Category Archives: Candy

Pumpkin Pie Bites

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Yields 10-12, depending on scoop size. This recipe has been made using 1/2 leftover 8inch pumpkin pie

Ingredients

  • Leftover pumpkin pie (homemade or store-bought)
  • 4oz milk chocolate chips*
  • 4oz semi-sweet chocolate chips*

To finish

  • Sprinkles, or chopped roasted nuts

Method

  1. Place the left over pumpkin pie into a large bowl and break/ mic together to combine. You don’t smooth a mixture as these taste better with some texture from the original leftover pumpkin pie crust. Continue until you have a semi-smooth mixture
  2. Using a cookie scoop, place balls of the mixture onto a lined tray or container that will fit in your freezer compartment.
  3. When all the mixture has been scooped onto the tray, place it in the freezer for about 30 mins
  4. Just before removing the pumpkin pie balls from the freezer, combine both the chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of water and melt together until smooth
  5. Remove the pumpkin pie balls from the freezer and one at at time roll in the melted chocolate. Place back onto the lined tray, add sprinkles if using and allow the chocolate to fully set
  6. Serve and enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Bark

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Yields 30 pieces (depending on final size)

Ingredients

  • 14-16 Graham Cracker Sheets
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ¾ cup butter
  • ¼ cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
  • 6oz milk chocolate chips
  • 6oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cup pecans, toasted and chopped
  • Sprinkles, optional

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F, and line a large baking sheet (with sides) with non-stick foil
  2. Place the graham crackers side by side on the baking sheet (you may need to break some of the graham crackers into smaller pieces to line the tray completely). Set aside
  3. In a bowl combine both the chocolate chips and stir to combine. Set aside
  4. In a medium sized saucepan, add in butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar and pumpkin spice
  5. Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Once it has reached a boil, reduce the heat to med-low, whisking the mixture for another 4 minutes
  6. Remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the graham crackers. With a rubber spatula, spread the mixture over the graham crackers in an even layer
  7. Bake the graham crackers for 5-6 minutes, or until the liquid is bubbling
  8. Remove from the oven, sprinkle over the chocolate ships and allow to sit on the counter for for 2-3 minutes until the chocolate chips appear “shiny”. Use a spatula to spread the melted chocolate chips over the toffee surface
  9. Top with chopped pecans and sprinkled, if using
  10. Allow the bark to cool fully before breaking or cutting into pieces
  11. Serve and enjoy

Kohakutou (Japanese Amber Candy)

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Makes A lot! (dependent on cutting size)

Ingredients

  • 4 teaspoons agar agar
  • 1 3/4 cups water
  • 3 cups sugar, white
  • 1/2 teaspoon candy flavouring oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon citric acid
  • Gel food coloring, to personal preference

Method

  1. Prepare an 8-x 8-inch square pan with smooth sides by spraying lightly with cooking spray
  2. In a medium pan, stir to combine the agar agar and water. Let sit for 5 minutes
  3. Bring the agar agar mixture to a boil over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until it has completely dissolved and the mixture thickens. This should take between 2 to 3 minutes
  4. Add the sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until it has completely dissolved and the mixture is thick and syrupy, about 3 minutes
  5. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the candy flavoring, citric acid and stir to combine
  6. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Add a few drops of food coloring to your personal preference and swirl throughout the mixture using a skewer or chopstick. Refrigerate for 1 hour
  7. After this time your agar agar mixture should be quite firm and set. If it isn’t refrigerate for another 15 minutes. Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan. Flip the pan over onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, or counter-top. then tap to dislodge the jelly. If the jelly is stubborn, cut it into chunks and remove those from the pan instead
  8. Use a sharp paring knife to cut the jelly into crystal shapes, trimming as desired. The jelly will be firm but sticky. You can also tear the jelly to form jagged edges
  9. Now here comes the hard part! Set the shaped jelly shapes on to clean parchment paper and leave in a cool area, free from or with low humidity. Leave the jellies for about 7 days, rotating morning and evening to ensure even drying. Over this time you’ll notice the candy pieces will form a hard out crust.
  10. After this time you can eat the candy crystals as is, or you can decorate them with edible glitter or paint, to enhance their “geode crystal” look.
  11. The candies can be kept in an air-tight container for up to a further two weeks to enjoy them at their best

Pride Funfetti Popcorn

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Ingredients

  • ¼ cup popcorn kernels
  • 10 ounces white melts*
  • ½ and ¼ cup funfetti or white cake mix**, divided
  • ½ cup sprinkles

Method

  1. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment/ waxed paper and set aside until needed later
  2. Pop popcorn in your preferred method and salt to taste. Pour into large bowl and set aside.
  3. Melt white candy melts in a microwave in 10 second bursts, stirring frequently until smooth and being careful not to overheat
  4. Add ½ cup of the cake mix to the white chocolate and stir to combine
  5. Immediately pour the candy/cake mix mixture over the popcorn and use a spatula to combine.  Add the remaining ¼ cup of the cake mix and the sprinkles and stir or toss again to combine until thoroughly coated
  6. Spread onto prepared baking sheet in a single layer and top with some extra sprinkles if you like. Leave on the baking sheet until set and then break apart into small clusters. Serve and enjoy!

*White chocolate bars may ne used as well but your final coated popcorn won’t set as hard or be as crunchy.

**Before using the cake batter mix, treat it in the oven by spreading it on a lined baking tray and toasting it at 350 F for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once cooled, use as per the recipe above. One thing to note is that the sprinkles in the cake mix may discolour a little or melt a bit. More reason to add those extra sprinkles!

Pumpkin Spice Toffee

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A li’l bit late to the game but here we are- Pumpkin Toffee. Enough said.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups pecan pieces
  • 1 cup salted butter, chopped
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 tspn salt
  • 1 tspn light corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 and 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, divided
  • 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method

  1. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat- the silicone baking mat being the better of the two. Set aside until needed later
  2. In a pan lightly toast pecan pieces for 7-8 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned. Set aside on a plate until needed
  3. In a large heavy pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the water, 1 cup sugar, salt, corn syrup and pumpkin puree. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves, then brush down the sides of the pan with a water-moistened pastry brush. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan
  4. Now get comfortable- you’re going to be stirring a LOT. Constantly but gently stir the mixture until it reaches 290°F (143°C; soft crack stage). Be watchful– the temperature slowly rises in the beginning, but then moves quickly. I usually take mine off the heat when the toffee reaches 285°F (141°C), as it will continue to cook in the few seconds after
  5. Immediately remove the pan from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and 1 cup toasted pecans. Pour the toffee out onto the prepared. lined baking mat. Your mixture should be thick and not spread all the way to the edges of the pan. Cool the toffee for 5-10 minutes
  6. In a microwaveable bowl melt the chocolate chips until smooth. I melt it in the microwave in 20 second increments, stopping and stirring after each
  7. Spread the melted chocolate on top of the toffee, then sprinkle with remaining pecan pieces and sprinkle over the remaining pumpkin pie spice
  8. Refrigerate toffee for 20 minutes or until the chocolate has set. Peel off the silicone baking mat and break toffee into pieces- sized to personal preference of course!
  9. Store toffee in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool dry place for up to 2 weeks

*If you notice the butter separating at any time during the cooking process, remove the pan from heat and beat vigorously (but carefully!) to bring the mixture back together