HOLIDAYS
HOLIDAYS
What could be sweeter than to make your loved one homemade candy on Valentine's Day? Don't be intimidated if you've never made candy before. Some of these recipes are very easy and only require microwave cooking, or rather melting, while others employ traditional candy-making methods. The best part is that they are in holiday colors such as Pink Pecan Fudge, Red Velvet Rocky Road, or Scarlet Toffee perfect for Valentine's Day!
I made this fudge and could not stop eating it! Many fudge recipes contain walnuts, but I thought the supple texture of pecans much more compatible in this luscious line-up of ingredients.
- 1 1/2 cups pink Candy Melts chips
- 1/2 Cup butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 Cup evaporated milk
- Pinch of salt
- 1 Cup coarsely chopped pecans, shelled
- Add pink Candy Melt chips and butter into a large mixing bowl. Butter an 8-inch square pan.
- Place sugar, evaporated milk, and salt in a medium heavy bottom saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and immediately pour over chips and butter in mixing bowl. Beat mixture on a low speed for 5 minutes and then increase speed to high for another 5 minutes. Stir in pecans and pour candy into buttered pan. Chill until set and then cut into small squares.Makes about 2 lbs.
My kids loved this recipe. I think it was the "red" chocolate that they found so alluring. I feature Wilton's Candy Melts in various colors for many of the recipes in this Valentine's Day candy article. Most of the colored Candy Melts taste like white chocolate or vanilla. Technically, white chocolate is not chocolate but vanilla-flavored cocoa butter. Fine with me! I'm not a real fan of dark chocolate and have always preferred white chocolate. This recipe is so easy your kids could make it for their school Valentine's Day party or as a gift for the teacher.
- 2 1/2 cups red Candy Melts chips (14 oz. bag)
- 1 Cup mini marshmallows
- 1/2 Cup walnut halves, shelled
- Butter an 8-inch square pan.
- Melt candy melts in a medium-size microwaveable bowl for 10-second increments, stirring after each melting, until smooth. Stir in marshmallows and nuts and pour into buttered pan. Chill until set and then cut into small squares.Makes about 1 lb.
The scarlet chocolate is thematic to Valentine's Day, but this simple equal-measure ingredient toffee recipe is outstanding for any occasion.
- 1 Cup butter
- 1 Cup sugar
- 1 Cup red Candy Melts chips
- 1 Cup chopped almonds
- Add butter and sugar into a heavy medium pot. Cook, stirring constanly, over high heat for about 8 to 10 minutes. The stages to look for: butter will melt and blend with the sugar, butter will foam, mixture will start to get sticky like taffy, mixture will turn dark amber - this is when you take it off the heat! Pour mixture on to an ungreased baking sheet that doesn't have a coating such as Teflon. Allow toffee to cool and harden.
- Melt red Candy Melts in a microwaveable bowl for 10-second increments, stirring after each melting, until smooth. Spread over top of toffee and sprinkle almonds over the chocolate. When chocolate sets, break off pieces into chunks and give to your Valentine.Makes about an 8-inch square toffee rectangle
The bubbling and boiling of the candy-making process is certainly not for kids so I've come up with an easy way for the little ones to craft their own Valentine's Day candy.
- 1 can white frosting
- 8 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
- Red, chocolate, or pink Valentine's Day M&M's candy
- Spoon a dollop of white frosting on top of a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and decorate with M&M's!Makes 8 pieces
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