 to 45 minutes. If the top edge crust is getting too dark, you can use a crust shield or ring of foil to cover it.

Cool the pie set over a wire rack until warm but not hot, about 1 hour. Slice and serve.

If serving the next day, cool the pie completely, then loosely cover and store at room temperature. Leftovers can be stored tightly covered in the pie plate at room temperature for up to 2 days or sliced and stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

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1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, and salt. Add the warm water, honey, and butter. Using the dough hook, mix until the flour is completely incorporated, about 4-5 minutes. If the dough seems sticky, add a 1/4 cup of flour at a time. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. Preheat the oven to 425°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Punch the dough down and divide it in half. Divide each dough into 8 pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough balls into ropes about 8-12 inches long. Working with two ropes, twist them around each other. Shape the twists into a candy cane and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining ropes. Cover and let the rolls rise for 15 minutes until puffy.

4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the baking soda. Lower 2 rolls at a time into the water. Boil for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the rolls from the pot, letting the water drain. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

5. If needed, reshape the rolls back into candy canes. Brush each roll with the beaten egg yolk. Sprinkle with pretzel salt. Bake the rolls for 22-25 minutes until golden.

6. To make the honey butter. Combine the butter and honey together in a small bowl. Remove the rolls from the oven and brush with honey butter. Bake for 1-2 minutes more. Serve warm!

In a large bowl, combine cereal, peanuts, marshmallows and peanut butter. Stir until evenly mixed.

In a microwave-safe bowl, or in a double boiler, cook chocolate until melted. Stir occasionally until chocolate is smooth. Stir chocolate into cereal mixture. Mixture will be slightly runny.

Drop by tablespoons onto waxed paper. Let set until firm, 2 hours. Store in an airtight container.

Place the butter, sugar, peppermint, vanilla, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of stand mixer. Beat until a paste forms and clings to the side of the bowl.

Scrape down the side of the bowl and beat in the egg until it is absorbed. Add the flour and beat until just combined and no more dry streaks of flour remain.

Divide and remove half the dough from the bowl. Carefully add the red food coloring to the remaining dough. Mix on low until the color is evenly distributed.

Pat each piece of dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.

The chilled dough should be firm, but still easy to shape straight from the fridge. If not, let it warm for just a few minutes until malleable. Don't let it warm too much or it will be too soft to work with again.

Pinch off a 1-inch round piece of the white dough and roll it out to a 5-inch rope. Do the same with a piece of the red dough (make sure the ropes are the same length).

Place the ropes next to each other and twist together. Transfer to the baking sheet and curve the top of the dough into a candy cane shape.

Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart.

Make the egg white wash by beating the egg white with 1 tablespoon of water until foamy. Brush the top of each cookie with the egg white wash and then sprinkle with the sugar.

Bake in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are just barely brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire cooling rack.

Let the cookie sheets cool completely before putting in the next batch. Hot cookie sheets can cause the butter in the dough to melt and leak out, resulting in misshapen cookies.

These cookies will keep for a week or two in a sealed container at room temperature.

Grease an 8x8 inch square baking pan.

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, cocoa powder, brown sugar and milk. Microwave until mixture boils. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract. Pour into prepared pan.

In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave caramels and water until caramels melt. Stir in peanuts. Spread mixture over chocolate layer.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, combine semisweet and milk chocolate chips; microwave until melted. Spread over caramel layer. Chill for 2 hours, or until firm.

Line a 10x15-inch jelly roll pan with nonstick aluminum foil (preferred) or regular heavy-duty foil, making sure that the foil completely covers the bottom and sides of the pan. If using regular foil, spray lightly with baking spray. Place the saltine crackers in a single layer on the bottom.

Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin

Place the brown sugar, butter, and salt in a medium-sized saucepan. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the butter melts. Continue to cook, stirring often, for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture comes to a boil and in color and sugar melts and emulsifies with the butter into a smooth sauce. Do not allow the mixture to boil longer than 30 seconds. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

(Note: You're not actually making true caramel here, so you don't need to be as precise or worry about the temperature of the caramel. Just make sure it comes to a boil throughout and not just the edges and wait for it to darken slightly, then continue.)

If you're nervous about your caramel turning out grainy, use a wet pastry brush to wash the sides of the pan as the caramel cooks. This will help to make sure all of the sugar melts evenly. Keep in mind that a brown sugar caramel has a different texture than traditional caramel, with a sandier, softer texture.

Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin

Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin

Spread to evenly coat the crackers.

Simply Recipes / Emma Christensen

Bake for 5 minutes. The caramel will be hot and bubbly throughout.

Simply Recipes / Emma Christensen

Place the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook it in the microwave in 30-second intervals at full power, stirring each time, until the chocolate has fully melted (about 1 1/2 minutes total).

Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin

Once the crackers are done baking, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 1 minute exactly, until the caramel is no longer bubbling and the crackers settle back into place. Then pour the melted chocolate over the crackers. Use a spatula to spread the chocolate evenly over the top.

Simply Recipes / Irvin Lin

Simply Recipes / Emma Christensen

Let the crackers cool to room temperature then move to the refrigerator and chill over night.

The crackers will form a single sheet once cool. Remove from pan and gently peel the foil away, being careful not to tear the foil. (If any bits of foil tear and get stuck in the caramel, break those bits away and discard.) Cut the candy into snack-sized pieces using a chefs knife (you can use your hands, too, but I find it easier with a knife).

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about a week or in the freezer between layers of parchment paper for up to 2 months.

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Simply Recipes / Emma Christensen

Simply Recipes / Emma Christensen

Butter an 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Cut two strips of parchment paper, both 7 1/2 inches by 6 inches, and lay them across one another in the dish. This will make it easy to lift the set caramel out of the dish.

Set a 4 1/2- or 5-quart Dutch oven (or another heavy-bottom pot) over a large burner on your stove but don’t turn it on. Add sugar, corn syrup, and water to the pot. Use a wooden spoon to stir together until the mixture resembles slushy snow. Rinse off the wooden spoon to remove any sugar crystals and set it aside to use later.

Use a pastry brush, dipped in water, to brush down any sugar crystals that may cling to the sides of the pot above the slushy sugar.

Place the candy thermometer in the pot, making sure the bottom of the thermometer is covered by the sugar.

Set the burner under the pot to medium and bring the sugar mixture to a boil without stirring it. The sugar will go from a rapid, clear boil to a sludgy, slowly-moving boil. The sugar will begin to turn a golden yellow color.

In a small saucepan set over medium heat add the cream. You don’t want the cream to simmer or boil. Once steam begins to rise from the surface of the cream, add the sliced butter, vanilla extract, and salt. It’s okay if the butter is not completely melted into the cream.

The sugar will go from a quick, rustling boil to a slow, languid one as the water in the mixture is cooked off. Don’t walk away or turn your attention from the sugar.

As soon as the sugar takes on a deep amber color and reaches 320°F, carefully add the cream mixture in four parts, 1/4 cup at a time. Be careful not to put your arms or face over the pot as the mixture will boil and steam violently.

Once the cream is all added, use a wooden spoon to stir just until no large slices of butter remain. Stop stirring and cook the caramel until you bring it back to 240°F.

Once the caramel reaches 240°F, pour it into the center of the prepared dish. Tap the dish gently on the countertop to expel any large air bubbles and allow the caramel to cool on a baking rack until set, or three hours.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Then use your pastry brush to butter both the blade of your knife and the cutting board or surface where you’ll cut the caramels. This will prevent the caramels from sticking.

Once the caramel is set. Use the sides of the parchment to lift the caramel from the dish and transfer it to your buttered cutting surface. Remove the parchment paper and cut the caramel into pieces that fit the size of your candy wrappers. You will press the knife down to cut them rather than drag it through.

Once cut, place a caramel on the center edge of a wax paper square, roll, and twist each end to close the wrapper completely. Store the wrapped candies in an air-tight container or storage bag, at room temperature, for three weeks or transfer to a freezer bag to keep for three months.

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil; spray with nonstick spray and set aside.

Combine vanilla chips and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until chips are almost melted; remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth. Stir in candy canes, peppermint extract, and food coloring.

Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill for 2 hours, then cut into squares.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, hot water, and salt in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook and stir until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Continue to cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches 250 degrees F (120 degrees C) on a candy thermometer, or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball. Frequently wipe crystals forming on the sides of the pan, using a pastry brush dipped in water. Remove from heat.

Just as the syrup is reaching temperature, begin whipping egg whites: In a large glass or stainless steel mixing bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Pour hot syrup in a thin stream over beaten egg whites, beating constantly with the electric mixer at medium speed. Increase speed to high, and continue beating for about 5 minutes. Add vanilla; continue beating until the mixture becomes stiff and begins to lose its gloss. If it is too stiff, add a few drops of hot water.

Immediately drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. For a decorative flair, twirl the top with the spoon when dropping. Let stand until set and dry on the outside, at least 8 hours. Store in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature.

Gather all ingredients.

Lightly coat baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. Insert craft sticks into whole, stemmed apples.

Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and insert a candy thermometer. Continue boiling, without stirring, until mixture reaches 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads.

Remove from heat and stir in food coloring.

Holding each apple by its stick, dip into the syrup, turning to coat evenly. Place coated apples on the prepared baking sheet to harden.

In a saucepan, heat milk until hot, but not boiling. Whisk in the chocolate and crushed peppermint candies until melted and smooth.

Pour hot cocoa into four mugs, and garnish with whipped cream. Serve each with a candy-cane stirring stick.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour three 8-inch pans.

To make the cake: Combine cake mix, milk, oil, eggs, and instant vanilla pudding mix in a large bowl; beat with an electric mixer on low speed until blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl; continue to beat for 4 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen; invert cakes carefully onto a cooling rack and let cool for about 30 minutes.

To make the frosting: Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and white sugar in a large bowl until smooth. Fold in whipped topping, pecans, and chopped chocolate. Spread frosting onto the cooled cake layers. Stack layers; frost top and sides.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a 10x15-inch rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place crackers in a single layer over the prepared baking sheet. Use as many crackers as needed to cover the bottom of the pan.

Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over low heat. Boil for 3 minutes, then pour over crackers.

Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.

Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over top. Sprinkle almonds over chocolate chips. Use a wooden spoon to press nuts into melting chocolate.

Chill in the refrigerator until set, at least 3 hours. Break into small pieces.

Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Heat, without stirring, to 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads.

Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Pour into prepared pan; do not spread. (Mixture will not fill pan.) Allow to cool completely.

In the microwave or over a double boiler, melt coating chocolate, stirring frequently until smooth. Break cooled candy into bite-sized pieces and dip into melted candy coating. Let set on waxed paper. Store tightly covered.

Attach a candy thermometer to a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring maple syrup to a boil in the saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until syrup reaches 235 degrees F (110 degrees C).

Remove from heat and cool to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C) without stirring, about 10 minutes.

Stir mixture rapidly with a wooden spoon until thick, creamy, and lighter in color, about 5 minutes. Stir in chopped nuts.

Pour into molds; allow to cool at room temperature until set.

Unmold candy. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Gather all ingredients.

In a large bowl, cream together the margarine, white sugar and confectioners' sugar. Beat in the egg, vanilla and peppermint extracts.

Combine the flour and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended.

Cover or wrap dough and chill for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. Divide dough into halves. Color one half red by mixing in the food color.

Roll a small amount of each dough into a 2 inch long worm. Roll them together in a twisted rope and curve the end like a cane.

Place onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven.

In a small bowl, mix together the crushed candy cane and remaining white sugar.

Roll hot cookies in the sugar mixture. Enjoy!

Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Stir white sugar, corn syrup, and water together in a medium saucepan. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until sugar dissolves, then bring to a boil.

Without stirring, heat to 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads.

Remove from the heat and stir in flavored extract and food coloring. Pour onto the prepared cookie sheet. Dust top with confectioners' sugar.

Let cool until hardened, about 15 minutes. Break into about 36 pieces and store in an airtight container.

Beat cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Mix in flaked coconut.

Roll mixture into balls or potato shapes; roll balls in cinnamon. Place onto a cookie sheet and chill to set, at least 10 minutes. If desired, roll potatoes in cinnamon again for a darker color.

Spread the cookies, pretzels and raisins evenly onto a lightly greased small baking sheet. Melt chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave, stirring frequently until melted. Remove from the heat while there are still a few chunks, and stir until smooth. White chocolate burns easily.

Drizzle chocolate with a spoon over the goodies in the pan, spreading the top flat to coat evenly. Top with candy corn and sprinkles. Let cool until firm. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Generously grease two 9-inch pans and one baking sheet.

Combine sugar, water, and corn syrup in a heavy 2 quart saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved; then cook without stirring, lowering the heat and cooking more slowly during the last few minutes, to the hard crack stage (300 degrees F). If sugar crystals form on sides of pan, wipe them off with a damp brush.

Remove from heat, add oil flavoring and enough food coloring to color; stir only to mix. Pour into greased 9-inch pans. Set one pan of candy over a sauce pan containing hot water (unless you have a helper to help cut the candy). As soon as the other pan of candy is cool enough to handle, cut it with scissors into 1-inch strips. Then snip the strips into pieces. Work fast. Drop the pieces onto the buttered baking sheet. If the candy cools too quickly, set it on a saucepan over hot water to soften it, but if it gets sticky, return at once to the work counter.

Toss in a small amount of powdered sugar to keep from sticking together. Repeat with the second pan of candy.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, and bring to a low boil. Continue boiling, constantly stirring to prevent burning, approximately 3 minutes.

Arrange crackers on a cookie sheet in a single layer, and drizzle with sugar mixture. Bake for 5 minutes, or until edges begin to brown.

Remove from oven and spread chocolate chips evenly over the top as they melt. Sprinkle with nuts, gently pressing into melted chocolate. Cool until chocolate has hardened and break into pieces. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Combine mashed potatoes, milk, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl.

Stir confectioners' sugar into potato mixture until a dough consistency is reached. Refrigerate dough until chilled, about 1 hour.

Sprinkle some confectioners' sugar on a cutting board or waxed paper.

Roll dough into a large rectangular shape on prepared surface.

Spread enough peanut butter on top layer of dough to cover.

Roll dough into a jelly roll shape; refrigerate roll for 1 hour. Slice dough into pinwheels to serve.

Preheat oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C). Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Spray the wax paper with cooking spray.

Beat egg white until stiff. Add brown sugar and vanilla. Stir until smooth. Mix in pecans and stir until coated. Pour the nuts onto the prepared cookie sheet.

Bake until browned, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.

Grease a 10x15 inch pan. In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups melted margarine, peanut butter, confectioners' sugar and graham cracker crumbs. Spread in prepared pan.

Combine 1/2 cup margarine and chocolate chips in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally until melted and smooth. Spread over peanut butter mixture. Let cool completely before cutting into bars.

Line a 9x13-inch pan with parchment paper.

Place candy corn in a microwave-safe bowl (not plastic) and heat in several 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval, until candy corn is warm, melted, and smooth.

Stir peanut butter into melted candy corn until thoroughly combined; transfer candy to the prepared pan, pressing and smoothing the candy into the corners of the pan.

Place chocolate chips and vegetable shortening into the top of a double boiler set over simmering water. Heat the chocolate, stirring constantly, until just warm, melted, and smooth. Spread warm chocolate over the peanut candy. Chill in refrigerator until candy is set, at least 30 minutes, before cutting into squares.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).

Mix well the shortening and butter, sugar, egg, almond and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix flour and salt and add to shortening mixture. Divide dough in half.

Blend red food coloring into one half. Roll 1 teaspoon of the red dough and 1 teaspoon of the white dough on lightly floured board into 4 inch strips. Place strips side by side and press lightly together and twist like a rope. Curve top of rope down to look like the handle of a candy cane.

Bake 9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove while still warm. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup crushed peppermint stick candy and 1/2 cup sugar (optional).

Butter a 9x13-inch dish and a medium, heavy saucepan.

Combine 4 cups sugar and cream in the buttered saucepan. Set aside.

Pour remaining 2 cups sugar in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar begins to melt.

Place the saucepan with sugar and cream over low heat, stirring occasionally.

Continue to cook and stir sugar in the skillet until completely melted and light brown. Pour melted sugar very slowly, in a thin stream, into the lightly simmering cream, stirring constantly. This step may take about 5 minutes, and works best if someone pours the melted sugar very slowly.

Heat, without stirring, to 242 to 248 degrees F (116 to 120 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a firm but pliable ball. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda (mixture will foam). Drop the butter into the foaming mixture and let rest without stirring for 30 minutes.

Stir in vanilla with a wooden spoon and continue to stir vigorously until mixture loses its gloss, 10 to 15 minutes. Then fold in pecans and quickly turn candy into the prepared 9x13-inch dish. Let cool until just warm and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Generously coat a cookie sheet with confectioners' sugar, and set aside.

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, stir together the white sugar, water and corn syrup until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium-high and cook to a temperature of 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads. Remove from heat, and stir in the flavored oil and food coloring.

Immediately pour the sugar mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet in a thin stream (this helps it cool). When the candy is cool enough for the outer edge to hold its shape, cut into bite size pieces with scissors. Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

Lightly grease a 12x18-inch or larger baking sheet.

Combine water, sugar, and corn syrup in a large heavy saucepan; heat over high, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant spoon, until sugar is dissolved. Stop stirring and bring to a boil. Boil until a candy thermometer reads 310 degrees F (154 degrees C) or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads. Remove from heat.

When bubbling has ceased, stir in the flavoring and a food coloring. Spread into the prepared pan so that the candy is no more than 1/4 inch thick. Cool for 45 minutes in the refrigerator. Remove from refrigerator, crack into pieces and enjoy!

Gather all ingredients. Generously butter a 10x15-inch baking pan (with sides).

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, butter, white sugar, water, vinegar, and salt.

Cover and bring to a boil. Remove lid and heat, without stirring, to 270 to 290 degrees F (132 to 143 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard but pliable threads.

Pour in vanilla, but do not stir. Remove from the heat and pour into prepared pan.

Let cool slightly before cutting into squares and allowing candy to cool completely.

Break almond paste into small pieces over a medium bowl. Add 1 cup of confectioners' sugar and work it in with your hands until incorporated. It will be crumbly. Add another 3/4 cup of sugar and work it in really well. Pour in corn syrup and work it in until evenly blended. Spread remaining sugar out on a clean work surface and knead dough until smooth and uniform, 3 to 5 minutes. If dough seems too sticky, knead in more sugar. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 1 hour. It should have the consistency of modeling dough.

Break off small pieces of marzipan to color, kneading in color thoroughly until you arrive at desired color. Then blend colored pieces into larger portions of dough. Dust a work surface and rolling pin with confectioners' sugar. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using small cookie cutters to make candies.

Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Cut the potato in half, leaving the skin on. Place in a small saucepan, add water to cover, and boil until very tender when pierced with a knife, about 10 minutes. The exact boiling time will depend on the potato itself.

Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate. Strip off the skin as soon as it’s cool enough to handle.

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Use a ricer or fork to mash the potatoes in a large bowl to a very smooth consistency. Measure out 1/2 cup for this recipe, and use the rest for another purpose. While the mashed potatoes are still slightly warm, stir in the powdered sugar, coconut, and vanilla, using a large spoon or your hands.

Scoop 1 tablespoon portions and shape gently into balls (the balls may be quite soft; this is OK). Place them on the prepared sheet pan, not touching. Freeze for at least 3 hours.

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

To dip, melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Put an inch of water in the bottom pot and bring to a simmer. Place the chocolate in the top pot (or a metal bowl), and set over the simmering water. Turn off the heat and stir gently until the chocolate is evenly melted.

As the chocolate melts, you can briefly and gently roll the coconut filling balls in your hands to give them neater shapes (this is by preference, not required).

Place the bowl of warm chocolate on a folded kitchen towel on the counter. One by one, drop each ball in the chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then lift out of the chocolate. Tap to let the excess chocolate fall back into the pot. Return to the baking sheet and sprinkle with coconut or sprinkles. Continue until all candies are coated.

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Freeze for up to 3 months.

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You’ll have lots of leftover melted chocolate. It’ll be fine to use again. Pour it on a parchment-lined sheet and let it harden in the fridge, then break or cut into small pieces to use as chocolate chunks. Keep refrigerated.

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Pull the stem off each date and pull open to remove the pit, leaving the date still in one piece. It’s okay if you end up tearing the date—they’re easy to seal back together—but try to avoid tearing it into separate pieces.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

If you’re using natural nut butter, give it a good stir.

For Snickers dates: Add about 1/2 teaspoon crunchy or creamy peanut butter to the center where the pit used to be.

For Milky Way dates: Add about 1/2 teaspoon caramel sauce to the center where the pit used to be.

For Baby Ruth dates: Add about 1/2 teaspoon caramel sauce and a sprinkle of chopped peanuts to the center where the pit used to be.

For Twix dates: Add about 1/2 teaspoon caramel sauce to the center where the pit used to be. Snap the Pocky sticks into pieces that are shorter than the date and press 1 or 2 pieces into the caramel.

For Almond Joy dates: Stuff the center with shredded, sweetened coconut and chopped almonds.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Form the date around the filling back into its original shape. Since dates are sticky, you should be able to seal it without much effort.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Top a sheet pan or platter with parchment or wax paper.

Place the chocolate in a medium heat-proof bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, just until melted. Alternatively, place the bowl over a pot containing an inch of barely simmering water and stir until melted.

Add a date to the melted chocolate and turn to coat. Use a fork to lift it out of the chocolate, gently shaking it up and down a few times to encourage the excess chocolate to drip back into the bowl. Scrape the bottom of the fork on the side of the bowl a couple of times, then place the date on the prepared sheet pan or platter.

Repeat with the remaining dates, spacing them apart so they don't touch.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

For extra crunch or a bit of saltiness, top the dates while they’re still wet.

Top the Snickers and Baby Ruth dates with chopped peanuts and the Almond Joy dates with chopped almonds and/or shredded coconut. Any or all of the candy bar dates are delicious topped with flaky salt, especially the Milky Way and Twix dates.

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Move the dates to the fridge and let chill until the chocolate is set, at least 30 minutes. Serve or transfer to an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

You can also freeze candy bar dates for up to 2 months. Let defrost in the fridge or on the counter for a few minutes before enjoying.

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Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Simply Recipes / Ciara Kehoe

Roll the edges of two 16-inch squares of heavy-duty aluminum foil to form a rim around the outside. Generously sprinkle confectioners' sugar onto each square.

Heat sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves and mixture is boiling, about 5 minutes. Stop stirring and boil until a candy thermometer reads 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), about 25 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in cinnamon oil and food coloring. Pour hot mixture onto the prepared foil and allow to cool and harden, about 45 minutes. Crack cooled candy into pieces.

Mix schnapps, crème de cacao, half-and-half, and grenadine together in a pitcher; refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.

Stir mixture before pouring into martini glasses to serve; garnish each glass with a candy cane.