Last year I made my first food gifts. I bought sets of nesting boxes, and gave several friends/relatives a stack of different candies. It took a long time but was a lot more rewarding than just buying gifts, and they were well-received especially the Oreo Truffles. These are the recipes I used last year:
Oreo Truffles (makes approx. 40)
Ingredients
1 lb Oreo cookies (3 sleeves)
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (using different extracts allows for subtle flavour changes...I've used mint extract, upped to 1 tsp) (optional)
1 lb milk chocolate
1/2 lb white chocolate
Directions
1 Using a food processor, grind cookies to a fine powder. With a mixer, blend cookie powder, cream cheese and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed (there should be no white traces of cream cheese).
2 Roll into small balls and place on wax-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
3 Line two cookie sheets with wax paper. In double-boiler, melt milk chocolate. Dip balls and coat thoroughly. With slotted spoon, lift balls out of chocolate and let excess chocolate drip off. Place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet.
4 In separate double boiler, melt white chocolate. Using a fork, drizzle white chocolate over balls. Let cool.
5 Store in airtight container, in refrigerator.
6 Note: When I am exceedingly lazy (most often the case these days), I forego the chocolate 'dip' and merely roll my truffles into various mixtures - chopped nuts, chocolate sprinkles, vari-coloured candy sprinkles, cocoa powder, chocolate shavings, coloured sugars -- still pretty -- less work.
White Peppermint Candy Cane Bark
Ingredients
2 lbs white chocolate (preferably Guittard brand white chocolate chips- they seem to melt smoother)
12 candy canes, crushed into 1/4 inch pieces
1 teaspoon peppermint extract (1/2 tsp. if using oil)
Directions
1 Melt white chocolate either in a double boiler or in a bowl over a pot of boiling water.
2 Stir in crushed candy cane and peppermint flavoring into melted white chocolate.
3 Line a 11x17" baking pan with wax paper.
4 Pour and spread chocolate mixture onto wax paper.
5 Chill until firm and break into pieces.
6 Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Peppermint Fudge (not chocolate)
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme (2 cups)
8 ounces vanilla chips
1/2 cup peppermint candy, finely crushed
red food coloring
Directions
1 Line 9-inch square pan with foil so that foil extends over sides of pan.
2 Butter the foil.
3 In large saucepan, combine sugar, margarine, and milk.
4 Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
5 Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly.
6 Remove from heat.
7 Add marshmallow creme and vanilla chips.
8 Blend until smooth.
9 Stir in crushed peppermint and desired amount of food coloring (don't stir too much or it will be pink instead of swirly).
10 Pour into prepared pan.
11 Cool to room temperature.
12 Score fudge into 36 or 48 squares.
13 Sprinkle top with additional crushed peppermint candy.
14 Refrigerate until firm.
15 Remove fudge from pan by lifting foil.
16 Remove foil from fudge.
17 Cut through scored lines.
18 Store in refrigerator.
What's your favourite cookie/candy recipe?
Oreo Truffles (makes approx. 40)
Ingredients
1 lb Oreo cookies (3 sleeves)
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (using different extracts allows for subtle flavour changes...I've used mint extract, upped to 1 tsp) (optional)
1 lb milk chocolate
1/2 lb white chocolate
Directions
1 Using a food processor, grind cookies to a fine powder. With a mixer, blend cookie powder, cream cheese and vanilla extract until thoroughly mixed (there should be no white traces of cream cheese).
2 Roll into small balls and place on wax-lined cookie sheet. Refrigerate for 45 minutes.
3 Line two cookie sheets with wax paper. In double-boiler, melt milk chocolate. Dip balls and coat thoroughly. With slotted spoon, lift balls out of chocolate and let excess chocolate drip off. Place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet.
4 In separate double boiler, melt white chocolate. Using a fork, drizzle white chocolate over balls. Let cool.
5 Store in airtight container, in refrigerator.
6 Note: When I am exceedingly lazy (most often the case these days), I forego the chocolate 'dip' and merely roll my truffles into various mixtures - chopped nuts, chocolate sprinkles, vari-coloured candy sprinkles, cocoa powder, chocolate shavings, coloured sugars -- still pretty -- less work.
White Peppermint Candy Cane Bark
Ingredients
2 lbs white chocolate (preferably Guittard brand white chocolate chips- they seem to melt smoother)
12 candy canes, crushed into 1/4 inch pieces
1 teaspoon peppermint extract (1/2 tsp. if using oil)
Directions
1 Melt white chocolate either in a double boiler or in a bowl over a pot of boiling water.
2 Stir in crushed candy cane and peppermint flavoring into melted white chocolate.
3 Line a 11x17" baking pan with wax paper.
4 Pour and spread chocolate mixture onto wax paper.
5 Chill until firm and break into pieces.
6 Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Peppermint Fudge (not chocolate)
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme (2 cups)
8 ounces vanilla chips
1/2 cup peppermint candy, finely crushed
red food coloring
Directions
1 Line 9-inch square pan with foil so that foil extends over sides of pan.
2 Butter the foil.
3 In large saucepan, combine sugar, margarine, and milk.
4 Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
5 Continue boiling 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly.
6 Remove from heat.
7 Add marshmallow creme and vanilla chips.
8 Blend until smooth.
9 Stir in crushed peppermint and desired amount of food coloring (don't stir too much or it will be pink instead of swirly).
10 Pour into prepared pan.
11 Cool to room temperature.
12 Score fudge into 36 or 48 squares.
13 Sprinkle top with additional crushed peppermint candy.
14 Refrigerate until firm.
15 Remove fudge from pan by lifting foil.
16 Remove foil from fudge.
17 Cut through scored lines.
18 Store in refrigerator.
What's your favourite cookie/candy recipe?
