M&M Cookies!!

Of all of the cookies that I can think of, I think some of the very basics are my very favorite. One of those selected few is the beloved M&M cookie! When I say this recipe pop into my email inbox, I knew this weekend I would have to try it. This cookie proved to be soo good that the base of this cookie might be used in other cookie recipes in the future. These turned out perfectly cooked, slightly chewy, a little crisp, perfectly shaped. The only change I might try next time would be to add a little more salt, I think that might bring out the flavor of the sugar, and butter, and vanilla just a little more.

When placing the candies on top of the cookie just prior to baking, don't be afraid to put them a little closer to each other than you would think to. The cookie will spread a little bit which will give them necessary space between the candies.

The recipe is said to only make twelve cookies, they are a little bigger cookies. My try at it made thirteen cookies, with the last being a little bigger than the others. A measured scoop will also help make sure each cookie is the same size and shape. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk!

M&M Cookies (from Joy of Baking)

2 cups of All Purpose Flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (*see note above)
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
2/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup M&M candies (rough estimate)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place one oven rack in the top one-third of the oven and one oven rack in the lower one-third of the oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for easy cleanup.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, or in a separate bowl and use a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes.) Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the egg and egg yolk, beating well until combined. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, and beat until just incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Form the dough into balls, using 1/4 cup for each cookie. Place six balls of dough on each lined baking sheet. Gently flatten each dough ball into a 2 1/2 circle. Gently press the candies into each cookie. Bake for 15-17 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway. Cookies are done when when they are light golden brown in color and are just set. The cookies will continue to set as they cool, be careful not to over bake.

Cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before cooling on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

Caramel Apple Caramel Corn

I thought for the holiday season I would shake it up a bit and try my hand at something that wasn't a cookie, but still sweet. I had been eyeing up this post ever since I saw it back in the fall. The other day I actually found the Lyles Golden Syrup in the store. As like most I'm sure, I had never heard of such syrup. It seemed to add a lovely buttery, caramely taste to the recipe. If you cannot find it you can substitute light corn syrup, but look for it if you can. There are other uses for it, like drizzled on pancakes, an English muffin, or even frozen yogurt.

Caramel Apple Caramel Corn (From Culinary Concoctions)

2-3 bags plain, not buttered, microwave popcorn.

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup dark brown sugar, tightly packed

1/2 cup Lyle's golden syrup

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp baking soda

14 oz bag of caramels, unwrapped and each piece quartered

12 oz dried apples, chopped into bite sized pieces

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.

Divide the popped corn between two large bowls. Divide dried apple pieces between the two bowls, as well as the caramel pieces.

In a large heavy bottomed saucepan bring together the sugars, syrup, salt, and butter to a full boil over high heat, stirring often. Add vanilla extract and baking soda and stir vigorously. The mixture will bubble up a bit with the addition of baking soda, but that's OK.

Divide the caramel mixture between the two bowls of popcorn, apple pieces and caramels. Stir thoroughly. Move the popcorn to the two prepared baking sheets and bake in 200 degree oven for 20 minutes. The caramel pieces will melt a bit, but will firm up when cooled.

Homemade Gumdrops

This holiday season I have taken on more candy making than usual, maybe I find it more of a challenge. Candy making in general is a very precise process. It all depends on the exact temperature you bring your mixture to, and from what I know if even a tiny drop of water gets into some mixtures you have already lost.

One of my very favorite shows is Good Eats with Alton Brown on the Food Network. He gets into the nitty gritty scientific portion of why things happen the way they do. For an interesting peek into the ways of turning sugar into Carmel and what happens to the sucrose read here.

A candy thermometer is also mandatory here. A candy thermometer cannot be a meat thermometer or an oven thermometer, or a thermometer to take your temperature. It has some vary unique qualities which AB discusses in this episode-Fudge Factor. And yes, making fudge is considered candy making.

That being said, these orange gumdrops were bright and fruity, perfect texture, not too hard, not too soft. The recipe itself I think is fairly universal, as in you can alter the flavored extract to what you would like. I plan to use this recipe for strawberry, raspberry, mint, and other flavors of gumdrops. I even tried root beer, which turned out OK, but they were a little strong, I may have used too much extract!

Orange Gumdrops (from Taste of Home)

2 tsp butter, softened and divided

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of light corn syrup

3/4 cup of water

1 package powdered fruit pectin (1 and 3/4 oz size)
1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp grated orange peel

4 drops of yellow food coloring (I used a gel food coloring, thats what I had on hand)

1 drop of red

superfine sugar for sanding

Line the bottom of a 9"x5" loaf pan with aluminum foil. Grease the foil lining with 1 tsp of the softened butter. Grease bottom and sides of a large heavy saucepan with remaining butter. Add sugar and corn syrup to the pan. Cook and stir on medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Continue to stir occasionally until candy thermometer reads 280 degrees (soft crack stage.)

Meanwhile in another large saucepan, add the water, pectin, and baking soda (mixture will bubble.) Cook and stir over high heat until the mixture comes to a boil, about two minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

When the corn syrup mixtures nears the 280 degree mark, move the water and pectin mixture back to heat source and bring up to a simmer. As soon as the corn syrup mixture hits the 280 degree mark, remove from heat.

Carefully and slowly add the corn syrup mixture to the water and pectin mixture and a very thin stream while constantly stirring. I'm not going to lie, it's nice to have an extra set of hands around for this process, but it can be done on your own. Once that is complete, add the orange zest, extract, and food coloring and stir to combine.

Move the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and allow to set undisturbed for two hours. At this point, move the set gumdrops to a cutting board and cut. I chose to cut mine into cubes, but you do as you wish. Roll each gumdrop in superfine sugar to coat.

Store in an airtight container.

**If you do not have superfine sugar, place 2 cups of granulated sugar in the blender or food processor and pulse for a minute or two, that should yield similair results to superfine sugar.