Sponge Candy ~ Cinder Toffee Recipe

I haven't had this candy since I was a kid and it was a special treat.  It would come in this block, all wrapped in clear plastic.  And you would eat it until your tongue hurt and your teeth ached.  And still it would be so good that you just had to keep eating it.  But as the years went by and I didn't see it forever, I just forgot about it.

Sponge Candy

2 1/2   Cups Sugar

2/3      Cups Light Corn Syrup

6 Tbsp Water

2 Tsp   Vanilla

2 Tbsp Baking Soda

In a large pot put Sugar, Corn Syrup, Water and Vanilla.  Heat on medium/high heat (do not stir) until candy thermometer reaches 300* (hard crack stage).  It will turn a light brown color.  (I don't know if I messed it up, but I did stir it before I turned on the heat... I couldn't resist).

Remove from heat and immediately stir in baking soda.  Mix quickly (like around 5ish seconds), and pour into parchment paper lined greased pan.  Leave it to set and get hard, then pry it out of the pan, and break it into chunks.  This can be messy, but I do it on a huge cookie sheet to catch most of the crumbs.

Store in an air tight container.  I use quart jars.  If you leave it out and air gets at it, any moisture in the air will make the candy shrink and get harder.

****  Make sure you use a very large pot, because when you add the baking soda it will foam up like crazy.  Also, pre-measure the baking soda so you have it on hand ready to go.  I also sifted my soda because the first time I made it, it had lumps and every once in a while when you were eating it you would get a lump of baking soda.  

****You are supposed to use one of those round cheese cake pans that the sides comes off of but I don't have one, so I used a rectangle cake Pan, but I greased the sides really well  (I used butter.) and made sure I had the bottom lined with the parchment paper.  

~~~~~  Now, if you want to get fancy, you can dip chunks into melted chocolate, and then you will be doomed to eat it all for sure.  The result is this delicious Crunchy Chocolate bar that crunches, and then somehow melts in your mouth and leaves you reaching for more.  It is seriously maybe even better then those store bought crunchy bars.~~~~~~

Anyways there you have it.  And it's seriously good, and not even hard to make.  Surprisingly easy in fact.  And sooo so good.  Everyone who tried a piece said it was just like when they were a kid.

Enjoy!

All jarred up!  Good to give out to friends or to hide in the pantry for a sweet craving.

Marble Almond Roca

Every year around Christmas I make this yummy treat.  They also make a wonderful gift if you put them in a pretty tin or jar.

Marble Almond Roca

1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds, Toasted

1 Cup Butter, Cubed

1 Cup Sugar

3 Tbsp Boiling Water

2 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup

1/2 Cup Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips

1/2 Cup White Chocolate Chips

Brown Almonds at 300*F for 15 minutes or toast in a pan on the stove top.  Spread on a Parchment Paper lined 15 X 10 inch baking sheet.

In a large saucepan, cook butter and sugar for 5 minutes on medium heat.  Add water and corn syrup.  Bring to boil over medium heat.  |Cook string occasionally until candy thermometer reaches 300*F (Hard Crack Stage).  Quickly pour over Almonds.  Sprinkle Chips and let set for 2 minutes.  Swirl chocolate over candy.  Cool completely.  Break into pieces.  

Stores well in Freezer for quite a long time.  Not sure exactly how long, since it always gets eaten.  

I like to toast my nuts on the stove top.  I just put them in the pan at medium heat.

I keep tossing them in the pan or stirring them around until they start to get a nice toasted scent and color.

Spread them on a cookie sheet that you've lined with parchment paper.  Otherwise the candy will stick.  Don't worry about getting the nuts right to the edge.  The candy won't spread that far.

Mix your semi sweet and white chocolate chips in a bowl and set it aside.

In a large saucepan, add the sugar and butter.

On Medium heat, cook the butter and sugar for 5 minutes or so.

Add in the light corn syrup and boiling water.  Thbis will make the sugar mixture bubble and steam.

On medium heat cook the mixture until it reaches 300* (Hard Crack Stage) on the candy thermometer.  The sugar mixture will darken in color.  Give it a stir once in a while.

When it reaches 300*, immediately remove it from the heat and pour it over the toasted almonds.  You will have to sort of pour it her and there over the almonds.  Be careful, it is very, very hot and will stick to you and burn you if you get it on yourself.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over top of it and let it sit for 2 minutes.  Sometimes I will wait a minute before sprinkling the chocolate chips as the candy is really hot and cooks the white chips so that they don't melt that great.

After a few minutes, give the chips a swirl around.

Let the candy completely cool.  You can quicken the cool time by popping it in the fridge.  This works for me if I can't wait.  Once it is cool break it into pieces and put it in a tin, or jar.

Enjoy!

Boterkoek ~ Dutch Butter Cake

This is a favorite in our house.  It's so buttery and moist.  It's quite a rich cake actually.  It's something that I don't mind making year round.  It's pretty quick and easy to do.  Perfect if you have someone coming over for tea!

Boterkoek ~ Dutch Butter Cake

1 1/2 cups Sugar

2 Cups Sugar

3 Cups Flour

2 Tsp Baking Powder

2 Eggs

1- 1 1/2 Tsp Almond Extract

1 Egg White

Sliced Almonds

In a large mixing bowl, add sugar butter and eggs.

Blend until well creamed.  Add in Almond Extract. and blend until it's mixed in.

A bit at a time, add in your Flour and Baking Powder.

Mix until Flour is blended. 

It will form a soft dough.

Divide dough in half and press into two 9 inch pie tins.  This time I did one pie tin and 10 tart tins for my kids to bring in lunches.  Take an Egg White and beat it some with a fork, then brush it over the tops of the pies.  This will stick the Almonds to the tops and give it a bit of a shiny crust.

 Sprinkle sliced almonds over the tops of the pies.  You could arrange the Almonds if you want to take the time.  They look quite pretty.

Bake 350*F for 30 minutes until the edge is the pie is golden.  Remove from oven and set on cooling racks. 

This is the first time I've baked it in the tart tins.  I think they came out quite nicely.  The tart sized ones had a bake time of 20 minutes.  

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

These muffins are a nice moist dense muffin with good flavor.  The Sugar and Lemon Zest on top give it a little extra sweetness and crunch on top.  If the muffin isn't sweet enough for your taste, you can add an extra half cup of sugar to the batter.  

Blueberry Lemon Muffins

4 Eggs

2 Cups Sugar + 1/2 cup

1 Cup Melted Butter

1 Tsp Vanilla Extract

2 Cups Sour Cream

4 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Baking Soda

2 Cups Blue Berries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Zest the yellow part off of 3 Lemons.  Put the zest from one of the lemons in a smaller bowl and mix with 1/2 Cup of Sugar for topping.  Set aside.

Gather your ingredients. 

In a separate bowl, mix Flour, Salt and Baking Soda with a dry whisk until blended.  Then add in your Blueberries, and give them a mix in with the dry ingredients.  Today I used berries that I froze earlier this summer.  

In a separate bowl blend the Sugar, and melted Butter, then add in your Eggs and Vanilla.

Blend your Sour Cream into the Sugar, butter, eggs mixture. 

Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix it in with a spoon or rubber spatula.  The batter should be kind of thick and lumpy.  Don't over mix it.

 Spoon into greased or lined muffin tins.

Sprinkle Lemon Sugar on top of muffin batter.  

Bake in the oven at 400*F for 20 minutes until they start to get a little golden. 

 Cool on racks.

Chocolate Chip Bars

If you love Chocolate Chip Cookies, you can't help but love these squares.  I think they are easier to make then the cookies!  And they taste like the cookies!  Maybe even better!

Chocolate Chip Bars

2 Cups Flour

1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Salt

1 Cup Butter

3/4 Cup Brown Sugar

3/4 Cup White Sugar

2 Large Eggs

1 1/2 Tsp Vanilla

2 Cups Chocolate Chips

Optional, 1 Cup chopped Walnuts

Blend dry ingredients in a smaller bowl.  Blend Butter, Sugars, Eggs, and Vanilla until creamy.  Blend in the dry ingredients with the creamed mixture.  Stir in Chocolate Chips and nuts.  Spread batter into a 10 X 10 inch lightly greased pan.  I use a 9 X 13 inch pan just fine.  Smooth batter with spoon.

Bake for 30 minutes for at 350* or until golden. 

I like to slightly under bake mine so that they are good and chewy!

Enjoy!

Chewy Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Cookies

So I'm making Chewy Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Cookies this morning before work.  These have great flavor, and are nice and chewy.  The toasted nuts in them are a nice touch.

Chewy Fruit and Nut Oatmeal Cookies

1 Cup Butter

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar, packed

2 Eggs

2 Tsp Vanilla

2 Tbsp Molasses

2 Cups Flour

2 Cups Quick Cook Oats

1 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

1/2 Tsp Salt

1 Tsp Cinnamon

1 Tsp Nutmeg

1 - 2 Cups Dried Fruits, Raisins, Cranberries, chopped dates or which ever you like

1 Cup Walnuts or Pecans, toasted and chopped.

Chocolate Chips, optional.  

Instructions:

Gather your ingredients and preheat your oven to 350* .

In a mixing bowl add sugars and butter.

Mix until butters and sugars are well blended and fluffy looking.

Add Eggs, Molasses and Vanilla to creamed mixture

Beat until well blended. 

In a separate bowl mix your dry ingredients, Oats, Flour, Baking Soda, Salt, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg.   I like to heap the Cinnamon and Nutmeg.

Mix with a fork or dry whisk until blended.  Slowly add to Creamed mixture a bit at a time.

To toast your nuts, just heat them in a dry pan on your stove top until they look and smell toasted.  You won't be sorry you took this step.  Do this ahead of time before you start your cookies.  This morning I used a mix of Pecans and Walnuts.

Today I used dried Cranberries and Chopped Dates in my cookies.  About a Cup of each.  You could use whatever dried fruits you want though.  

 Add them to your creamed mixture.

Stir them in.  Mix well.  Now try and resist tasting the dough.... It's good. 

Drop by the spoonful onto a greased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350* until edges are slightly browned.  Remove from oven let sit on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool.  

Makes about 4 dozen.

Enjoy!