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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Christmas Candy - part 2

Today's Christmas candy making involved more of the yummy white chocolate I used yesterday. This time it was for white chocolate covered pretzels which were specifically requested by Husband. I had no idea how to make these, but I managed to fake it pretty good (at least I think so!).

First take pretzels, white chocolate, and sprinkles.
Melt chocolate for about a minute and a half in the microwave, stir until melted.

Put in a handful of pretzels, not to many or they are hard to stir up.

Pull them out with tongs, this allows some of the chocolate to drip off into the bowl.

Put the covered pretzels onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet.
Sprinkle with festive Christmas sprinkles.

Put cookie sheet in the fridge until chocolate is set.

Eat and enjoy!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Christmas Candy - Part 1

I love this time of year....buying and wrapping presents for my family, decorating the house, and all the fun Christmas baking. This year I have already made my go-to Christmas candy, Peppermint Bark, twice. Candy bark may be the easiest Christmas baking project possible, just a tiny bit more complicated than stopping at the store on the way to the party :)

Let's begin...

That is chocolate chips, white chocolate, and peppermints. I have always used Nestle white chocolate chips, but this year because I am doing so many candy projects (stay tuned for the next few days) I bought a block of Ghirardelli white chocolate and OH MY GOODNESS it has so much more flavor. I wanted to eat it all right out of the package. YUMMY!!!


Why, yes, that is a meat tenderizer, and yes, this is the only purpose I use it for. Seriously, I don't even know what to really do with it, but it works magic on hard candy.

There are several steps missing because one must work quickly with melted chocolate, but this is what you get after a while...
The chocolate is alternated and then swirled with a knife.

A few hours in the fridge, an appointment with a knife and into the cute little jar it goes.
This one is going to the in-laws!

And now for the recipe you have all been waiting for...

Peppermint Marble Bark

12 oz Chocolate chips
12 oz White Chocolate (I will be using the squares from now on)
50 peppermint candies smashed up

Melt each chocolate seperately in microwave for 1.5 minute, then stir until melted. Add 1/2 the peppermint to each bowl of chocolate. While the chocolate is still warm, spoon it onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Alternate the two colors of chocolate in small mounds. Then take a knife and drag it through the different chocolates so it looks marblized. Let cool (best done in the fridge). Cute with a sharp knife.