The holidays are all about tradition.
Take the Christmas tree. Each year we go to the same tree farm and cut down the same type of tree – a Frasier fur. We put it in the same spot in our living room and decorate it with the same ornaments and the same lights.
I come from a long line of traditionalists. My mother still puts the angel I made in first grade on top of her tree. On Christmas Eve we drink apple cider out of my Grandma Knock’s glasses and munch on cookies and candies made by my family for decades.
It’s the same with other holiday traditions. We always watch the same movies each year – “Holiday Inn,” “White Christmas,” and “A Christmas Story” – and I always listen to David Sedaris’ “Santaland Diaries” at least once every December.
There’s something reassuring about all of that sameness. The world is changing so fast that it’s nice to know that at least some things maintain a certain familiarity.
And, yet….
Sometimes it’s good to try new things. For example, a few years back I discovered a rock band called The Killers who release a new holiday song every few years or so. Their tune “Christmas in L.A.” is a heartbreaker that has become a regular on my December playlist along with more traditional favorites like “Silent Night” and “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.”
It’s true with Christmas treats, too. Sure, I still love traditional things like my grandma’s Figure Eight cookies, but I also like to experiment with new flavors from time to time. Occasionally, some of those recipes make it into my regular Christmas rotation.
That’s certainly true about the recipes I’ve included in this week’s feature. Because I focused on cookies in my last column, I decided to turn to candies and other sweet treats this week. There’s a little something for everyone and for every taste. They would look great on your holiday party table or in those boxes of holiday sweets and treats that you may give to family and friends this time of year.
Nor do any require great skill or an excessive amount of time. Some may, however, require a candy thermometer, so plan accordingly!
Homemade Peppermint Patties
If you are looking to include something minty in your repertoire of holiday treats, look no further than this recipe for peppermint patties. The cool peppermint pairs beautifully with dark chocolate.
The recipe comes from the website Dinner at the Zoo.
Ingredients
Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Mix together the sweetened condensed milk and both extracts. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix to combine. Stir in enough of the remaining powdered sugar to make a stiff dough. You know it’s the right consistency when it’s neither sticky nor dry. It also should hold its shape if you pinch off a bit and roll it into a ball.
Now, there are two ways to proceed. The recipe calls for dusting your countertop with powdered sugar and rolling it out as you would cookie dough. It should be roughly ½-inch thick. Then use a small round cutter to cut out each individual mint. Place the cut mints on your prepared baking sheet.
Another way to procced is to do what I did. I pinched off roughly equal bits of dough and rolled them into small balls. I placed the balls on the prepared baking sheet. Then I dipped the bottom of a glass in powdered sugar and lightly pressed each mint until it was roughly a half-inch thick.
Whichever method you try once you’ve used up all the dough, place the mints in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
Once you are ready to dip the mints, melt your chocolate. Use a fork to dip each mint into the chocolate. Place it back on your parchment-lined baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle each dipped mint with holiday sprinkles (optional). Chill the dipped mints for about 30 minutes to set the chocolate.
Spicy Peanut Brittle
I love this stuff. It’s got the sweet of a regular peanut brittle combined with the heat of the cayenne pepper.
If you like your food to be spicy, use the full teaspoon of cayenne. If not, reduce the cayenne by half.
Ingredients
Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large pot combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Boil the mixture without stirring until a candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees.
Remove the pot from the heat. Sprinkle the baking soda over the syrup and stir. The mixture will bubble vigorously, so be ready. Stir in the peanuts.
Quickly pour the mixture onto your prepared baking sheet. Use a spatula (coated with cooking spray) to spread it out on the pan while it’s still warm (be careful; it’s really hot).
Cool and then break into irregular pieces.
Kathryn’s Cookies
Let me clarify a few things. First, Kathryn was my Grandma Kruse’s good friend from Little Rock, Iowa, and we got this recipe from her. Second, these are not cookies. I don’t know why Kathryn called them cookies, but they are candy, plain and simple.
Ingredients
Place a sheet of waxed paper (or parchment paper) on two baking sheets. Set aside.
Beat together the peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar on medium speed until combined. Add the crispy rice cereal and mix thoroughly (you can also do this by hand if your mixer doesn’t have enough power).
Scoop up a rounded teaspoon of the mixture and roll it into a ball. Place on the prepared baking sheets. Continue until all of the mixture has been rolled. Refrigerate candies for at least an hour before proceeding (my older sister chilled one batch outside only to discover squirrels enjoying them).
Melt the chocolate chips and shortening over low heat (or melt the chocolate candy coating). Dip each ball into the melted chocolate and return to the baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm.
Brown Sugar Fudge
This is a variation on the old-fashioned fudge recipe found on the jar of marshmallow cream. Thank heavens the holidays come but once a year because this stuff is rich. It is also delicious, and it is a new favorite in our house.
The recipe comes from “Bon Appetit” magazine, December 2002.
Ingredients
Line a 9×13-inch baking pan with foil, overlapping sides by 3 inches. Combine the first four ingredients in a large bowl and set aside.
Stir the brown sugar, condensed milk, cream, butter, and salt in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves (no granules will remain when drop of mixture is rubbed between fingertips). Occasionally brush down sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush. This stage will last about 10 minutes.
Attach a clip-on thermometer to the side of the pan. Increase heat to high and bring mixture to boil. Reduce heat to medium-high and stir constantly but slowly with a wooden spoon until thermometer registers 230 degrees, about 15 minutes.
Immediately pour mixture over ingredients in bowl (do not scrape pan). Stir mixture vigorously with wooden spoon until chocolate melts and fudge thickens slightly, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to prepared baking pan; smooth top of fudge with rubber spatula. Sprinkle fudge with the remaining ½ cup of chocolate chips.
Cut fudge into squares when firm.
Michael Knock is a food columnist for the Iowa City Press-Citizen.
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Christmas candy to add to your traditions | Food Column
Reporting by Michael Knock, Special to the Press-Citizen / Iowa City Press-Citizen
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