Comments on: Sugarplums? No way, Santa.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:12:48 +0000

Okay, I’m lucky, I live in Cleveland and can get Malley’s wonderful nutmallow anytime. But I still love the idea of making my own! I’m a dark chocolate fan, but unfortunately the rest of my family only likes milk. Would the recipe still work well if I substituted milk chocolate chips?

We have not tried this recipe with milk chocolate, but suggest you use a good quality milk chocolate chip without a lot of stabilizers so the candy will be stiff enough to cut and munch, not eat from a spoon! Irene at KAF

Yes, Sarah, it should be fine. Use milk chocolate bars or chips or however you can get it. Whatever consistency it is when you start, it’ll be slightly softer in the finished candy, so make sure to start with something hard. PJH

By: Roger

Roger — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 06:01:48 +0000

On the choco-mallow bars. Here in the Midwest (Iowa/Nebraska) we have for years had available a candy bar called “Rocky Road” which is a chocolate covered marshmallow with nuts creation. They also have a mint flavored version that I especially like. I would suggest trying Choco-Mallow bars with some peppermint oil added to the chocolate in a small amount.

Roger

By: Betsy

Betsy — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 23:11:37 +0000

I made the buttercrunch on Christmas Eve. In N. Idaho, my yard has snow up to 2′ in some spots, and the streets have their berms down the middle (for all you snow-wise folk).

Maybe I’m snow-blind but I could not find a pan or pan size in the buttercrunch recipe. Sheet pan? Half a sheet pan? 8 x 8 brownie pan? I made the toffee center with no problems–easier than I thought. I put the pecans and Ghiradelli 60% dark chocolate chips on the bottom of the pan just like the recipe said, then poured the toffee on top, and then the choc. and nuts again.

My chocolate chips never firmed back up! The candy was like an inch-thick Heath bar that sat next to a fireplace–the top and bottom chocolate slid away, so you were left with a chocolate-y hand clutching toffee. Tastes great, but it wasn’t what I expected, according to the recipe and the blog comments.

What size pan should I have used? And where did I go wrong with the choc. chips? I chilled the candy and the choc. firmed up, but with the 8×8 pan I used, the candy was also too thick. I’ll try again, but I’m at a loss to figure out what went wrong… Help!

Betsy, I make it on a cookie sheet, no specific size. I spread the nuts and chocolate in a single layer, fairly close packed - maybe 12″x 12″, something like that? Then pour the toffee over. Chill to set quickly, or let set overnight. Don’t be discouraged - I think next time will be more successful for you. PJH

By: Kate

Kate — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 13:45:31 +0000

I’m going to spend today’s snowstorm whipping all of these up. One variation I’ll be testing will be using macadamia nuts instead of walnuts in the Choco Mallows. I’ll report back!

Choco-Mallow is an equal opportunity employer - all nuts welcome! PJH

By: Milli

Milli — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:37:07 +0000

What a delightful group of candy recipes. Just the kind everybody likes to try. I am going to make most of them and bring to the Christmas gathering for my children and grandchildren to enjoy!! Thank you SO much.

Milli

You’re welcome, Milli - hope the candy makes your family gathering a really sweet affair… PJH

By: Catherine

Catherine — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 22:15:31 +0000

The buttercrunch is divine! I made the christmas delight too, but I used marshmallow fluff like the shortcut recommends, and it did NOT set up. Still yummy, but it never got firm at all. Just FYI. I think using melted marshmallows is a necessary extra step.

Interesting, Catherine; you didn’t heat the Fluff, did you? And did you use Marshmallow Fluff®, or marshmallow creme or a store brand? Marshmallow Fluff® is much thicker and more solid than “faux” fluff or “creme.” It’s nearly the thickness of a normal marshmallow. Anybody else out there try this with Fluff? Let us know how it went. -PJH

By: Marsha Phillips

Marsha Phillips — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:59:19 +0000

I made the Christmas Delight and was able to mix it with a large heat-proof spatula that I kept dipping in cool water. I mainly pressed with the blade of the spatula instead of the handle which would have broken. When all was mixed, I used the spatula to turn the mixture into the pan which I had lined with foil and greased. I then used the little roller to smooth it down.

Undoubtedly a challenge, but then, those old-time cooks and bakers were MUCH tougher than us. Imagine beaten biscuits; whacking biscuit dough with a wooden spoon for 30 minutes… Enjoy the Delight, marsha - PJH

By: Lee

Lee — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:36:18 +0000

Similar question involving coffee - but I want to leave it out - no one here likes coffee. Would we need to substitute something else, vanilla extract maybe??? or just leave it out and not sub anything? It looks simply delicious!

Sure, just leave it out. But putting it in produces no coffee flavor - it simply heightens the flavor of the chocolate, much as vanilla does. Enjoy - PJH

By: Gabby

Gabby — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 00:05:34 +0000

Is there anything I can substitute for the expresso powder? Can I finely ground instant coffee? I would love to try the Choco-Mallows. I have an old Rocky Road fudge recipe but these look MUCH better!! Thanks!

Yes, Gabby - crush the instant coffee crystals, or use instant coffee powder - not quite the same depth of flavor, but just fine. Enjoy! - PJH

By: Ann Cundall

Ann Cundall — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:55:06 +0000

Instead of graham cracker crumbs, ML could try Golden Grahams cereal in the Choco-Mallows. I use them in my version of a recipe called “Indoor S’mores” originally acquired from the GG cereal bo (it is a favorite of almost everyone who tries it). I plan to try dried cranberries and/or apricots in the Choco-Mallow recipe, too.
And with regard to the Christmas Delight, one technique that I use to great success with the S’mores, which involves melting marshmallows, is to use cooking spray on everything - microwave bowl, mixing bowl, spoons. It makes the mixing as well as the cleanup much easier.

Great ideas, Ann - thanks! PJH