Sugar Bean Bakers: candy

Showing posts with label candy. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

{ Peppermint Crunch Bark }

Hello Decemeber, hello Christmas!

I'm SO excited to see you.

Yeah, I have eleventy million things to do, but I loooooooooooove you, and you are finally here!

One of my favorite things to do at Christmas is bake with my awesome friend, Lori and also with my boy. Lori and I make trays of treats for teachers, neighbors, family members, and other friends. It's always an exhausting but great day. Together we make what could be a chore into a great time! Love me some Lori time! Bean loves to make Buckeyes and Cake Balls, so we always do that together. Also, rolled and decorated sugar cookies because what is more Christmas than that? The boy LOVES traditions, and I love that.

I know that Peppermint Bark has been done and done again, but this is just a wee bit different.

This adds a layer of Andes Peppermint Crunch chips in the middle. I love the flavor it gives, but even more, I love the color. It makes a classic, lovely Christmas treat just that much better.

Isn't the red festive? I'm pretty smitten.

These are totally going on the Christmas trays this year!

Delicious, easy, and inexpensive to pack little boxes up as gifts for friends, family, co-workers, etc!

Tina

Peppermint Crunch Bark
by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

6 ounces white chocolate*
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate*
6 ounces Andes Peppermint Crunch chips
2 candy canes, crushed
1 Tablespoon white sanding sugar
1 Tablespoon red sanding sugar

*Chips work great, but for even better flavor, use a higher quality chocolate, chopped into small pieces

Add crushed candy canes & sanding sugars to a small bowl and set aside.

For instructions on melting chocolate, follow this link: How to Melt Chocolate.

Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Melt semi-sweet chocolate. Pour onto pan and spread out. Tap on counter to remove any bubbles. Allow to harden by placing in the fridge (about 20 mins) or freezer (about 10 minutes).

Melt Peppermint Crunch. Pour on top of the hardened chocolate layer. Tap to remove bubbles. Return to fridge/freezer to harden.

Melt white chocolate layer. Spread on top of Peppermint Crunch layer. Tap to remove bubbles. Immediately top with crushed candy cane/sugar mixture.

Allow to fully harden. Cut or break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Makes approx 1 1/2 pounds

This can be made in any quantity as long as the chocolate/Peppermint Crunch portions are even (adjust candy canes accordingly).

You can add a bit of peppermint extract if you wish, if you prefer it a bit more pepperminty. I like the mild peppermint flavor that the Peppermint Crunch adds.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

{Candy Man Cookies}

Tomorrow is the premiere of my favorite TV show.

Note, I said MY favorite TV show. This time last year, when I made these Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes, you'll note I said OUR favorite show.

The other day, I said to the Bean, "omigosh, our favorite show is coming on in a few days!!!".

To which he relied, "You mean YOUR favorite show".

A little piece of me wilted right then. A little piece of me that will never been green and happy again.

Kids are mean.

Now, granted, his favorite show is pretty dang cool. I mean, it's Doctor Who. However, he went on to tell me that Sherlock was number 2. Ok, gosh dern it, I LOVE Sherlock too, but when did this happen? When did we grow soooo far apart? I mean, my favorite show is now his third favorite? People, are you picking up what I'm putting down?

Or, it's possible I'm being overly dramatic.

Scratch that. That cannot be true.

Anyway, MY favorite show comes back on tomorrow. The problem with watching these cable shows is the fact that they are a literal YEAR from one season to the next. Network shows have a 3-4 month hiatus in the summer, but cable? A full year. That's just meanness.

However, in a little over 24 hours, I will be sitting down to watch the adventures of Shawn, Gus, and the Blueberry.

Psych is coming back!

photo property of USA Network

Now, if you don't know what Psych is, refer to my above link about the cupcakes. I tell a little about it there. It's a witty show, full of mystery, a fake psychic, real crimes, and oodles of 80s references.

What's not to love.

In the Season finale (in APRIL OF LAST YEAR, FOLKS), Gus had gone candy crazy. He was shoving it in every chance he got. So much so that this exchange took place:

Shawn: "You have a problem, Candy Man."

Gus: "I make the world taste good."

which is funny, cause of this song.

Get it. hahahahaaha.

So, I made some cookies for Gus.

I think he will appreciate them, they are chock FULL of candy.

I started with a basic, buttery cookie, to which I added over 2 cups of candy.

Cause. Candy.

I love this recipe. I have used it for years. I use to to make chocolate chip cookies, of course. I sub in some oatmeal to make an oatmeal chocolate chip, I use it to make M&M cookies, Butterscotch cookies, some cocoa powder to make double chocolate chip cookies, it's a great blank slate of a chewy, buttery cookie.

For these cookies, I added a ton of candies. As I mentioned, over 2 cups.

I used M&Ms, Reese's Pieces, Nestle Crunch, Butterfinger, Heath Bar, and a Hershey Bar.

I also used Milk Duds, but there is a trick to them. Cut them in 1/2 and place them in the center of your ball of dough. If they get to close to the edge of the cookie, they will goo out and make a bit of a mess.

Any Psych fans out there?

Do you think Gus would approve?

Cause my guys sure did.

I had to eat one (or 11) to deal with the emotional trauma inflicted on me by the Bean's declaration that we no longer share the same favorite show.

Growing up is hard.

I hear it is for the teenagers too.

Tina

Candy Man Cookies

Adapted from this recipe at AllRecipes

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups candy of your choice, chopped, if bars

Preheat oven to 325.

Line sheet with parchment or a silpat mat or grease the sheet.

Add your melted butter in a mixing bowl along with the sugars, until well combined. Beat in the egg and egg yolk. Add the vanilla. Mix in the soda and salt. Add the flour about a 1/2 cup at a time.

Mix in the candies.

Bake for 13-16 minutes

Allow to sit on sheet for a few minutes before moving to cooling racks.

Saturday, January 26, 2013

{ Chokladbollar: Swedish Chocolate Balls }

Do you know how to say that word up there?

Yeah, me either.

I've gone through my phonics trying to work it out. Chalk-lad-bowl-are?
Chock-laud-bow-ler? Chuck-lah-boo-lur?

I have no idea, but it sure is fun to try. Go ahead, you know you wanna.

You ever notice some words sound weird if you really think about it?

Ok, if you REALLY think about it, MOST words sound weird.

Muck. Burlap. Squirrel. Toes. Corn. Squishy. Purple. Skillet. Turtle. Chair.

Even weird sounds weird.

Weird.

ANYWAY... (<---------how weird does that word sound? Oh my gosh. I think I need medication. med-ih-ka-shen).

Recently, while trolling the web for ideas to use the Pearl Sugar I had left from my Vanilla Bean Liege Waffles, I came upon this little Swedish treat. Now, actually, this takes Swedish Pearl Sugar (Swedish recipe, Swedish sugar...go figure) and I only had Belgium, but hey, we'll make do eh? You really don't need pearl sugar at all, it's just a fun finish.

These are quick and easy. No cooking. No baking. Made from things you probably already have at home.

SCORE.

I found them on the blog (blog. LOL), She Simmers. Fun site. I'd never been there before. I love her category listings on the side. Check 'em out.

She got the recipe from a reader of her's named Mikael, who is Swedish. This is his recipe for Chokladbollar, so they are authentic Swedish Chocolate Balls, not Americanized*.... yet. See below ;)

This took 2 minutes to mix up and about 10 minutes to roll. That's IT.

The Chokladbollar have a yummy mocha taste to them. The Bean, not a coffee fan, labeled them "Interesting", but good. "Just interesting" (his words).

I like 'em. Yes, yes I do.

*However.... Being a born and bred Buckeye, I'm already plotting to remove the coffee and and insert some peanut butter. Or, hey, maybe some Nutella.

Yes. I think so.

You can roll these in Pearl Sugar, regular sugar, or coconut. I enjoyed the coconut most.

I also used Pure Cane Sugar on some of them.

You could use colored sanding sugars as well.

These would be great for holiday get togethers & for gift giving!

Click here to go to She Simmers for Mikael's recipe!

Chaulk- LAD- Buller?

Bueller?

Bueller?

Anyone?

Bueller?

Tina

P.S. Yesterday was my friend Darla's 3rd Blog Birthday! She's got a great giveaway, you can win $50 to ModCloth! Go check it out, and see her delicious Triple Layer Strawberry Cream Brownie Cake too! Deadline for entry is Jan 30, 2013, 9 PM PST. Click HERE to go to Bakingdom!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

{ Crock Pot Candy & Bible Verse Ornament }

So, I'm sick.

Figures, right? Just a few days before Christmas, 68,123 things to do, and... I'm sick.

Ugh.

Generally speaking, I am not a napper. I nap when I'm sick and that's about it.

Yesterday, I'd just laid down for a long winter's nap. 10 minutes later, I was quite rudely awakened by 2 little barking mutts.

What was it?? Is the UPS man here with a delivery? Does the mail lady have something too big for the box? Is it at least the meter reader? Were the Mayans off by 2 days and the end was nigh?

No.

Nothing.

They were barking at nothing.

I was not amused.

Miss Luna, after her barking spree, decided to climb up on the couch and lay with me. You know, for a nap.

Being the mature person that I am, this ensued.

I wait until Luna falls asleep.

Then I yell, "BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! BARK! "

Luna wakes up and looks like this.

I'm sorry it's so blurry, but I was laughing so hard at the look she gave me, I couldn't hold the phone steady.

The laughing, of course, made me cough, so it made this almost not worth it.

Almost.

I'm hoping for a bark free nap today.

Anyway, in case you hadn't heard, it's dang near Christmas.

I want to share 2 things with you today, both easy! woo! That's the best kind of thing at Christmas.

1. Is an easy Christmas ornament

2. Is an easy Christmas candy

Yay easy!

The ornament starts off with the clear glass blubs.

The ideas for these things are limitless. The ideas for what I'm showing you today is pretty much limitless too!

I made a Luke 2 ornament. I simply printed the Bible verses, which I then cut into strips.

Wrap the strips around a pencil. That is the perfect size for inserting into the bulb.

Notice my clever use of a Halloween pencil for a Christmas craft. I'm classy like that.

Just roll them up and pop them, one at a time, into the blub. I put some in right side up and some upside down. After you add the slip, give the ornament a little shake.

You can add sparkly ribbon

or add some glitter

I then made a tie on with alphabet beads and hemp twine.

After adding your tie on, you are all done! Yay!

As I mentioned, this idea is pretty limitless, but here are some I came up with:

Lines from a favorite book (hello, Harry Potter!)

Wedding Vows with Wedding Date on tie on

Baby's Firsts with birth date tie on

Special Memories from this year with year tie on

Child's favorite things for the year, with age & date tie on

These are quick and easy & a lot of fun to make.

I'm planning to do the Harry Potter & Special Memories of 2012 for myself.

So, how about some candy?

Ok.

I was watching Trisha Yearwood's show the other day when she was making Crock-pot Chocolate Candy. How easy did that sound? Pretty darn, that's how!

I, being myself though, had to tweak the recipe to my own liking. Here is what I came up with.

Put crock-pot on 'low'.

Pour peanuts in the bottom.

Then add chocolate chips, then Almond Bark

Let cook for 1 hour.

Please note, Trisha said 3 hours for her's. Mine didn't take nearly that long.

My friend, Lori's crock-pot, set on low, BURNT Trisha's recipe in 30 minutes. Be sure to check your candy now and then, as crock-pot times can differ greatly.

After the hour, stir until all ingredients are combined.

Then add your mini mallows.

Stir again. These will get gooey and melted.

Is good.

Now, you are totally done. Just scoop into mini cupcake liners. You could also put into a greased baking dish and cut into squares.

So, there you have it. An easy craft. An easy candy. And two bad dogs.

Is it naptime yet?

No? No, because coming up for you tomorrow, I have a really exciting treat that I've always wanted to make! I've paired up with my friend Darla of Bakingdom for two times the fun!

Rocky Road Crock-pot Candy

Recipe by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers, adapted from this recipe

1 - 12 oz can of salted peanuts

1- 12 oz package of semi sweet chocolate

12 oz (6 squares) of almond bark

3 cups mini marshmallows

Let cook for 1 hour.

Be sure to check once in a while, as crockpot times can differ greatly.

After the hour, stir until all ingredients are combined.

Then add your mini mallows.

Stir again. These will get gooey and melted.

Scoop into mini cupcake liner or put into a greased baking dish and cut into squares.

Thursday, November 1, 2012

{ Peanut Butter Crunch Truffles }

As I said in my last post, my oven was broken.

Good news, my new heating element came today, so the baking is back ON!

In the meantime though, I made truffles.

I've got about 100,000 peanut butter/chocolate recipes on this blog, so, obvs, we are fans. The most popular recipe on this blog, by the way, is a peanut butter/chocolate recipe. So, clearly, we are not the only fans out there.

That post is Buckeye Bites, which would be great for Christmas making and giving. Quick, easy, and delish. Much like this recipe.

The Bean's favorite candy in the wide world is Reese's Cups. For Easter I made these Harry Potter inspired Chocolate Frogs. Apparently, I ruined Reese's Cups for him with these. He begs me to make them all the time. I don't. Bad mom.

Then there is Peanut Butter Buttercream, which is AMAZING on chocolate cake.

Or how about some cupcakes. Buckeye Cupcakes perhaps? Or maybe Reese's Cup Cupcakes?

I also have a twist on the classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookie.

Some Cheerio Treats maybe?

Of course there is the classic Ohio candy, the Buckeye, for which a couple of these recipes are named.

Hmm..maybe I post TOO much. Nah, that can't be possible.

The Peanut Butter Crunch Truffle is almost like a Buckeye. Almost.

Peanut Butter Crunch Truffles

Recipe by Tina @Sugar Bean Bakers

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter (I used creamy)

1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar

1/2 Stick Butter

1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

1/4 Cup Flour

3/4 Cup Corn Flakes Cereal

Dipping chocolate

Beat the butter and peanut butter together. Add in the sugars and flour, mix until well combined. Beat in vanilla. Pour in corn flakes, and mix slowly together.

Once the corn flakes are distributed, roll into balls. I used a small cookie scoop, approx 2 teaspoons, for mine. I got 20 balls from this easily doubled recipe.

Chill for 30 mins, then dip into melted chocolate, and allow to cool on foil or parchment paper.

You can crunch up a few corn flakes for the top, drizzle with more chocolate, add sprinkles, etc.

Would be great with white chocolate too!

Thanks to my friend, Lori, who I've often mentioned here, who not only talked to me on the phone while I rudely ran the mixer and microwave, but also came up with the name for these treats :)

The adorable little egg cartons and mini wrappers are from Bake it Pretty!

You wouldn't think so, but 3 days later, the corn flakes are still crunchy.

I haven't tried it yet, but I think Rice Krispies would work too!

Peanut butter and chocolate? Yes. And. Please.

Tina

Monday, October 29, 2012

{ Autumn Mix Popcorn }

My oven caught on fire.

Sadly, that's not the opening line to a joke. It actually caught fire. Well, not like flaming up, gotta call the fire department fire, but my element definitely had 3" flames coming off of it.

I was baking Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes for the Bean's girlfriend's dad. He likes to read my blog (Hi Roger!) and try to get her to make him some of the treats. I told them to pick something and I'd send it home with her one night. She chose the Cookie Dough Cupcakes. With nine minutes left in the bake time, yeah... flamage.

Luckily, I was standing in the kitchen at the time and saw it happen.

Needless to say, I'm ovenless at the time. It's just the element, but it has to be ordered online.

I'm going to need about a week's worth of stovetop/crockpot/toaster oven recipes.

This is the 2nd time in 6 years that this has happened. The first time didn't include flames, but an element blew out (and into pieces) a few years ago. I'm thinking i should forget the new element and just buy a new stove. This one is a menace. Sadly, that is not in the cards for me at this point in time.

Woe is me.

I think I'll survive though.

I needed a goody to take to Youth Group last night and baking was, clearly, out of the question.

I've done a couple popcorn mixes before. My Snowflake Crunch Popcorn & My Luck O' The Irish Pop and they are always a big hit. They are quick and easy to make, and daggone tasty too.

I took 2 gallon sized bags last night and came back with zero kernels.

I think they liked it.

Baking isn't necessary for a delicious treat!

This would be excellent for Halloween parties, for Trick or Treaters (that you know!), and even sat out on Thanksgiving as a fun football game food!

Now, I'm off to fix spaghetti, because, yes, no oven required for that!

Tina

Autumn Mix Popcorn

You'll need:

3 bags of popcorn

(a variety that is light on butter)

6 squares of Almond Bark*

Candy Coloring (optional)

Candy Corn Mix

Fall Colored M&Ms

Assorted Fall Sprinkles

Oil

*you can also use colored candy melts

I know this is crazy, but I could NOT find the Autumn colored M&Ms at the store yesterday. So, I just picked the blue out & used the rest.

Pop 1 bag of popcorn. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then remove any un-popped kernels

Melt 2 squares of Almond Bark, 30 seconds at a time, in the microwave. Mine took about 1 1/2 minutes to fully melt. Add about 1 teaspoon of oil and stir until very well blended.

For my colors I did orange and black and left one bag just plain white.

You can color all, use different colors, or not color, leaving all the chocolate white.

With your bag of popcorn poured into a large bowl, drizzle with the chocolate. Allow a few minutes to cool, sprinkle in 1/4 of the candy, then toss with your hands. Pour out onto foil/parchment to allow drying.

Repeat this process with the next two colors.

When you have all of it on the foil, sprinkle the remaining candy & any autumn sprinkles you wish.

After is it dry, mix all the colors together in a large bowl for serving.

Store in a tightly sealed container/ziploc bag. Stays fresh for about 2 days.

Monday, July 2, 2012

{ Mint Chocolates }

This post is really about Peppermint Toads, but I was afraid that title would scare people off.

Ok, wait. DON'T close your browser, it's toadly not as weird as it sounds. (Didja see what I did there? Didja? Didja?).

If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you probably know that I'm a ~~rabid~~ Harry Potter ~~obsessed~~ fan. Harry Potter FAN. Yes.

You'll see I've already done an assortment of HP inspired treats if you follow this link.

I'm currently planning a big birthday party for Harry this month! So excited. Lots of Potter Nerds doing nerdy Potter things, it'll be a trip!

So, I'm testing out some recipes. There will be, of course, chocolate frogs, Butterbeer, Pumpkin Juice, licorice wands, lemon drops, Droobles Best Blowing Gum, etc, but I wanted to try out some Peppermint Toads. Here is the info about Peppermint Toads in the Harry Potter Wiki.

Mine don't hop in your stomach however. Unless you eat way, way too many.
(Don't do that!)

I bought this cutesy mold and set to work.

I went to my cabinet to find some peppermints (which I was going to crush and stir into chocolate), and lo and belold, I had zero.

Sad Panda.

After rummaging through drawers for a while, I found Mint M&Ms. Hmm *strokes beard deviously*

(I don't actually have a beard, fyi. Thought I should come clean about that fact).

I used 1/3 cup for 3 squares of chocolate bark (sold in the baking section at your grocery store)

I popped them in the micro for 1 minute. Watch closely, times vary depending on microwave.

When I took them out, they were cracked, like this:

Then, I simply smooshed them with the back of a spoon

Once well smooshed (yes, I'm all about proper terminology), stir into your melted chocolate bark.

In this version, I used white chocolate. I kinda like how they look muddy and earthy, like a real toad.

I prefer the chocolate flavor over the white, however.

Here's a tip, I think I've mentioned it before, but I'm not positive.

When using chocolate molds, try a baby spoon, they are so much easier to work with! If you don't have one, go get one, they only cost a couple bucks (they are also great for filling cupcakes)!

Then, pop into the fridge until completely set! Pop out of the molds. The end!

Look at 'em. I almost hate to eat them... almost!

While those set, you may find it necessary to remelt your chocolate mixture. I got about 24 toads from this recipe.

At first, I was skeptical about using the M&Ms, but I loved the crunch they gave these guys!

Yurmmy, yurmmy!!

This will, of course, work with any chocolate mold! The toads are quite small, so the amount it makes for you, if you are not into making slimy lil creatures to eat (and why not???) will vary depending on the size of your particular mold.

But really, give the toads some credit here.
They ARE adorable.

And delicious.

Poor toads.

Tina

*footnote: I hope you enjoyed this post! It took both time and love. If you enjoyed it, please take a second to comment or share it. Or both. Yeah, both!! If you didn't like it, please feel free NOT to tell me and make me face High School-esque rejection! Kthx.

Shared at:
Mandy's Recipe Box

Saturday, May 26, 2012

{ Cookie Dough Bites }

Cookie Dough Bites? I'm not even joking right now!!

The Bean is a cookie dough freak. Freak, I'm tellin ya.

As I alluded to in this post, there would be more cookie dough goings on on this blog.

So, here it is.

The Cookie Dough Cupcakes are Bean's favorite favorite apparently.

He begs lil a wee pup when I'm making cookies for a bite of dough. Or steals it when I'm not looking, the dirty rotten scoundrel!

So, when I found the cookie dough recipe for the cupcakes, and realized it was eggless, it seemed like the perfect fix for his obsession.

What you do, is make the exact recipe as in the cupcakes.

Egg-less Cookie Dough

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick butter, melted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar

4 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
4 Tablespoons milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup miniature chocolate chips

(original recipe by Recipe Girl)

Beat the butter and the sugars together, add the salt, soda, and vanilla. Then add the flour. Add the milk and beat until well mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips with a spatula.

Roll into balls. Should make about 24.

I used the Pampered Chef small scoop.

Place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes.

(I didn't use parchment here, and you don't HAVE to, but you'll have to pry the lil suckers off)

After freezing, melt up some chocolate. A few at a time (placing the rest back in the fridge or freezer), dip in the chocolate. Fully coat. Using a fork, remove from chocolate and tap off excess. Place on foil/parchment to dry.