Fruit flavored Divinity (My first try at Divinity!)

This is another recipe I found in my Wilton candy cookbook. It is flavored with a 3- oz fruit flavored gelatin packet. In the book it was called "Prize Winning Cherry Divinity" and you were suppose to use cherry gelatin, but I didn't have cherry so I used strawberry. I didn't put the candied fruit on top, because I didn't have any. I used a 9x13" pan plus a 9x5" (I think) loaf pan and sprayed the foil with Crisco. This was the first time I have made divinity.

Somethings I may have did wrong are that I think I beat the egg whites past the stiff peaks stage, and they were pretty dry. Another thing, I don't know if this makes much of a difference, but I heated the syrup mixture a little past the 252 F mark - I think I heated it to 255 F. But, I was running around in the kitchen with the camera, snapping pics, checking on the syrup mixture on the stove, checking on the whites, and looking at the cookbook to see if I was doing it all right!

I don't know if it turned out how it was suppose to, but everyone liked it, and now, there's only a few pieces left 2 days later :).

Fruit Divinity
3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup water

2 egg whites

1- 3 oz packet fruit flavored gelatin

1 cup candied cherries
Line an 10" square pan with foil and butter the foil. Chop and measure the cherries. Place egg whites in large bowl of mixer.


1. Combine sugar, corn syrup and water in a three-quart saucepan. Set over high heat and stir constantly until all sugar crystals are dissolved. Clip on thermometer and cook, without stirring, to 252 F (122 C). Remove from heat.

2. As mixture is cooking, beat egg whites with mixer set at highest speed. When peaks form, sprinkle gelatin over egg whites and continue beating until well blended. Scrape sides of bowl frequently.

3. Pour hot cooked syrup over beaten egg white mixture in a thin stream as you continue beating a high speed. Do not scrape bottom of pan. Test by dropping a bit of candy on wax paper. If it is glossy and holds its shape, candy is finished.

4. Scrape into prepared pan with a rubber scraper. Swirl from center to sides of pan to level. If necessary, dip a spatula in hot water and press lightly to smooth. Sprinkle with cherries evenly other surface of candy and press with spatula dipped in cold water. Cool until firm at room temperature, about 4 hours. Dip a long sharp knife in cold water and cut into 1" squares. Store, uncut and closely covered with foil or plastic wrap, in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks. Yield: 100 pieces.

beating the whites (they're not done beating)

cooking the syrup

mixing in the gelatin

in the pan

Fluffy Uncooked Marshmallows

These are basic, easy uncooked marshmallows. I got the recipe from my Wilton candy book. I only had to beat them 9 minutes at the highest speed of the stand mixer. The mixture was stiff and hard to spread in the pan, but I think I let the gelatin/water mixture sit a little too long. I didn't tumble them in the cornstarch/pwd. sugar mixture because I thought we didn't have cornstarch and they were getting eaten up anyway :-). I used a 8x8 pan and sprayed it with Criso.

Fluffy Uncooked Marshmallows

2 Tbsp unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup cold water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup confectioners' (powdered) sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch

Prepare an 8x8" pan.
1. Combine gelatin and cold water in the top pan of a double boiler. Let stand 5 minutes or until gelatin is firm. Bring water in lower pan to a simmer, set top pan in position and stir until clear and syrupy. Add sugar and stir until sugar crystals are dissolved.

2. Pour gelatin mixture into large mixer bowl. Add corn syrup and flavoring, then beat at highest speed of mixer. Test after twelve minutes. If mixture is very light and fluffy and ribbons dropped from beaters hold their shape on the surface of mixture, candy is finished. Remove from bowl with a rubber scraper and spread unto prepared pan. Swirl from center to edge of pan to level. Refrigerate overnight.

3. Next morning, blend cornstarch and confectioners' sugar and sift onto a cookie sheet with 1" sides. Loosen sides of marshmallow with a small spatula dipped in cold water. Invert onto cookie sheet. Heap cornstarch mixture over surface of marshmallow. Remove to cutting board and cut into long 1" wide strips with a serrated knife dipped in cold water. Tumble strips in cornstarch mixture, then cut each into 1" squares with scissors dipped in cold water. Tumble squares in cornstarch mixture and allow to dry on cookie sheet. After about an hour, tumble squares once more and dry. Brush with a clean dry pastry brush. Store in a tightly closed container for as long as three weeks at room temperature. Yield: 64

Coconut Candy Bars

These were yummy - chewy and chocolate coating topping it off. The recipe called for almonds to put on top before baking, but I didn't use them. I didn't use the vanilla either. I put some of the batter in greased small muffin pans, instead of shaping into bars on a cookie sheet. These are easy to make also.

The only expensive part is the chocolate - they would still be good without chocolate, but it does make them better. I halved the recipe once (because we only had 1 egg . . . and guess where I went to get it? The chicken coop :-) ) anyway, they still turned out great. People said they tasted like Mounds.

Coconut Candy Bars

2 (large) egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

2 cups chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350 F, and grease a rimmed baking sheet. 

2. Combine the egg whites, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl and mix with a fork. Don't beat the egg whites, but just make sure the mixture is well blended. Fold in the coconut. The batter will be stiff, like oatmeal.

3. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the batter onto the cookie sheet and shape into a log. Repeat with remaining batter. You should have about 1 dozen bars.

4. Bake for 13 to 17 minutes (check after 13), or until the bars are just brown at the edges. Let cool 1 minute, transfer to a wire rack and let cool about 30 minutes or until completely cool.

5. Cover the baking sheet with foil, wax or parchment paper and have it ready.

6. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate on high for 1 minute, and stir well to distribute the heat. Heat for 1 minute more, and stir again. Heat for and additional 30 to 60 seconds, stirring thoroughly with a fork.

7. Using 2 forks, drop a bar into the chocolate and coat lightly on all sides, then transfer to the cookie sheet. Dip the remaining bars. If the chocolate layer gets too thick or your chocolate starts to get stiff, heat the chocolate for 1 minute more, stirring well to distribute the heat.

8. Leave the finished candies at room temperature for about 4 hours, or until completely cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 weeks.

bars that are not dipped in the chocolate yet

And, to the  little leftover chocolate I added some mini marshmallows

Linked to Shindig Saturday by Kims Kandy Kreations

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Fudge

I made this by making a batch of Easy Peanut Butter Fudge, and putting chocolate chips on top after putting it in the pan. People said it tasted like Reese's.

Fudge Pie

This was good! It was like a brownie! I made it gluten-free by using gluten-free flour and a gluten-free homemade pie crust. I didn't use vanilla extract It only calls for 1/4 cup flour, and it's amazing. I got the recipe from allrecipes.com.
I tripled the recipe the second time and poured it into a 9x13 and 8x8" cake pans. It still tasted good, but it stays together better and bakes better in the crust.

Fudge Pie

• 1 (9 inch) baked pie shell
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  

1. Unfold piecrust; fit into 9 inch pie pan. Prebake crust according to package directions. Remove from oven.
2. Lower the oven temperature to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
3. Beat together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, butter or margarine, eggs and vanilla in a medium-size bowl. Spoon into pie shell.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Allow to cool to room temperature. Serve with whipped topping or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

French Canadian Sugar Pie

When I made this, I only had about 1/2 cup brown sugar, so I used that and for the other 1/2 cup I used white sugar. It wasn't anything spectacular, but I might make it again using just packed brown sugar. I didn't use the top crust..

French Canadian Sugar Pie (Gluten-free)

* 1 Tbsp. margarine
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 1/2 Tbsp. gluten-free flour
* 1 cup milk
* pinch of salt
* 2 gluten-free unbaked 8 inch pie crusts

Mix margarine and brown sugar. Add egg. Sift flour with salt and to the
sugar mixture; stirring to incorporate thoroughly. Add milk. Mix until
smooth.

Pour in bottom crust and set top crust in place, crimping edges and cutting
a 1/2 inch hole in middle of top crust. 

Bake in preheated oven 325 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until set. Remove
and allow to completely cool on wire rack. 

Sparkle Jells & Fruit Balls Candy

Both of these recipes are from THE COMPLETE Wilton BOOK OF Candy.

The Fruit Balls were yummy, a little chewy and fruity - they're also easy to make. I only made them once and used lime flavored jell-o. The thing that takes the longest with them is that you have to roll all of them into balls. They were not perfectly round balls, but kind of the shape of a small cookie. Next time I make them I will probably just pour it into an 8x8 pan, chill in the refrigerator until firm then cut into squares - that would be much faster. You wouldn't have to roll them in the flaked coconut if you don't want to, you could just roll them in something else (hint: chocolate chips, crushed?) or nothing.

Fruit Balls
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup butter (I used lard)
1 (3 oz) package fruit flavored gelatin (flavor of your choice)
1 pound (I used about 2 cups) confectioner's (powdered) sugar
flaked coconut (about 1 1/2 cups), for rolling

Line an 8" square pan with foil and butter the foil. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper (I just used plates).
Combine corn syrup, butter and gelatin in a three-quart saucepan. Stir constantly over heat (I think I used medium) until gelatin is completely dissolved. Add the sugar, about a third at a time, stirring until well blended after each addition. Remove from heat and pour into prepared pan. When candy is cool enough to handle, take of teaspoon-sized portions from the mixture and and roll between your palms into balls. Roll in coconut if desired. Place on cookie sheets and allow to harden (they won't get hard like hard candy). Store in a plastic bag (you could probably use an air-tight container) in the refrigerator. Yield: about 50.

The Sparkle Jells were good, but I probably won't make again. Although, they are a refreshing fruit snack, would be great for decorating, are easy to make, and have 2 ingredients. If you want, you could try it and see what you think.

Sparkle Jells
1 cup water
2 (3 oz) packages (or 1 6 oz package) fruit-flavored gelatin

Oil a 6" square pan (I used 8" square).
Bring the water to a full boil in saucepan, remove from heat and add gelatin. Stir constantly until gelatin is completely dissolved. If necessary, place pan over very low heat and continue stirring until dissolved, but do not allow to boil. Pour into prepared pan and refrigerate until firm. Cut unto 1" squares. Yield: 36 squares.

Welcome to My New Blog!

Hi! I have now set up a new blog. My other blog is here - http://picturethisoklahoma.blogspot.com/. I was posting everything on my Picture This! blog, (animals, garden, drawing, butterflies, bugs, birds, trees, flowers and baking and in the kitchen stuff), but I decided to make a new blog just for baking and kitchen stuff. 

So, come to this blog if you want to see what's cookin'!

~ Hanunyah