Here are some easy candy recipes you can make without cooking them on your stovetop. These are like the candy you will find in exquisite chocolate shops or fine expensive boxes of chocolate creams. By simply dividing the basic fondant and adding different flavorings, you can make all kinds of different chocolate creams. Hope you enjoy them all!
ALMOND NOUGAT
Nougat is a cross between Fudge and Divinity. Fudge is firmer, while Divinity is fluffier and softer. Almond Nougat has to be one of the most delicious candies I have ever eaten. Nuts.com sells individually wrapped Almond Nougat by the pound if you don't want to make it yourself. God gave me this easy-to-make recipe, and it is every bit as good as purchased Almond Nougat. Almond Nougat is expensive to purchase ready-made, but reasonable to make it at home. No stovetop cooking needed! I found the perfect Silicone Dessert Bar Pan-X70147 for forming this nougat at KitchenCollection.com. Remember that all silicone bakeware still needs to be butter sprayed before putting anything into it, whether you have to bake it or not, even the ones that say it doesn't need it. Butter spraying the pan will cause the finished product to release so much easier. This same pan is great for baking cornbread sticks, biscotti, brownie sticks, bread sticks, cheese sticks, or individual cake sticks. You can chill firm fruit gelatin in it in about four hours in the refrigerator, then slice each rectangle into bite-sized squares, and put them into clear dessert dishes for a beautiful presentation for gelatin desserts.
You can also drop this nougat by spoonsful onto parchment or waxed paper, and let them harden if you don't have the pan mentioned above. It could also be put into a butter sprayed square or rectangular pan and when firm, cut into squares or rectangles, then wrapped in plastic wrap individually.
If you prefer another kind of nuts, feel free to use them instead of almonds. Chopped pecans, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts, or pistachios work equally well in this recipe. I found the sliced almonds I used in my first batch at the local grocery store. It was a package of toasted salted sliced almonds made for topping salads, but it worked exquisitely in my Almond Nougat. The more sliced almonds you use, the better your candy will taste.
You can use Marshmallow Crème, or you can use a bag of marshmallows which are much less expensive to use. If you use marshmallows, once they are melted, add 1 Tablespoonful of any clear syrup. The classiest of nougats uses Lavender Syrup in them. Torani makes a delicious Lavender Syrup that you can mix with Light Agave Nectar to suit your taste preferences, or it could be mixed with honey if you prefer it. You can also use Torani Lavender Syrup without mixing it into agave nectar or honey. The reason you need to add syrup to the bag of melted marshmallows is because they will be dryer than the Marshmallow Crème. If you use Marshmallow Crème, it is not necessary to add the syrup.
I found that by using the larger bottom part of my Salad Spinner to combine both the bag of marshmallows and white chocolate chips, for two minutes on high in my microwave, it works great. The bottom part of my Salad Spinner looks like a gigantic plastic measuring cup. Amazingly, the melted marshmallows and white chocolate chips did not stick to it, and stirred so much easier. I added 1 Tablespoonful of a mixture I made of Torani Lavender Syrup and Light Agave Nectar. Once mixed, I folded in my almond slices. Then I used two strong serving spoons to divide the mixture into twelve equal sized butter sprayed sticks in my silicone pan. I placed it in my freezer for about half an hour to firm. I then removed all the sticks, slicing each one in half, so I got 24 pieces of nougat from one batch. You could also slice each stick into 4 equal pieces to get 48 pieces of nougat from one batch. I wrapped each piece in Glad plastic wrap. I stored them in Hefty quart freezer bags and keep them in my refrigerator to eat as I want them or to give as gifts. The more I make these candies, the better they seem to taste.
Just three or four ingredients are all you need to make approximately 2 pounds of exquisite Almond Nougat at home:
12 oz. Nestle white chocolate chips
13 oz. jar of Marshmallow Crème or 1 bag of marshmallows with 1 Tbsp. clear syrup added once melted
1 cup sliced almonds
In a large Pyrex mixing bowl place the white chocolate chips in the microwave, and melt them for one minute on high. Stir with a firm mixing spoon until smooth. Add the jar of marshmallow creme, mixing well until combined. If you use a bag of marshmallows, melt them and the white chocolate chips together for two minutes in your microwave on high, then add 1 Tablespoonful of any clear syrup you choose to them once melted, stirring until smooth. Fold in the sliced almonds until evenly mixed into the nougat. Butter spray this silicone baking pan or something similar to it. Using two firm Tablespoons to work with, because the mixture is very thick, place two Tablespoonsful of the almond nougat mixture into each of the twelve rectangular areas. Place the silicone bakeware in the freezer until the nougat has formed rectangles. It doesn't take very long to do this, maybe half an hour. One at a time, carefully remove each rectangle by pushing it up from the bottom to the top, then slice each one in the center to make two equal pieces, and wrap each piece in clear Glad plastic wrap. Keep your delicious wrapped candy labeled and stored in the refrigerator for a soft nougat or in the freezer if you want a harder nougat, in a plastic Hefty freezer bag to enjoy as you want. If you want to give it as an exquisite gift, find a lovely gold box to hold one or two pieces of the individually wrapped nougat. It would sell for at least $10. per piece, size 1 inch by 2 inches. Consider including the recipe on an index card as a part of the gift.
Make CHERRY NOUGAT by using a jar of chopped up cherries that are completely drained of all juice. Pat them dry with white paper towels once they are chopped up. Use them instead of nuts in this same recipe.
Easy DIVINITY could be made from the same recipe, but add 3 Tablespoons of clear syrup to the recipe.
Easy FUDGE recipes are also on this same website.
SUGAR-FREE OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE DROPS
2 bricks softened cream cheese
2 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup Splenda
Mix these ingredients, and form small balls. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, and let them chill for half an hour.
Melt one 12 oz. package chocolate chips or mint chocolate chips and 1/3 cup vegetable oil in the microwave at 60 second intervals, stirring well each time. It shouldn't take over 90 seconds to melt on high. Dip each ball into the melted chocolate and coat each one thoroughly. Place each chocolate coated ball on a parchment lined cookie sheet and chill until chocolate has hardened. Do not let any of these candies touch each other before they harden or they will stick to each other. Serve as desired. Keep stored in the refrigerator in plastic zippered bags. Makes about three dozen chocolate drops.
To make regular OLD FASHIONED CHOCOLATE DROPS, just use a cup of powdered sugar instead of the Splenda in the above recipe.
EASY CANDY CREAMS
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 cup butter
1 Tbsp. corn syrup
2 Tbsp. any extract (suggestions: cherry, vanilla, strawberry, lemon, orange, lime, grapefruit, pineapple, maple, raspberry, coconut, lavender, banana, apple, passionfruit, blueberry, peach, mango, kiwi, or (use only a few drops of mint or cinnamon as they are very powerful flavors)
6 lbs. or 12 cups powdered sugar
food coloring
4 pkg. melted chocolate chips for dipping finished candy mixed with 2/3 cup Crisco shortening, mixed together until melted and smooth and heated in microwave.
Mix milk, butter, corn syrup, and extract together. If you want to make a lot of different flavors, mix everything up first then divide into smaller portions in separate bowls and add your extract to each portion as desired. For small quantities just add 1 tsp. extract and a few drops food coloring to match the flavor. Blend in powdered sugar until it is a dough-like consistency. This creates the basic fondant.
If you want nuts in it, such as Maple Nut Creams, work them into the dough and use maple extract.
Chill for one hour.
Roll out balls of candy and dip each one with a candy fork into the hot melted chocolate mixture. Place each on waxed paper to harden. When hard, place on a candy paper and in a pretty covered box or place in bags.
Give as gifts or enjoy them in your own family.
To make CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES, use cherry extract, no food coloring, and flatten each ball of fondant into a circle, then place a large cherry in the center and close the circle around the cherry so it is completely covered by the fondant. Dip in melted chocolate, and place on waxed paper to harden. When hard, place these cherries in the refrigerator for at least seven days before eating to cure or the centers will be dry. The longer they cure the more liquid will be in the center of the candy. Place in boxes and give as gifts or eat them in your own family.
To make TRUFFLES, use sweet cocoa powder mixed into the candy dough above. Use 1/2 cup sweet cocoa powder, more or less to suit taste. Roll the balls in more of the sweet cocoa powder, then dip in the melted chocolate.
You can make TRUFFLES easy by melting 16 oz. candy melts and 1/2 cup heavy cream and stirring until shiny and smooth. Add 1 Tbsp. any flavoring you want and mix well. Place in the refrigerator until firm. Use a melon baller small end to make small balls or the larger end to make larger ones for Bon Bons. You can chill the balls until firm then roll them in either powdered sugar, powdered cocoa either sweetened or unsweetened, Jimmies, or crushed nuts.
To make TURTLES, lay out a design of 6 pecan halves in the shape of a turtle, one for the head, four for the feet, and one for its tail. Place on a microwavable plate that has been sprayed with butter spray.
Melt two or three caramels over each of the turtles in the microwave. Make sure the caramel covers the entire turtle candy piece. Let it cool. Remove from the plate carefully and dip in melted chocolate. Lay each turtle on waxed paper to harden. When done they can be boxed and given as gifts or eaten by you and yours.
To make CHOCOLATE COVERED NUTS - Just dip whole large nuts such as pecan halves, walnut halves, whole almonds, whole cashews or whole Brazil nuts in melted Chocolate Candy Melts and lay on waxed paper to harden. Once hard, dip in chocolate again and place on waxed paper. When hard, place in candy wrappers and put in boxes and give as gifts or eat them yourself.
To make PEANUT BUTTER CUPS, just mix in 1/2 cup peanut butter to the basic fondant. Use paper muffin cups to put some melted chocolate in bottom, then put the peanut butter fondant in the center and cover with more melted chocolate. Let harden and remove the paper from the candy. Keep chilled until time to serve.
To make CHOCOLATE CRUNCH BARS, use any leftover melted chocolate and add some rice krispies or grape nuts cereals to it and stir well. Pour out onto waxed paper into a thin layer. Score with a knife, let harden, then separate pieces. Keep chilled until time to serve.
To make HAYSTACKS, you can also mix any leftover melted chocolate with Chinese noodles and stir to coat well. Drop by teaspoonsful onto waxed paper and let harden.
You could also mix in some chopped nuts to any leftover melted chocolate and pour into a pan and let harden to make some Fudge.
CHOCOLATE FUDGE, WHITE CHOCOLATE FUDGE, OR PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
One of the easiest, fastest ways to make Fudge is melt 2 bags chocolate chips or white chocolate chips or peanut butter chips with 1 can Eagle Brand milk in the microwave. Stir until smooth and mix in 1 cup chopped nuts. If you want a particular flavor you can mix in 1 tsp. extract.
Pour into a buttered square pan, and chill until hardened. Cut into squares and serve.
Here is another easy recipe for Candy Creams but this one has cream cheese in it. Still no stovetop cooking needed.
CREAM CHEESE CREAMS
3 oz. cream cheese
4 drops food coloring
1 tsp. flavoring
1 Tbsp. milk
1 lb. powdered sugar
Mix with hands until smooth. Roll into balls about size of a walnut. Dip into melted chocolate chips and place on waxed paper to harden.
WEDDING MINTS
1 can Eagle Brand milk
1 cup butter
1 Tbsp. corn syrup
1/2 tsp. mint extract (more or less to suit taste - mint is very powerful)
food coloring to match wedding colors
6 lbs. powdered sugar or 12 cups
Mix together until smooth and it is a dough-like consistency. Take pieces of the dough, and roll them out into long thin ropes. Slice mints about the size of a bean, and let them air dry to harden on waxed paper.
You can roll the ropes of fondant as thick or thin as you choose or make your slices as thin or thick as you choose. They could also be dipped in melted chocolate and placed on waxed paper to harden if you want them coated with chocolate.
You could also roll out the fondant and use a soft drink bottle cap or a doughnut hole cutter to cut out your mints or a small biscuit cutter or doughnut cutter to make larger ones, and again dip them into melted chocolate and let them harden on waxed paper. Chill the fondant before dipping mints into the melted chocolate for stability.
CREAM CHEESE WEDDING MINTS
4 oz. cream cheese
1/2 tsp. mint flavoring
3-1/3 cups powdered sugar
food coloring as desired
Mix cream cheese, flavoring, and food coloring. Add sugar and knead until the consistency of pie dough. Add more sugar if necessary. Roll into balls the size of marbles, dip one side in granulated sugar. Press sugar side down into candy mold. Unmold at once on waxed paper. Makes 46 roses or leaves.
Or you could roll out thin long ropes of this mixture, (having used food coloring in it to match your wedding colors), and slice bean-sized mints and let them air dry on waxed paper.
You can also add 6 tsp. sweet cocoa and 1 tsp. vanilla for chocolate candy.
CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINTS
2 lbs. powdered sugar
8 ounces cream cheese
1 tsp. peppermint extract
12 oz. chocolate chips
Blend the powdered sugar and cream cheese and peppermint extract (1/2 tsp. at a time until you get the right taste) until well-mixed. It will be thick.
Roll out the fondant until it is as thick as you want the mints to be. Cut out circles with soda drink caps, or use a small biscuit cutter for larger ones.
Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring until smooth.
Dip the mints in the melted chocolate with a candy fork. Place the dipped mints on waxed paper on a cookie sheet. After you have a full sheet, place the cookie sheet of mints in the freezer until frozen and then package them into containers and freeze.
You could use different extracts and make any flavor mints you like.
IRISH POTATO CANDY
Mash one cooked potato and add 1 box powdered sugar until of a dough-like consistency. Roll out into a rectangle. Spread chunky peanut butter over the top. Cut it down the middle to make two long pieces. Roll each piece up like a jelly roll so you have two long thin logs. Wrap each log in waxed paper and chill until you get ready to eat them. Slice off 1/2 inch pieces to serve. Keep refrigerated.
GRAPE-NUTS CHOCOLATE DROPS
2 pkg. chocolate chips
14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup Grape-Nuts cereal
1 tsp. vanilla
Melt chocolate in microwave. Stir until smooth; add milk. Blend. Add Grape-Nuts and vanilla. Drop from teaspoons onto waxed paper. Cool until firm. Makes about 5 dozen candies.
$100,000.00 BONBONS
14 oz. Caramel Bits
3 Tbsp. water
1 cup your choice of chopped nuts
2 cups Rice Krispies
24 oz. chocolate chips
1-1/2 tsp. Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
Line two cookie sheets with waxed paper, then butter-spray the waxed paper.
Place the Caramel Bits and water in a large pot over low heat stirring until melted and smooth.
Add the nuts and Rice Krispies making sure you coat everything well. Use a small cookie scoop and scoop bite-sized rounds of this mixture onto the butter-sprayed waxed paper. Let these chill for ten minutes.
Melt the chocolate chips and extra-virgin coconut oil stirring until smooth. Dip each BonBon in the melted chocolate, and place back onto the butter-sprayed waxed paper cookie sheets. Let chill until firm. Remove the treats, and store them in a covered container.
You can vary this recipe by changing the nuts and flavors of chocolate chips used, or by adding various extracts, like cinnamon, orange, or peppermint. These make excellent gifts at any time of the year, and they will disappear fast when served.
TIGER BUTTER
Melt 2 lbs. White Candy Melts and 1 cup creamy peanut butter. Mix until smooth.
Pour into a square pan. Melt 1/2 lb. Milk Chocolate Candy Melts and drizzle over the top. Swirl this into the other mixture like stripes on a tiger. Chill for 20 minutes. Cut into bars.
ORANGE GUM DROPS
Mix 1 pkg. fruit pectin, 3/4 cup water, and 1/2 tsp. baking soda in a saucepan. This will foam up.
In another saucepan combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup light corn syrup. Cook both pans over high heat for 5 minutes. Pour fruit pectin mixture into other pan and stir until well mixed. Boil for 1 more minute. Stir in 1 Tbsp. orange extract, and some orange food coloring paste. Pour into a butter sprayed pan and let cool for 3 hours. Do NOT chill. Either cut into tiny squares, or cut out shapes with small cookie cutters, then roll each piece in regular sugar. Makes 20 oz. candy.
You can vary the flavors by adding a different extract and food coloring paste.
CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES
2 boxes powdered sugar
1 stick butter
1 can sweet condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 large jar maraschino cherries (with stems)
1 lb. chocolate chips
Cream sugar, butter, milk and vanilla. Chill in the refrigerator overnight. Drain cherries and blot with paper towels. Roll cream mixture into silver dollar sized balls. Flatten each ball in your hand and put one cherry in the center and cover it completely. Do all the cherries this way then place them in the freezer for awhile. Melt chocolate in microwave on high one minute at a time then stir until melted and smooth. Dip cherries in the melted chocolate and place them on waxed paper to harden. Let candy set one week in a sealed container in your refrigerator before eating to let them cure.
NUTELLA PEANUT BUTTER BALLS
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup Nutella Spread
1 cup honey
2 cups nonfat powdered milk
1-1/2 cups chopped hazlenuts
1-1/2 cups crushed cornflakes
Mix peanut butter, Nutella, honey, nuts, and powdered milk together in a bowl to form a very thick mixture. Roll mixture into bite-sized balls and then each ball in the crushed cornflakes. Place balls on a waxed paper covered cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
CHOCOLATE RAISIN OATMEAL PECAN CANDY
1 stick margarine
2 cups Splenda
1 cup milk
1 cup cocoa
3 cups Quaker Oats
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
In a large saucepan, combine margarine, Splenda, milk, and cocoa. Bring to a boil over medium heat, while stirring frequently. Continue boiling for another 3 minutes, while stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in oats, raisins, and nuts. Drop by spoonsful onto waxed paper. Let candy set until firm. Store in a tightly covered container. Makes approximately 3 dozen pieces of candy.
ORANGE, LEMON, OR LIME COOLERS
8 oz. Orange Candy Melts
16 drops LorAnn Orange Oil
8 oz. Yellow Candy Melts
16 drops LorAnn Lemon Oil
8 oz. Green Candy Melts
16 drops LorAnn Lime Oil
12 oz. box vanilla wafers
In your microwave melt the Orange Candy Melts in a bowl, then add the LorAnn Orange Oil, stirring well. Coat a third of the vanilla wafers in the mixture, and set them on parchment paper to harden.
In your microwave melt the Yellow Candy Melts in a bowl, then add the LorAnn Lemon Oil, stirring well. Coat a third of the vanilla wafers in the mixture, and set them on parchment paper to harden.
In your microwave melt the Green Candy Melts in a bowl, then add the LorAnn Lime Oil then dip the remaining vanilla wafers in it, and set them on parchment paper to harden. Enjoy these no bake cookies!
You could also use Pink or Red Candy Melts and LorAnn Strawberry Oil to make Strawberry Coolers with the vanilla wafers.
This would also make a good version of the Girl Scout Mint Cookies too by using Chocolate Candy Melts and LorAnn Peppermint Oil and the vanilla wafers.
You could do the same using Ritz Crackers but make Mint Cookies by melting chocolate wafers then adding mint oil to the mix. Dip each cracker in the mint mixture, and let it set on parchment paper to harden.
