Category Archives: Candies and Confections

chocolate almond toffee bars

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Chocolate Covered Almond Toffee Bark

It seems that I inherited my sweet tooth from my Dad. Like me, he favors quick breads, cookies, and candies, and, like me, he also loves chocolate. When I saw this recipe for Chocolate Almond Toffee Bars, I knew it was the perfect treat to make for him.  I got my opportunity last weekend when we had a family gathering. I made sure there would be some extra pieces for my Dad to take home. What I didn’t expect was that he would have some competition for the leftovers…from my nephew, who proclaimed that all the leftover bars were his. I had to be the peacemaker and divide up the remaining pieces equally. It appears that a sweet tooth runs in my family. Note to self: Make a double batch for Christmas morning so Dad and little nephew could have as much as they want.

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candies and confections: passion fruit and vanilla bean pâté de fruit

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Hi, my name is Daisy, and I am a sugarholic!

My lastest sweet obsession is pâté de fruit, or French fruit jellies, which are soft and chewy fruit-flavored candies rolled in sugar.  Pâté de fruit are made from pureéd fruit which is cooked down with sugar and pectin to a thick “jammy” consistency. Then, the cooked fruit paste is poured into a pan, cooled, and cut into shapes before being rolled in sugar. Alternatively, the cooked mixture can be poured into silicone molds to make individually-shaped candies. Continue reading →

candies and confections – part 2: moulded chocolates

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The inspiration for these home-made chocolates came from the caramels I found at Fran’s Chocolates in Seattle.  I discovered Fran Bigelow’s shop when I lived there years ago.  Her Smoked Sea Salt Caramels, soft and chewy caramels covered in dark chocolate and sprinkled with smoked sea salt, have been a favorite of mine ever since. Continue reading →

candies and confections – part 1: salted butter caramels

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For someone with a such a sweet tooth, I am actually a little surprised that I don’t make candies and chocolates more often. Well, since Chris and I had such a great time making these caramels, that’s about to change.  It was surprisingly simple to make, with one caveat: extra care is needed when cooking a sugar/cream mixture. It is lava-like and will stick to any exposed flesh if splattered, causing a nasty burn.  That’s why I always have a big bowl of ice water nearby for emergencies.

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