MARBLED PEPPERMINT BARK

MARBLED PEPPERMINT BARK

Makes 11/4 pound bark.

From "Brittles, Barks, & Bonbons: Delicious Recipes for Quick and Easy Candy," by Charity Ferreira.

• 1 lb. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

• 4 oz. white chocolate, chopped

• 1 c. finely crushed candy cane pieces (use miniature candy canes for ease in crushing)

Directions

In another bowl, melt white chocolate as above. Stir 3/4 cup of candy cane pieces into dark chocolate.

Scrape mixture onto pan and spread out with a spatula to about 1/4 inch thick. Drizzle white chocolate evenly over dark; use a knife to gently swirl dark and white chocolates together, leaving plenty of distinct streaks. Sprinkle remaining crushed candy canes evenly over top.

Refrigerate bark until completely firm, about 2 hours. Break or cut into chunks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 day, or in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

COCONUT ALMOND HAYSTACKS

Makes 16 to 18 clusters.

• 8 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

• 11/2 c. sweetened flaked coconut

• 3/4 c. smoked or plain almonds (about 5 oz.), finely chopped

Directions

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Melt chocolate in a large heatproof bowl over a pan of hot water, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup coconut and 1/2 cup almonds. Spoon mixture in heaping tbsp.-size mounds onto waxed paper. Mix remaining 1/2 cup coconut and 1/4 cup almonds in a bowl and sprinkle over tops of haystacks, lightly pressing into chocolate to adhere.

SWIRLED CHOCOLATE PEANUT-BUTTER CANDY

Makes about 91/2 dozen squares.

From Natalie Haughton.

• 11/3 c. chunky peanut butter

• 14 oz. imported white chocolate, cut up

Directions

In a 1-quart glass bowl, combine peanut butter and white chocolate. Heat in a microwave oven on medium power 3 to 31/2 minutes, stirring twice, until white chocolate is melted and mixture is well-blended. Turn into a foil-lined 9- by 13-inch pan, spreading evenly.

In a small glass dish, melt semisweet chocolate in microwave oven on high power 1 to 2 minutes, stirring once or twice until melted and smooth. Drizzle spoonfuls of semisweet chocolate over white chocolate mixture in pan.

With a knife, swirl dark chocolate into white mixture. Refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Cut into 1-inch squares (or you can break into pieces, if desired). Keep refrigerated, covered, until serving .

BUTTERY ALMOND TOFFEE

From "Brittles, Barks, & Bonbons: Delicious Recipes for Quick and Easy Candy," by Charity Ferreira.

• 11/2 c. (3 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks, plus more for pan

• 31/2 c. sugar

• 3/4 c. water

• 1/4 c. light corn syrup

• 2 tsps. vanilla

• 11/2 c. whole almonds (about 9 oz.), toasted and chopped

• 12 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

Lightly butter a 10- by 15-inch jelly-roll pan. In a large pot over medium heat, stir together butter, sugar, water, corn syrup and salt until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted and bubbling.

Remove from heat and carefully (mixture will bubble up) stir in vanilla and half of almonds. Immediately pour into prepared pan. If necessary, use a spatula or wooden spoon to spread mixture flat. Let stand at room temperature until cool and hard, about 45 minutes.

While toffee cools, melt chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of hot water, stirring frequently until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Pour chocolate over cooled toffee, spreading it to edges with a knife or spatula. Sprinkle remaining almonds over chocolate. Refrigerate to set chocolate, about 30 minutes.

Bend the ends of the pan to release toffee and chop or break into chunks. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

WHITE CHOCOLATE PRETZEL LOGS

Makes 12 pretzels.

• 4 oz. white chocolate, chopped

• 12 pretzel rods

• 1/3 to 1/2 c. mixed red, green and white nonpareil sprinkles

Directions

To melt chocolate, place 3/4 of it in top of a double boiler over barely simmering water in lower pan, or in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water in a saucepan. Slowly melt chocolate, stirring occasionally.

Line a rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper. (Do not spray the paper with cooking spray.) Working with 1 pretzel at a time, dip top half in melted chocolate and allow excess to drip back into pan. You can also use back of a spoon to remove excess.

Place dipped pretzels on prepared baking sheet. Allow chocolate to cool and set slightly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle chocolate-covered half of each pretzel with sprinkles, turning to coat all sides.

Refrigerate until chocolate is hardened, about 20 minutes. The pretzels will release from the paper once dry. Dipped pretzels can be made up to 1 week ahead. Layer them, without touching, between sheets of waxed paper in a flat airtight container and store at room temperature.

MOM'S PEANUT BRITTLE

Makes a lot.

• 2/3 c. water

• 1/3 c. light corn syrup

• 11/2 c. sugar

• 2 c. salted peanuts

• 1 tbsp. butter

• 11/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

In a large, heavy skillet, combine water, corn syrup and sugar. Heat to boiling and boil 8 minutes. Add peanuts and cook over high heat about 5 minutes or until mixture starts to brown lightly around edges, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; add butter, baking soda and vanilla all at once (have the three items measured ahead and ready to add), stirring to mix.

Pour out on a large buttered baking sheet. Cool and then break into pieces. Store in covered tin.

Makes about 30 (1-inch) truffles.

From "The Christmas Table: Recipes and Crafts to Create Your Own Holiday Tradition," by Diane Morgan.

• 8 oz. dark bittersweet chocolate (at least 64 percent cacao), very finely chopped

• 1/2 c. heavy whipping cream

• 1 tbsp. honey

• 1/2 cinnamon stick, about 11/2 in. long

• 2 whole cloves

• Pinch kosher or sea salt

• 21/2 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1/3 c. unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted

Place chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine cream, honey, vanilla, cinnamon stick, cloves and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Pour cream through a fine-mesh sieve held over chocolate, discarding contents of sieve, and let stand 2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir chocolate mixture in a circular motion until it has completely melted.

Add butter and stir until incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside at room temperature 30 minutes to set chocolate. (If the chocolate is still too soft to scoop balls, refrigerate 10 minutes.)

Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment or waxed paper. Using a melon baller, a tiny ice cream scoop or a spoon, scoop out 1-inch balls of chocolate and place 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Then roll each ball between your palms into an irregularly shaped truffle. Return truffles to refrigerator and chill until firm, about 1 hour.

Place cocoa in a small, shallow bowl. One at a time, roll truffles in cocoa, coating evenly. The truffles can be made up to 2 weeks ahead. Layer them between sheets of waxed paper in a flat airtight container and store in the refrigerator.

Makes about 80 caramels.

From "Brittles, Barks, & Bonbons: Delicious Recipes for Quick and Easy Candy," by Charity Ferreira.

• 3/4 c. (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

• 21/4 c. sugar

• 1 c. light corn syrup

• 1/2 c. water

• 21/4 tsp. sea salt

• 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped out or 1 tbsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Generously butter sides and bottom of an 8-inch square disposable foil cake pan; place on a baking sheet for stability.

Increase heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally with a heatproof spatula or a wooden spoon, until mixture turns a pale golden brown and registers about 250 degrees on a candy thermometer, 18 to 25 minutes.

Remove from heat and carefully stir in vanilla extract, if using (the mixture will bubble up).

Immediately pour caramel into prepared pan. Let stand at room temperature until top is set, about 20 minutes, then refrigerate until firm enough to cut, about 21/2 hours.