Tag: sweets

Grandma Marilyn’s Caramel Corn

INGREDIENTS

  • 8 quarts of popped popcorn (2/3 cups of unpopped popcorn, prepared OR 3 bags of popped microwave popcorn)
  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup light Karo corn syrup
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla (my addition)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Place popped popcorn in large roasting pan (or aluminum pan)
  • Combine the butter, sugar, Kara, and salt into a medium saucepan. It needs to be enough for the caramel to expand once additional ingredients are added. On medium-high heat, bring ingredients to a boil, and once bubbly, boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
  • Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda. This will expand and become foamy.
  • Add in vanilla, if desired.
  • Pour ingredients over the popcorn and stir to evenly coat. It is okay if it does not cover all the popcorn at this time.
  • Put in a 200 degree oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes. The caramel will loosen and cover more popcorn with each stir.
  • While waiting, line counter with parchment paper.
  • Once your hour in the oven is complete, pour cooked caramel corn onto parchment paper and allow to cool.

NOTES

This is your grandmother’s version (see below from the compilation cookbook that was put together after your grandmother’s passing), and it is very similar to the Amish Caramel Corn recipe I always made when you were growing up. I have added a note to add vanilla to make this closer to that recipe. Enjoy!

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Ina Garten’s Brownie Pudding

INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
  • 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup good cocoa powder
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
  • 1 tablespoon framboise liqueur, optional
  • Vanilla ice cream, for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter a 2-quart (9 by 12 by 2-inch) oval baking dish. Melt the 1/2 pound of butter and set aside to cool.
  • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes, until very thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.
  • When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla seeds, framboise, if using, and the cocoa powder and flour mixture. Mix only until combined. With mixer still on low, slowly pour in the cooled butter and mix again just until combined.
  • Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and place it in a larger baking pan. Add enough of the hottest tap water to the pan to come halfway up the side of the dish and bake for exactly 1 hour. A cake tester inserted 2 inches from the side will come out 3/4 clean. The center will appear very under-baked; this dessert is between a brownie and a pudding.
  • Allow to cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.

NOTES

This is AMAZING! It walks a thin line between molten lava cake and brownie. Make sure you commit to the bit and cream the specified mixture a full 10 minutes as instructed as it does something magical to this decadent dessert. I cannot recommend this highly enough.

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French Vanilla Crinkle Cookies

INGREDIENTS

  • French Vanilla box cake mix (or cake mix of your choice)
  • 1/3 cup neutral oil
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • powdered sugar to roll cookies in for crinkle texture

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the red velvet cake mix, eggs, and vegetable oil. Stir until a thick dough forms. Chill the dough for about 15-30 minutes to make it easier to handle.
  • Using a cookie scoop or your hands, form the dough into balls (about 1 inch in diameter). Roll each ball in powdered sugar until fully coated. For a better crinkle effect, roll them twice in powdered sugar.
  • Place the cookie balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers are still soft. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
  • Cool and Enjoy: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy your delicious red velvet crinkle cookies!

NOTES

These are just typical cake mix cookies, and any flavor cake mix will do. The cake flavor in the preview image is birthday cake flavored, for example. However, there’s something special about using the French Vanilla box mix for these treats. It provides almost a cheesecake-like flavor that is our favorite. Enjoy!

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Mom’s Homemade Corn Flake Candy: A Pantry-Friendly Treat

Mom always had ingredients for this snack on hand, especially during leaner times! It’s a cheap fix for any sweet tooth not watching their waistlines! I post this here, not simply for posterity’s sake, but because not doing so would be criminal! It’s a family favorite.

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup light Karo syrup
  • 1 cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy … your choice!)
  • 5 cups of corn flakes

INSTRUCTIONS

Bring sugar and Karo syrup to a boil in a large sauce pot. Once boiling, add peanut butter. Bring back to a boil and then cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add corn flakes, stirring until coated. Quickly spread mixture onto a counter lined with parchment paper. Cool. Break into pieces before storing.

NOTES

The time on the stove before adding the peanut butter is going to be what determines the texture of the candy. A crispier texture is achieved by adding extra time to the boil before adding in peanut butter. My family always prefers it on the chewier side, so the peanut butter is added ASAP upon boiling and timed to one minute on heat exactly once the peanut butter is added.

Enjoy, kiddos!

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