Homemade Twix Bars

Another year of baking is over.  I had 24 items on my list to make this season and even around the relocation to the new state and all the unexpected repairs and things breaking down in the new house, I managed to pull off all but 6 of them.  I chose most of those six to forgo as they were similar to something else I made already (such as not making the Russian Tea Cakes as I had already made Peppermint Tea Cakes.  Or not making the stars and tree's sugar cookies as I already had the snowflake sugar cookie.)

A couple of the candy recipes are so incredibly quick and easy, I'm sure more people would make them if they knew how simple it was.  These are things like the candy dipped pretzels, toffee, and of course, the homemade Twix Bars. As a matter of fact, I'm adding the Twix 'recipe' to this post.  It happens to be one of the very very few candy bars I'll ever eat (remember, I'm not a fan of chocolate).

Twix Candy Bars

35 caramels - unwrapped
2 12-oz. bags milk chocolate chips
1/4 c water
1 box (about 40) Nabisco Lorna Doon Shortbread cookies (square) or Walkers shortbread (long stick)

Combine the caramels with the water in a small pan and melt over low heat.  Place the shortbread cookies side by side on an ungreased or lined cookie sheet.  Spoon a dab of the melted caramel on the cookie.  Place all cookies in the refrigerator until firm.  Melt the chocolate chips in a double broiler or in the microwave.  Remove cookies from the refrigerator and dip each one into the melted chocolate.  Tap off excess and place on wax paper.  Let them set up at room temperature - can take up to several hours depending on the heat and humidity of your home.

 

 

 

 

Jicama Salad

Pachyrhizus erosu.  It sounds rather exotic and strange, but most of know it by it's other name; Jicama.  The sorta-sweet vegetable that looks like a white turnip and tastes more like an.... apple?  Green beans?  Sugar Peas?  Yeah.  That.

I didn't 'discover' jicama's until I had a strange white, crunchy 'something' in a salad at a restaurant and later when I finally bought them myself, realized this is what I had.  I loved them.   Although I don't have them on hand all the time, I use them quite a bit when my husband and I do a cleansing 'low carb' way of eating.  They are so delicious and versatile. 



Jicama Salad 
For each person eating have this approximate amount of ingredients per person;

2 cups ripped romaine lettuce pieces
1/4 c jicama sticks, peeled and cut into match-stick-size pieces or diced
1/4 c halved red seedless grapes
1/2 c fully cooked diced or cubed chicken
2 T cashew pieces
2 T red wine vinaigrette salad dressing

Combine all ingredients but the dressing and when ready to serve, pour red wine vinaigrette salad dressing evenly over salad ingredients.

Cherry Pop Tarts

The month of December is always expected to be a little hectic and crazy but with our move 1000 miles across the country, getting ready for Christmas and preparing for my college kids to come home, I didn't get a recipe made that I was so excited to make;  Mini Pop Tarts!  I saw this on Pinterest and saved it in my files knowing these would not only be a hit with my three kids, but I love cherry Pop-Tarts as well and making them homemade would be not only fun, but a healthier alternative to the chemicals and preservatives in the store bought kind!

Alas, time got away from me, the rest of the week is jam packed before my kids fly off to various parts of the United States, and I know I won't get to make these until next month.  Nevertheless, here is the recipe from Pinterest for my files.... and a determination to get these made as soon as life slows down a little in the new year!


Mini Pop tarts

1 c fresh cherries, pitted and diced
3 T sugar
2 T cornstarch
2 T water
1/2 t almond extract
1 pkg pie crusts


Glaze
1 c powdered sugar
1-2 T milk
1/2 t vanilla
food coloring and sprinkles

In a small saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch and almond extract.  Cook over medium heat until thickened. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool. Unroll pie crusts and using a pizza cutter, slice them into 1 1/2″x 2″ rectangles.

Place a wooden Popsicle stick on top of one of the cut rectangles, then spoon a heaping teaspoon of cooled cherry filling into the center of the pie square, leaving a border around the edges. Gently lay a second rectangle over the top of the cherry filling. Press the edges of the rectangles together with a fork to seal. Transfer to a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes, or just until the edges begin to brown.

In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to make glaze. Tint with food coloring, if desired. Spoon over cooled pop-tart pops, sprinkle with colored sugar, and allow to the glaze to harden slightly before serving.

Our Swedish Christmas Tradition: Rosettes

Christmas celebrations usually involve traditions.  One of the traditions from the Swedish side of my family that I have carried on to my family as well is the making of the Rosette's each Christmas.

A crispy, light, fried pastry, sprinkled with sugar crystals or confectioner's sugar; it's a flaky dessert cookie that I have to say is probably my first or second favorite at the holidays.  While I shun most desserts and don't care for chocolate, this is one 'cookie' I can and will eat.... it's my kryptonite of the goodie tray!

You must have a rosette/timbale set to make these.  Available for about $15 and you can get it on Amazon if you don't have a kitchen store near you.

Because I make these every year, I've posted this recipe previously on my website, back in 2007. Why reinvent the wheel?  Here is my post from 2007, which I'll be making this morning....  will you join me?

Rosettes

2 eggs
1 t sugar
1/4 t salt
1/2 t vanilla
1 c milk
1 c flour

Break eggs into a bowl, add sugar, salt, vanilla, milk and flour. Beat briefly just until smooth. Do not overbeat! Too much beating makes your rosettes blistered and tough.

Have hot oil, lard or shortening in a pan on the stove heating. Leave the rosette iron in the hot oil for several minutes while you make the batter. Dip the hot iron into the batter being careful not to let the batter come up over the edge of the iron. Dip just about 4/5th of the way up the iron. Immediately place the iron/batter into the hot oil. Hold the iron in place and cook the rosette until it's golden brown and crisp. The temperature of the oil is perfect when it takes about 25-30 seconds for the rosette to cook. Too fast and it burns, too cool and it will be soggy and greasy. Use a fork to shake the rosette off the iron and onto a paper towel lined rack. When they are cool sprinkle with powdered sugar. These can be frozen. This recipe will make about 40.

• If they do not come off the iron they were not fried long enough or you let the batter come up over the edge of the iron.
• If they are blistered and thick, you have beaten the eggs too much.
• If the rosettes drop off in the hot oil the iron is not deep enough in the oil.
• If they are not crisp they have been fried too fast or the oil was not hot enough.

Heat the iron in the oil while you mix the batter

You must have a rosette set to make these.

Don't dip the batter up over the edge of the iron so they will slide off after frying.

Drain on paper towels

Sprinkle with powdered sugar for a delicious treat!

Cut Out Christmas Cookies (edited to add the frosting I used)

I'm about half way done with holiday baking - about 11 (?) items made so far.   Yesterday I finished decorating the sugar cookies (snowflakes pictured above) and the cake balls.  I have numerous cookies, English Toffee and another candy to make yet but today?  Today would be perfect for baking but I'm soooo tired.  Literally.  I'm procrastinating against doing, well, pretty much everything!

I'm thinking a little freshly made coffee and a walk out to the mailbox is in order to wake me up and then?  Onward to more holiday baking for the goody trays!


Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 c granulated sugar
1 1/2 c butter, soft
2 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 c flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cream of tartar
1 t salt

Combine sugar and butter, beat until creamy with your electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix until blended. Chill dough until it's easy to work with; 30-60 minutes.

On lightly floured surface roll the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out cookies. Bake on lined baking sheets at 350 until the edges just start to turn golden brown, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire racks.  Decorate as you desire.








Your wish is my command!  The comments below asked what frosting I used on the snowflake cookies.  They are both recipes I've posted on the site before but I'm pasting them here for easy access.  The first is the base coat glaze I put on the cookies and the second is a basic royal icing recipe I use for the swirls and lines of the snowflakes. 
 

Icing Glaze for the Base Coat
Makes about 1 & 1/3 cups

2 1/2 c powdered sugar
2 T water
1 T butter, softened
1 T light corn syrup
1/2 t almond extract or vanilla
Food color, if desired

Combine powdered sugar, water, butter, corn syrup and vanilla in small mixer bowl; mix until powdered sugar is moistened. Beat at medium speed until smooth, adding additional water if necessary to reach desired spreading consistency. Tint with food color, if desired.  Glaze cooled cookies and let stand until hardened (6 hrs. or overnight).



Royal Icing Swirls - Frosting

4 c confectioners' sugar
3 large egg whites
1/2 t cream of tartar
1/2 t vanilla
1 T water

Beat 4-6 minutes on high.  (Add more or less water depending on stiff it is and how stiff you want it).  Will be very hard when it dries.