A few more day's and we'll be busy in the kitchen preparing our traditional Thanksgiving dinner. Last year I came across this recipe. It was the first dessert to disappear. I had my doubts when making it, but it was absolutely delicious and pretty!
"Peppermint Pie"
1 envelope plain gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/2 cup heavy cream, plus 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, whipped
8 ounces peppermint candies, soft type
1 prepared chocolate cookie crust
Crushed peppermint candies, for garnish
Soften gelatin in water and set aside. Put 1/2 cup heavy cream in a small saucepan with candies and cook over low heat until candy melts. Add gelatin mixture and mix well. Let cool and fold in whipped cream. Pour into crust, sprinkle with crushed peppermint candies, and chill thoroughly.
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I am not a big pie person - so anything I would make would be chocolate. I can't stand the gooey stuff in the middle of fruit pies, and pumpkin pie is too rich (so that does not make any sense - if I like chocolate!).
My favorite Holiday recipe is NUT CRUNCH - it's really a candy that I make ONLY at Christmas time. The ingredients are minimal and it's so easy to make once you understand how to get to the "hard crack toffee" phase of making candy.
PREP - Butter the bottom of square pan (glass or metal). Finely chop up 2 cups of nut mixture and set aside. Melt 2 cups semi-sweet choclate chips in a double-boiler pan - and keep warm. Watch to make sure your water does not boil out - that makes a mess!
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter - salted butter
2 Tablespoons water
Heat all ingredients in a pan over HIGH heat. You need to continually stir this mixture - and as it heats it will first boil up and get frothy and then condense down to a carmelized stage. Right when you think you are burning it - is when it's ready. For those that need a candy thermometer instead of using your nose, you can get them at any housewares store or section of department stores.
Once it hits the "hard crack" stage- immediately add 1 cup of chopped nuts and stir into mixture. Pour mixture IMMEDIATELY into pan and spread. Be careful not to get any of this mixture on your skin - it is like moltan lava and it DOES burn!
After the mixture has cooled a little bit - spread the chocolate over the top and sprinkle remaining nuts on top of the chocolate. You can press the nuts down a little to get them to really stick and be "part" of the chocolate.
Put in the refrigerator to cool totally - and then when it's cold and solid - cut into chunks. IT IS THE BEST!!!
If it is not crunchy and solid - that means you did not let it get hard enough in the boiling stage - the hard crack stage. Try again. Make sure to use butter WITH salt. Without it - for some reason it does not boil up the way it needs to.
TIP: Right after you pour the mixture into the pan and are waiting for it to cool a little bit, RINSE YOUR PAN AND SPATULA so that the mixture comes off. It hardens up FAST - so then you need to use really hot water to get the mixture OFF the spatula. I use a non-stick frying pan to heat up the candy - works great.
This has become our Holiday Tradition - and I make it for neighbors, family and friends! I am a SEE'S candy fan - and this gives See's a run for the money!
- Jennie
Jeannie-That sounds soo good, I'm going to make for Christmas!
Susan- What a great idea! I think more and more people are doing that sort of thing.