Confections

Burnt Almonds

  • 2 1/2 cups almonds
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water

Instructions:

  1. Heat and stir sugar in a heavy frying pan until dissolved.
  2. Add nuts and keep stirring until sugar gets cloudy.
  3. Add water by teaspoonful until sugar melts again.
  4. Quickly pour onto cookie sheet.
  5. Break apart as nuts cool.

Stained Glass Candy

  • 1 stick margarine
  • 12 oz. pack semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 to 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
  • 1 pack mini marshmallows

Instructions:

  1. Melt margarine and chips. Cool.
  2. Mix in marshmallows and nuts.
  3. On wax paper, sprinkle powdered sugar liberally.
  4. Spoon mixture over and shape into log.
  5. Twist ends and refrigerate.
  6. Slice to serve.

Popcorn Balls

  • 1 1/3 cups popcorn
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1/2 cup salted peanuts

Instructions:

  1. In a large pan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup light corn syrup on medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
  2. Bring to boil, not stirring, and boil for 3 minutes.
  3. Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla plus optional color.
  4. Mix corn and nuts and form into balls.

Another Popcorn Balls

  • 3 quarts popped corn
  • 3/4 cup molasses mixed with 1/4 cup white karo syrup
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions:

  1. Place popcorn in a large bowl or pan.
  2. Cook molasses, sugar, butter, and salt until brittle in cold water.
  3. Pour over corn and stir.
  4. Rub hands with butter and form.
  5. Wrap balls with waxed paper to prevent sticking.

Mary Pates Nuts

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups pecans

Instructions:

  1. Mix sugar, water, spices, and salt in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil.
  2. Cook without stirring until soft ball stage.
  3. Remove and add pecans.
  4. Mix until a solid big mass.
  5. Break apart when cool.

Cooked White Icing

  • 2 unbeaten egg whites
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • A dash of salt
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 2 teaspoons light karo syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:

  1. In a double boiler, place 2 unbeaten egg whites, 1 1/2 cups sugar, a dash of salt, 1/3 cup water, and 2 teaspoons light karo syrup.
  2. Beat over boiling water until stiff peaks.
  3. Remove and add 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat one full minute more.

Aunt Eleanor's Almond Cookies

  • 7 oz. almond paste
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 small egg whites
  • 1 tablespoon flour

Instructions:

  1. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and grease and dust with flour.
  2. Mix almond paste, sugar, egg whites, and flour.
  3. Drop on sheet and bake at 325°F for 15 minutes.

Dots Cherry Cheesecakes (Individual)

  • 2 (8 oz.) packs cream cheese
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • Vanilla wafers
  • Cherry pie filling

Instructions:

  1. Beat cream cheese with sugar, eggs, and lemon juice.
  2. Place a vanilla wafer in each fluted cupcake cup then fill 3/2 full with mix.
  3. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
  4. Cool then top each with 3 cherries from a can of cherry pie filling.
  5. Makes 24.

Sherry Trifle

  • 1 (8 in.) sponge layer or 10 lady fingers
  • 3/4 cup raspberry jam
  • 1/2 cup sherry
  • 1 can fruit salad
  • 2 1/2 cups boiled custard or custard dessert mix (I use Bird's)
  • 1/2 to 1 cup whipped cream

Instructions:

  1. Sandwich the cake or lady fingers with the jam and cut into pieces and arrange in a glass serving dish.
  2. Moisten the sponge with sherry and some syrup from the fruit.
  3. Place drained fruit on top.
  4. Make custard. When it is nearly cool, pour over the fruit.
  5. Chill. Just before serving, add whipped cream and dot with cherries and nuts.
  6. Serves 6.

Caramel Cup Custard

  • 6 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • Nutmeg
  • 1 cup sugar
  • Water

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
  2. Beat egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and nutmeg.
  3. Heat 1 cup sugar in a heavy pan until it is melted and golden brown.
  4. Pour into 6 heat-proof custard dishes and tip each one as you pour to spread the caramel.
  5. Cool them and then pour in egg mixture.
  6. Place in a pan of hot water. Bake at 350°F for 45-50 minutes.

Pat Reeds Pralines

  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup evaporated milk
  • 1 cup pecans
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 stick butter

Instructions:

  1. Mix well and cook in a heavy pan until firm ball stage.
  2. Turn off heat and drop in pecans, vanilla, and butter.
  3. Beat with a wooden spoon vigorously until thick with a vague whitish caste.
  4. Drop onto waxed paper or buttered surface.
  5. If mixture cools too fast and is too thick, warm very gently over hot water.
  6. Lift when completely cool. Wrap individually with waxed paper and store in a sealed container.

Candied Figs

  • 5 lbs. figs
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup water

Instructions:

  1. Prick figs with a fork.
  2. Put into a 2 qt. pan. Pour boiling water with 2 teaspoons salt over.
  3. Let stand 10 minutes, drain.
  4. Then combine above sugar and water.
  5. Cook slowly for 1 1/2 hours with lid on, let boil before timing that 1 1/2 hours.
  6. Then pour over figs and refrigerate overnight with lid on.
  7. 2nd day: simmer figs 1 hour uncovered.
  8. 3rd day: same thing.
  9. Then spread out on racks and cover with cheese cloth outside in sun for 3 days (bring in at night).
  10. Roll in granulated sugar and store in tin with waxed paper or freeze. There is no candy made on this earth that is better.

Jane Semmes Peanut Brittle

  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup karo
  • Dash of salt
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon soda
  • 1 1/2 cups raw peanuts

Instructions:

  1. Bring sugar, water, and karo to boil and cook until it spins a thread.
  2. Add peanuts and continue to cook and stir constantly until syrup turns a golden brown (do not undercook).
  3. Remove from flame and add butter and soda and stir until blended.
  4. Pour onto a well-buttered board.
  5. When cool, remove immediately or it will stick.
  6. Use a two-quart pan and medium-high heat.

BOMB OR BOMBE OR BOMBA

This is an Italian ice cream cake that Aunt Eleanor was known for. You can make it GOOD or you can make it good for you. The GOOD is absolutely fabulous and the good for you is wonderful if you have never tasted the GOOD...

Use a glass mixing bowl...slather it with butter or margarine. Line it with 1/2 inch thick slices of pound cake. Fill all spaces and press edges together..you will need some triangle shapes to make the slices fit.

The filling will be layers of what you like. The center layer should be vanilla ice cream softened and mixed with nutmeg and chopped maraschino cherries. Some other layers can be chocolate ice cream, peach ice cream, sliced bananas, chocolate flakes (made by spreading melted chocolate bits onto aluminum foil chilling and breaking them up), toasted almond slices, any other ice cream flavor you like...There should be three layers at least. Soften ice cream to add as a layer. Top the last layer with cake slices and press down to make sure there are no empty spaces. Cover and refreeze. When hard again, turn out onto plate by placing in bowl of hot water for 2-3 minutes. With flat top down, frost with whipped cream and Decorate with halved cherries, nuts, whatever you like. Refreeze and remove 10-15 min. before serving. To make it good FOR you, can substitute frozen yogurts for ice cream, angelfood cake and low fat topping. If you frost with low fat topping, wait until just before serving because it "dies". Aunt Eleanor served the slices with hot fudge sauce at the table, but I've never had the nerve to make it THAT GOOD. This just looks like a long recipe..it is actually very easy to do. My favorite is with peach and chocolate ice cream on the top and bottom with the vanilla nutmeg mix in the center, divided with toasted almonds, sliced bananas and chocolate flakes.