Homemade Candy, a Christmas Tradition

 At Christmastime, in our household, it is a tradition to make at least one kind of candy.  Oh the deliciousness of homemade candy!  We eat some (of course!) and we give some away, wrapped festively.  Over Thanksgiving, my daughter, her boyfriend, and I made this delicious brittle.  Sadly, it is all long gone.  So we will have to make more to give away.
 

This is how it looks at just before 250 degrees.  This process takes a while, so be patient.

Now it's ready! 

INGREDIENTS

4 C chopped nuts

1 C butter, cut in slices

1/4 C water

1 C brown sugar

2 C white sugar

1/2 t baking soda

2 t pure vanilla extract

10 oz chocolate (your choice)

Pan is off the fire.  Adding the soda and vanilla.





Roast nuts in oven @ 350.  Chop. 

Cover a long pan with wax paper or parchment paper.  Spread 1/2 the roasted nuts on the pan.  (We made half the pan almond, half pecan.)                                                                                           In a saucepan, mix together sugars and water.   Add butter.  Stir.

Slowly (on medium ), heat to almost 300 degrees.   Do not stir.
When this temperature is attained, remove pan from heat.  Stir in baking soda and vanilla.  Pour over nuts and spread with heat resistant spartula.  (see photo below.)

Now carefully spread the chocolate on top.  We used bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped, and semi sweet chocolate chips.  Us the spatula to spread evenly.

See how the chocolate melts?

Now spread the rest of the nuts on top and press them in a little.

WAIT!  Oh, this is the hard part!  You can hasten the cooling process by putting the pan in the freezer.

YUM!  We made our own maple syrup ice cream and mixed in some of the finely chopped candy.  Garnish the top with more candy, voila, nirvana!

Ice cream ingredients:  2 C heavy whipping cream, 2 C whole milk, 3/4 C pure maple syrup  (That's all!)   Process in ice cream maker.   


This post is for the etsy bloggers' carnival,  hosted this time by Erika of Nico Designs.
THIS is where Erika blogs and where the carnival will be published on Monday, December 7.   
And here,  in her SHOP, is where you'll find her wonderful creations!

photos by me © 2009