Candy recept

ALMOND SPLINTERS

9 ounces Milk chocolate -- broken into
Pieces
6 ounces Slivered almonds -- toasted

Melt chocolate in top of a double saucepan over simmering water. Stir until smooth or microwave on HIGH for 2 minutes. Combine almonds and chocolate, drop teaspoonfuls of mixture onto foil-covered trays. Allow to set in a cool place; store in airtight container in cool place.

Makes about 25.

2 cups Packed brown sugar
1 cup Butter
1/4 cup Water
1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
12 ounces Chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups Sliced toasted almonds
Coarsely chopped

Lightly grease a 10 x 15-inch baking sheet. Set aside.
In a large heavy saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter, and water and bring slowly to the boil, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Insert a candy thermometer and cook until the mixture reaches 285 degrees F. (soft-crack stage). Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the vanilla and baking soda.
Immediately pour onto the greased baking sheet.
Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the hot toffee. Let sit for 5 minutes, then spread evenly over the surface of the toffee with a spatula. Sprinkle the nuts evenly over the top. Cool completely. Break the hardened toffee into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Makes about 1 1/2 pounds WELL-STOCKED PANTRY

2/3 cup Almond paste -- room

2 tablespoons Coffee liqueur
1 teaspoon Instant coffee powder (not -- granules)
72 Walnut halves
8 ounces Semisweet chocolate -- melted

1. Mix the almond paste, coffee liqueur and coffee powder until smooth.

2. Spread 1/2 tsp of the mixture on the flat side of a walnut half and top with another walnut half, forming a sandwich. Rep,eat with the remaining almond paste and walnuts.

3. Line a large baking sheet with wax paper. Dip one end of the walnut in the melted chocolate and set on the baking sheet. Repeats with the remaining filled walnuts walnuts and chocolate. Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 30 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and store in refrigeration.

ANGEL FOOD CANDY

1 cup Sugar
1 cup Dark corn syrup
1 tablespoon Vinegar
1 tablespoon Baking soda
1 pound Chocolate almond bark

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Cook without stirring until the temperature reaches 300 (hard crack stage) on a candy thermometer. Do not overcook. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in baking soda. Pour into a buttered 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan. When cool, break into bitesize pieces. Dip into melted chocolate; place on waxed paper until the chocolate is firm. Store candy tightly covered.

Yield: 1-1/2 pounds
Source: Country Woman magazine

4 tablespoons Plain gelatin
2 teaspoons Lemon juice
2 1/4 cups Unsweetened applesauce
2 cups Chopped nuts
2 teaspoons Vanilla
4 cups Sugar
Confectioners' sugar

Aplets are a great bar cookie for summertime or school lunch boxes! In Washington State, and other places where they are marketed, you can buy Aplets and Cotlets and Grapelets. With this recipe you can make your own.

APLETS
In cup or small bowl stir gelatin into 1 cup applesauce; set aside until gelatin dissolves. In medium saucepan stir sugar into remaining applesauce. Add gelatin dissolved in applesauce. Over medium heat, stir constantly and bring to boil; turn heat to lowest setting and simmer 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add lemon juice last 5 minutes of cooking. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and nuts. Pour into buttered 8-inch square pan. Cover loosely and let stand overnight. When firm, cut into 1 inch squares. Roll in confectioner's sugar.

The recipe says it makes about 3 dozen squares.

APLETS AND COTLETS

3 tablespoons Gelatin
3 cups Apple juice or unsweetened -- apricot juice
1 1/3 cups Granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Each lemon and lime juice -- or more as needed
2/3 cup Cornstarch
2 cups Walnuts -- chopped
1 cup Powdered sugar

Makes about 64 small cubes
Soften the gelatin in 1/2 cup of the apple juice. Boil remaining juice with the sugar for 15 minutes to concentrate it. Mix the lemon and lime juice, and add all but 1/4 cup cornstarch to dissolve it in the mixture. Add both gelatin mixture and cornstarch mixture to the boiled juice and boil again rapidly for 10 minutes until very thick, stirring constantly. Taste for sweet and sour and add more lemon juice if wanted.

Mix in the walnuts and pour mixture into a 9-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan that has been dipped in cold water. Let paste harden 12 hours or overnight, then cut with a sharp knife into squares. Mix together the reserved 1/4 cup cornstarch and powdered sugar. Remove squares with a spatula and roll each in the powdered sugar mixture (the cornstarch helps keep the sugar dry).