Hard Candy

Nut Brittle

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
2 1/2 cups raw peanuts or
other coarsely chopped nuts
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda, sifted

Butter 2 lg. baking sheets; set aside. Butter sides of heavy 3 qt. saucepan. In saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, butter, and 1/2 cup water. Cook and stir over low med. heat to boiling. Clip candy thermometer to side of pan. Cook and stir over low med. heat to 275 degrees, hard crack stage .
(about 15-20 min. more). Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer.
Quickly sprinkle soda over mix, stirring constantly. Immediately pour into prepared baking sheets. Cool; break into pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes about 2 1/2 lbs.

Toffee Butter Crunch

Ingredients:
1/2 cup coarsely chopped toasted
almonds or pecans
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces
1/2 cup finely chopped toasted
almonds or pecans

Line a 13x9x2 in. baking pan with foil, extending over edges. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts into pan. Butter sides of heavy 2 qt. saucepan. In saucepan, melt butter. Add sugar, corn syrup, and 3 tbsp. water. Cook and stir over med. high heat to boiling.
Clip candy thermometer to side of pan. Cook and stir over med. heat to 290 degrees, soft crack stage ; (about 15 min.). Watch carefully after 280 degrees to prevent scorching. Remove saucepan from heat, remove thermometer. Pour mix into prepared pan. Let stand for 5 min. or till firm; sprinkle with chocolate pieces. Let stand 1-2 min. more. When softened, spread chocolate over mix. Sprinkle with nuts. Chill till firm. Lift candy out of pan; break into pieces. Store tightly covered. Makes about 1 1/2 lbs.

Caramel Snappers

Ingredients:
90 pecan halves (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 of a 14 oz. pkg. (about 25) caramels
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces
1 tsp. shortening

Spread pecans into a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in 350 oven about 10 min. or till toasted, stirring occasionally. Line a baking sheet with foil. Butter the foil. On foil, arrange pecans in groups of 3, flat side down.
In a heavy saucepan combine caramels and butter. Cook and stir over low heat till melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Drop about 1 tsp. melted caramel mix onto each group of pecans. Let caramel pieces stand till firm (about 20 min.).
In a small saucepan heat chocolate pieces and shortening over low heat, stirring constantly, till melted and smooth. Remove from heat. With a narrow spatula, spread a small amount of melted chocolate mix over the top of each caramel piece. Let stand till firm. remove from baking sheet. Store tightly covered. makes 30 pieces.

Caramel Corn

Ingredients:
8 cups popped popcorn
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
3 tbsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Remove all unpopped kernels from popped corn. Place popcorn in a greased 17x12x2 in. baking pan. Keep popcorn warm in a 300 oven while making caramel mix.
Butter the sides of a heavy 1 1/2 qt. saucepan. In saucepan combine brown sugar, butter, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over med. heat to boiling. Clip candy thermometer to side of pan. Cook and stir over med. heat to 255 degrees, hard ball stage (about 4 min.).
Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla; pour over popcorn. Stir gently to coat. Bake in a 300 oven for 15 min.; stir. Bake 5 min. more. Transfer popcorn mix to a large piece of foil; cool completely. Break into clusters. Store tightly covered. Makes about 9 cups.

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