Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This confection is private stock, served only to BFF's or shared with my daughters as we sip pear brandy and talk late into the night. While not quite as good as the Ferrero Rocher chocolates after which they're patterned, I must say, with all due modesty and a drum roll or two, that these are PDG. They are also embarrassingly easy to assemble and for that reason I make them throughout the year. The truffles take about 30 minutes to prepare, but the chocolate mixture used to form them must be chilled before they can be shaped, so, despite ease of preparation, you'll have to build wait time into your game plan. I found the recipe on the Taste of Home website several years ago and I've made no changes to it, save for altering the time the chocolate must be refrigerated. I've found that the overnight chill suggested in the recipe produces an unworkable mass that must sit for an hour before the truffles can be shaped. A three hour chill is all that's really need. I am currently using milk chocolate candy bars to make these, but come the first of the year I want to make these using Nutella. I like the thought of triple hazelnut truffles. I hope you'll give these a try. They really are delicious. Here's the recipe.

Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Debra Pedrazzi and Taste of Home magazine

Ingredients:
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
4 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55-oz. each)
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
24 whole hazelnuts
1 cup very finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted

Directions:
1) In a large bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar and cocoa; set aside. In a saucepan, melt candy bars and butter. Add the cream and reserved cocoa mixture. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and smooth. Pour into an 8-in. square dish. Cover and refrigerate for about 3 hours or overnight.
2) Using a melon baller or spoon, shape candy into 1-in. balls; press a hazelnut into each. Reshape balls and roll in ground hazelnuts. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator. Yield: 2 dozen.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Easy and Festive Peppermint Bark Candy - Sugar and Spice
Candy Cane Fudge - What's Cookin Chicago?
Dark Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Cups - Verses from My Kitchen
Honey Cream Caramels - Eat Good 4 Life
Peanut Butter Fudge - Brown Eyed Baker
Chocolate Covered Toffee - Petit Foodie
Rocky Road Fudge Candy - Baking and Boys
Easy Chocolate Turtles - Culinary Cory

An Assortment of Christmas Confections - Pink Saturday

With Christmas just a week a way, those of us who contribute to Pink Saturday were asked to share a favorite carol with our readers. I am especially fond of Art Garfunkel's lovely arrangement of "O Come All Ye Faithful." I hope you will enjoy it, too.





I suspect that most of you are finished with your holiday baking or know exactly which sweets and treats remain to be done. On the off chance that you still need an idea or two, I'm including recipes that are or have, in the past, been part of our Christmas celebration. These are confections that don't fit neatly into other categories. They are all lovely recipes and I'm delighted to share them with you.






Candied Walnuts












Southern Nut Cake













Forget-Me-Not Fudge













Christmas Pudding













Pink Peppermint Patties













Baby Jesus Birthday Cake













Candied Orange and Lemon Peel













Kris Kringle Ginger Cakes













White Chocolate Truffles












Caramel Corn







This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Cinnamon Candy Apples - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's hard to imagine a fall harvest without candied apples. While caramel apples have become more popular, the cinnamon variety predates them by 50 years. Candied apples were created at the turn of the 20th century by William Kolb, a New Jersey candy maker. He made them to use as part of his Christmas display and they rapidly became popular with his customers. His approach was simple. He dipped apples into a candy made from sugar, corn syrup, red dye and cinnamon oil. As the candy hardened it formed a glistening shell around the apple and the candied apple as we know it was born. The apples are still prepared in this way. If you are comfortable working with a candy thermometer you'll find these easy to make. There are, however, a few pitfalls that you want to avoid. For openers, make sure your apples are wax free. Since this is not a recipe that can be tasted as it cooks, be generous with the amount of flavoring you use up front. You should be able to find bottled cinnamon flavoring in the spice aisle of major grocery chains. It can also be ordered online. Make sure you use a pot that is deep enough to allow dipping the apples and that sticks inserted into the apples are strong enough to hold them. If the syrup becomes too thick don't be afraid to reheat it and when you're finished dipping, make sure you put the apples down on a buttered baking sheet or parchment paper. Wax paper will melt. Finally, these are best eaten within 24 hours of making. Their appearance begins to deteriorate after that. This recipe will make enough syrup to coat 12 small apples. It may be doubled. Here's the recipe.

Cinnamon Candy Apples...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Paula Deen

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1/2 cup corn syrup
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon flavoring
1 teaspoon red coloring
1 dozen wooden craft sticks
1 dozen small firm apples

Directions:
Boil water, syrup, and sugar together until a brown caramel color is reached (at about 250 degrees F on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat and add cinnamon and red coloring. Cool slightly. Meanwhile force a stick into the core of each apple. Dip apples 1 at a time into heavy red syrup, drain well, and place on a buttered baking sheet or parchment paper to cool. Yield: 12 small candied apples.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Caramel Corn - Chasing Delicious
Making Candy in the Spirit of Halloween - The Food Addicts
Mummy Munch - Picky Palate
Caramel Apples - Annie Eats
Candy Compost Bars - Sugar Plum
Cakespy: Homemade Candy Corn - Serious Eats

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Candied Walnuts

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I make it a point to keep a supply of candied walnuts and pecans in the pantry. I use them often enough to warrant making them in quantity and that, coincidentally, allows me to avoid the expense of the commercial variety that I favor. We don't eat these out of hand, but I do use them in salads and to top certain of the desserts we enjoy. Years ago, Bob and I fell in love with a French salad of watercress and endive that is lightly dressed with vinaigrette and tossed with candied walnuts. We have the salad at least once a week and I've convinced myself that it is not an extravagance as long as I make the nuts myself. My stash allows me to overlook the outrageous cost of Belgian endive and watercress. Foolish I know, but we all have grand deceptions we visit upon ourselves. This happens to be one of mine. I have several recipes for candied nuts and the one I'm sharing tonight is the one my family most enjoys. Regular readers know that I have a great deal of faith in the test kitchens of some commercial ventures. I've had exceptionally good luck with the recipes that come from the Diamond Walnut test kitchen. Let me immediately interject that mine is an unsolicited and unpaid observation. I am in no way affiliated with these people and am merely sharing personal observations and experience. If you have a need for candied nut meats and are comfortable using a candy thermometer, I think you'll love this recipe. The nuts can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks. Here's how they are made.


Candied Walnuts...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Diamond Walnut test kitchen

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups walnut halves or large pieces

Directions:
Boil sugar, salt, honey and water together, stirring often to 242 degrees F on a candy thermometer (firm, soft ball stage). Remove from heat and add vanilla and walnuts. Stir until creamy. Turn out on waxed paper; separate walnuts, using two forks.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Candied Walnuts - 400 Calories or Less
Roasted Walnuts with Rosemary - The Dog's Breakfast
Orange Glazed Walnuts - Meals 4 Moms
Candied Walnuts - Delicieux
Walnut Brittle with Orange Zest and Sea Salt - Eat Real
Maple-Rosemary Glazed Walnuts - Pinch My Salt
Maple Syrup Candied Walnuts - The Family Kitchen

Forget Me Not Fudge - Foodie Friday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a really simple recipe and because candy is such an integral part of our Valentine's Day celebrations, I thought this would be the perfect time for this delicious spiked fudge to make its debut. The recipe uses just six ingredients and consistently produces a rich, smooth fudge that's never grainy. The recipe was developed by Maker's Mark Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey. If you prefer, you can substitute one teaspoon of vanilla extract for the small amount of bourbon used in the recipe. If you're looking for a chocolate confection to make for someone special, look no further. Once you've assembled the ingredients, you'll need about 10 minutes to make the fudge. It's necessary to keep it in a cool spot for 6 to 8 hours to set before cutting. This recipe makes a lot of fudge, so round up friends to share it with or cut the recipe in half. Here's how the fudge is made.

Forget Me Not Fudge...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from a recipe by Maker's Mark

Ingredients:
4-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 (13-oz.) can evaporated milk
9-oz. bittersweet chocolate morsels
9-oz. semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1/2 pound butter, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon Kentucky bourbon
2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Directions:
1) Combine sugar and evaporated milk in a large (4-quart) saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate heat. Boil for exactly 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.
2) Add chocolate morsels, butter, bourbon and pecans. Mix well with a wooden spoon.
3) Pour into a well-greased 9 x 13-inch pan. Smooth top. Allow to set in a cool place for 6 to 8 hours. Cut into 1 x 1-inch squares.

You might also enjoy:

Candied Orange and Lemon Peel
Pink Peppermint Patties
White Chocolate Truffles

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

Pink Peppermint Patties - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...We've been asked to include a favorite ornament in our post today. Mine needs a little explanation. When my parents died, I became the keeper of the things no one else wanted. Tucked among them was the Christmas angel that topped our tree throughout my childhood. Though her age was apparent I couldn't bare to get rid of her, so I used her on our tree for another 30 years. I had intended at some point to replace her, but the angels that came my way were glitzy and not at all like the ones I associated with the manger in Bethlehem. When we sold the big house and moved West she was one of the few ornaments we brought with us. As fate would have it, the van in which our things were moved had a leak and my Christmas angel never saw another holiday. She was damaged beyond repair. I wasn't aware of that until we went to put up our tree on Christmas Eve. My angel had disintegrated. We dashed to a craft store for a replacement, only to find there wasn't a lot left. I saw a large white dove and grabbed it, thinking I'd replace it the following Christmas. Bob dubbed the dove the "pigeon of peace" and she gained such renown within the family that that we never let her go. My eyes at Christmas are always clouded by sentiment, so I hope you'll forgive me if I call her beautiful - almost as lovely as the angel of my childhood.

Today's recipe is a holiday version of peppermint patties. They are very easy to do and a little different from most of the homemade candies associated with Christmas. If you keep the candy base cold you'll have no problems making these. I think you'll enjoy them. Here's the recipe.

Pink Peppermint Patties...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil (do not use peppermint extract)
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons evaporated milk + more as required
1 or 2 drops red food coloring
Chocolate Coating:
9 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon shortening

Directions:
1) To make peppermint patties: Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil, smoothing out any wrinkles from foil. Lightly dust foil with confectioners' sugar. Combine sugar, butter, peppermint oil, vanilla extract, evaporated milk and 1 or 2 drops of food coloring in a bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add additional evaporated milk by drops if needed to achieve a creamy texture. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm enough to be rolled into balls, about 1 hour. Roll dough into 24 1-inch balls and place on prepared pan. Flatten each ball until patties are about 1-1/2 inches in diameter and 1/3 inch thick. Cover and place in the refrigerator until patties are firm, about 1 hour.
2) To make chocolate coating: Melt chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl placed over simmering water. Remove patties from refrigerator and dip, one at a time, into melted chocolate coating both sides of patties with chocolate.olate
Coating: Melt the chocolate and shortening in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove patties from refrigerator and dip, one patty at a time, into melted chocolate, making sure both sides of each patty are completely coated with chocolate. Return to cookie sheet. Once all patties have been dipped in chocolate, return to refrigerator and chill until firm, about 1 hour. Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to one month. Yield: 24 small patties.

Recipe adapted from Joy of Baking.com


This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound

White Chocolate Truffles

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...These truffles have been on my "must try" list for ages. I've had no time to test them, so the recipe sat in a folder where it was beginning to yellow with age. I finally got to them last night and I'm delighted to tell you they are fabulous. I'm not an experienced candy maker. Fudge made with marshmallow cream has been my only other excursion into the realm of candy making. I can now add truffles to my list. These are really easy to make and I hope, with a bit more practice, I'll be able to make them as pretty as they are delicious. They should be served cold. If you're fond of white chocolate, you'll love these.

White Chocolate Truffles...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
7 tablespoons heavy cream, divided use
12-ounces good quality white chocolate chips, divided use
1 tablespoon orange liqueur

Directions:
1) Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2) Place butter and 5 tablespoons cream in a 1-quart saucepan; slowly bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Add 8-ounces of chocolate chips to cream. Stir until melted. Stir in orange liqueur.
3) Pour mixture onto prepared pan and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until firm.
4) Use a knife to score chocolate into 20 approximately equal pieces. Roll each piece into a small ball. If mixture becomes too sticky to roll, chill for a few minutes before proceeding. Transfer balls to freezer for 1 hour.
5) Melt reserved 4-ounces of white chocolate with 2 tablespoons cream. Dip balls in melted chocolate. Place on nonstick paper and quickly swirl top with a fork. Let harden. Serve cold. Yield: 20 truffles.