Sweets for Christmas

[dexterdoglancashire]

Thanks ChrisB and Nick for the coconut ice recipes! can't wait to have a go at the weekend if poss! DDL

[yoanbob]

mm fruit sticky chew things.
tend to do this by instinct but everyone loves them. so appologies for lack of exact measures.

place a lightly oiled marble chopping board or a tray covered in foil in the fridge.

heat fruit in a tiny bit of water, till all juicy and yummy. (my fave is billberry but it works with anything.) strain through jelly bag.
put approx same wieght of sugar in pan add juice and cook till somwhere between soft crack and hard crack.

test on a cold plate.

pour onto cold board before it sets completly cut with sissors into strips about 2 cm wide, and twist them.

cover in cling film and put in a nice jar.

tie on a ribbon.
voila.

[Waffler]

Humbugs:

(makes about 450g / 1lb)

450g / 1lb granulated sugar
100g / 4oz powdered glucose
2.5ml cream of tartar
300ml water
1.25ml peppermint oil
brown food colouring

1. Lightly oil 2 baking sheets. Put sugar, glucose, water & cream of tartar in a large, heavy-based saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved, stirring continuously. Bring to the boil, without setting and boil to 143C / 290F.
2. Remove pan from heat and add the peppermint oil. pour half the syrup on to each prepared baking sheet. Add about 2.5ml brown colouring to one portion. Leave until cool enough to handle.
3. Wearing oiled rubber gloves, fold and pull each portion until they become opaque and are starting to set. Roll each one in to a long rod.
4. Lay the portions side by side and twist them together. Using scissors, cut off in 1cm lengths. If the sugar sets hard before you have finished shaping it, put the baking sheet in the oven at 130C /250F for 3-4 mins until the mixture becomes workable again. When completely cold, wrap each piece in cellophane.

[Waffler]

Rum and Raisin Fudge

(makes about 900g /2lb)

4tbsp seedless raisings
30ml rum
450g / 1lb granulated sugar
225g 8oz soft dark brown sugar
250ml single cream
30ml golden syrup

1. soak raisins in rum for about 2 hours. Just before making the fudge, oil an 18cm / 7" square tin.
2. Put the sugars, cream and syrup in a large, heavy saucepan and heat gently until the sugars have dissolved, stirring continuously. Bring to the boil and boil to 115C / 240F, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the rum and raisins. Cool a little, then beat until the mixture starts to leave a trail on itself.
4. Pour the fudge in to the prepared tin. Leave to cool. Mark in to squares as it begins to set. When completely cold and set, turn the fudge out and cut in to marked squares.

[bramble]

Oh Waffler, they sound just like my kind of sweeties. Will definitely be making them for Christmas, also the peppermint creams and the coconut ice. Thanks guys. Must go and digout my cookery books.

[Shortie]

mm fruit sticky chew things.
tend to do this by instinct but everyone loves them. so appologies for lack of exact measures.

place a lightly oiled marble chopping board or a tray covered in foil in the fridge.

heat fruit in a tiny bit of water, till all juicy and yummy. (my fave is billberry but it works with anything.) strain through jelly bag.
put approx same wieght of sugar in pan add juice and cook till somwhere between soft crack and hard crack.

test on a cold plate.

pour onto cold board before it sets completly cut with sissors into strips about 2 cm wide, and twist them.

cover in cling film and put in a nice jar.

tie on a ribbon.
voila.

Oh god I'm opening myself up to embarrassment.... what's soft an hard 'crack'?

And I don't have marble board... what else will do in the firdge, just a large ceramic one?

[kirsty b]

Hi Shortie, its something to do with consistencies of caramels and syrups. This is what I found in my book, hope it helps.

SOFT CRACK 132-142 degrees C
Drop a little syrup into iced water, remove from the water and gently stretch it between the fingers. It should form hard but elastic strands and only feel slightly sticky.

HARD CRACK 149-154 degrees C
Drop a little syrup into iced water. Remove from water. It should form brittle threads which snap easily between the fingers.

Kirsty

[OverWyreGrower]

I've got a Baileys Irish Cream Rocky Road floating round at home somewhere... very moorish!

Will dig it out tonight!

[shirley]

I do like Baileys so that really sound good. Cant wait to make it.

[Shortie]

Thanks Kirsty B!

[OverWyreGrower]

My jam thermometer (from lakeland) has hard and soft crack marked on it as well as "jam", "caramel" and some other stuff

[dexterdoglancashire]

Know its not sweets, but if you like Baileys, but have a look at "Dexterdogs chocolate cream pots" in this section - a FAB pudding! DDL

[nick the grief]

Thanks Kirsty B!

I don't know how I resisted

[kirsty b]

Your self control is commendable Nick

[yoanbob]

Hi Shortie, its something to do with consistencies of caramels and syrups. This is what I found in my book, hope it helps.

SOFT CRACK 132-142 degrees C
Drop a little syrup into iced water, remove from the water and gently stretch it between the fingers. It should form hard but elastic strands and only feel slightly sticky.

HARD CRACK 149-154 degrees C
Drop a little syrup into iced water. Remove from water. It should form brittle threads which snap easily between the fingers.

Kirsty

Oh god I'm opening myself up to embarrassment.... what's soft an hard 'crack'?

And I don't have marble board... what else will do in the firdge, just a large ceramic one?

think kirstys got it pretty much spot on there, thanks kirsty.
shortie, try covering a tray with tin foil, shiney side up, its just to stop it sticking. LIGHTLY oil it first. i tend to boil it longer than jam, test on a cold plate, when it pulls apart about 0.5cm. before breaking i pour it on the board, hope that helps