Popcorn Balls

½ cup butter
1 can sweetened condensed milk (1 1/3 cups)
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
40 cups popped corn

In a saucepan combine butter, sugar and corn syrup. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir in condensed milk and simmer, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a soft ball stage (234º – 238º). Stir in vanilla, pour over popped corn and stir to coat. Butter hands lightly and shape popcorn into balls. Makes 30 large popcorn balls. If desired add nuts, small jujubes, etc.

Pecan Fudge Log

2 Tbsp. butter
2/3 cup undiluted evaporated milk
1 2/3 cups sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 ½ cups diced marshmallows
1 ½ cups chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup ground or finely chopped pecans

Combine butter, evaporated milk, sugar and salt in saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, and cook 4 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Start timing when mixture starts to bubble around edges of pan. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows, chocolate, vanilla and ½ cup chopped pecans. Stir vigorously for 1 minute or until marshmallows are completely melted and blended. Pour into 9 inch square buttered pan. When cooled, shape into 12-inch roll. Roll in ½ cup ground or finely chopped pecans. Cut into ½ inch slices. Yield: about 2 pounds.

Poppycock

24 cups popped corn (1 heaping cup unpopped)
1 1/3 cup sugar.
½ cup corn syrup
¼ cup water
½ tsp. cream of tartar
3 Tbsp. butter
½ tsp. soda
1 cup pecans
1 cup toasted whole almonds

In 3-quart saucepan cook sugar, corn syrup, water, cream of tartar and butter to 252°F hardball or 300°F hard crack stage. Let boiling subside. Add soda and nuts. Pour over popped corn and toss. Pour into 2 buttered cookie sheets. Cool; then break.

Caramel Popcorn (Mom’s)

24 cups popped corn (1 heaping cup unpopped)
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup sugar
½ cup corn syrup
¼ cup water
1/8 tsp. cream of tartar
3 Tbsp. butter
½ tsp. soda
1 cup nuts, optional

In 3-quart saucepan cook sugars, corn syrup, water, cream of tartar and butter to 234°F or softball stage. Let boiling subside. Add soda and nuts. Pour over popped corn and toss.

Oven Caramel Corn

15 cups popped corn
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup butter
¼ cup corn syrup
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. soda

Heat oven to 200°F. In saucepan, heat sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt, stirring occasionally, until bubbly around edges. Continue cooking over medium heat 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in soda until foamy. Pour on popped corn, stirring until corn is well coated. Bake on 1 greased cookie sheet for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Carmel Nut Corn: Replace 3 cups popped corn with 3 cups pecans and/or whole almonds.

Penuche

3 cups brown sugar
1 cup milk or cream
3 Tbsp. butter
¼ cup corn syrup
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts, if desired

Butter 8×8″ pan. Cook sugar, milk, butter, corn syrup and salt in 3-quart saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved. Wash down sides of pan with hot water before boiling occurs. When boiling, cover and cook 3-4 minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, to 234°F on candy thermometer (or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water): remove from heat.

Pour immediately onto marble slab or cool without stirring for 10-15 minutes. Add vanilla: beat until thick and no longer glossy. Use for dipping chocolates or quickly stir in nuts. Spread in pan: cook until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares.

Chocolate Fudge

3 cups sugar
1 cup milk or cream
3 Tbsp. butter
¼ cup corn syrup
¼ tsp. salt
3 oz. unsweetened chocolate or ½ cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts, if desired

Butter 8×8″ pan. Cook sugar, milk, butter, corn syrup, salt and chocolate in 3-quart saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and sugar is dissolved. Wash down sides of pan with hot water before boiling occurs. When boiling, cover and cook 3-4 minutes. Remove lid and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, to 234°F on candy thermometer (or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water): remove from heat.

Pour immediately onto marble slab or cool without stirring for 10-15 minutes. Add vanilla: beat until thick and no longer glossy. Use for dipping chocolates or quickly stir in nuts. Spread in pan: cook until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares.

Fondant

Cyndi Palmer’s:
3 cups sugar
1 cup cream
½ cup milk
dash salt
1 Tbsp. White corn syrup
1 ½ tsp. Vanilla
2 Tbsp. Butter

Marsha Judd’s:
3 cups sugar
1 cup cream
¼ cup milk
dash salt
1 Tbsp. White corn syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
2 Tbsp. Butter

Mona’s:
4 cups sugar
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
2 Tbsp. White corn syrup
dash salt
Vanilla or other flavoring
Butter

Melissa Wilson’s and Janie’s:
4 cups sugar
1 ½ cup cream
2 Tbsp. White corn syrup
dash salt
flavoring

Butter sides of pan. Put in sugar, cream, milk, salt and corn syrup. Stir over low heat until all sugar is dissolved. Wash down the sides of pot with hot water and a pastry brush every few minutes to insure that there are no sugar crystals. When all the sugar is dissolved wash the wooden spoon as well. Make sure sides of pan are clean and sugar completely dissolved before the mixture begins to boil. Stir occasionally until the mixture comes to about 225. Wash sides of pan down one more time. Cook, stirring constantly, to 230-234 F. Remove from heat immediately.

Pour onto a marble or granite slab. Have butter and vanilla in the center of the slab. Using a flat wooden paddle, stir constantly pushing fondant to the middle with small circular motions. It should set up within about 5 minutes. When the fondant becomes too stiff to stir, gather the fondant into a ball and knead with your hands until it becomes very smooth.

Wrap in plastic wrap and cool on counter. Double wrap and freeze over night. Thaw when ready to use.

Knead on a surface that has been sprinkle with powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. You may need to refrigerate for a few minutes to make it stiff enough to roll. Butter a tray or plate of sprinkle powdered sugar on a wax paper lined tray. Cut fondant and roll. Dust hands with powdered sugar or cornstarch so fondant doesn’t stick while rolling. Make sure there are no cracks. When slightly crusty, dip in chocolate.

This basic fondant recipe is used for all butter cream chocolates with variations of flavor. When desiring a different flavor, add that flavor with the butter when pouring onto the slab. The liquid flavors are added during the initial stirring and kneading process for the convenience of handl8ing. Dry additives, such as nuts, coconut, cherries or orange zest are added after you thaw the frozen fondant and are ready to knead and roll.

Cherry Fondant – same as Vanilla except add 1 Tsp. Cherry flavoring, ½ tsp. Almond flavoring, less than 1/8 tsp. Citric acid, and 4 drops of red coloring-making a nice pink color. Omit the vanilla flavoring.

Strawberry, Orange, Lemon, Raspberry, Pineapple, and other Flavorings make wonderful centers for chocolate. Use flavoring accordingly, citric acid and food coloring.

Chocolate fondant- Fudge recipe using cream instead of milk

Penuche Fondant use basic recipe except 2 cups white sugar and 1 cup brown sugar.

Fire Sticks

2 cups sugar
1 cup white corn syrup
½ cup water

Combine ingredients in saucepan. Stir constantly over heat until sugar is dissolved. Wash down sugar crystals. Cook without stirring to hard crack stage. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Add flavoring (oil of cinnamon, oil of peppermint, etc.) Pour into shallow metal pan well buttered. Cool thoroughly and break into desired pieces.

Dollar Mints (Melba Jackson)

2 ½ cup sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ cup boiling water
Peppermint flavoring

Bring to a boil. Wash crystals from side of pan with pastry brush dipped in water. Remove from heat and beat with mix master until almost ready to set. (It takes quite a while to beat to creamy consistency.) Add mint flavoring and drop onto waxed paper from spoon tip. These will flatten out and then can be dipped in chocolate.