As the Christmas season approaches, one thing to look forward to besides spending time with family and opening presents is the holiday baking. Here’s a list of simple treats you can make.
- Christmas fudge
All you need are two ingredients: 1 can of sweetened condensed milk and 3 bags of chocolate chips. If you’d like, you can switch out chocolate chips for mint chips, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, or any flavor you want.
Melt your desired chips together with the sweetened condensed milk, pour into a lined pan and cool in the fridge until set.
It’s fast, cheap, and delicious.
2. Easy toffee
You will need: a box of saltines, brown sugar, butter, and chocolate chips.
Line a pan with the saltines. Then, melt a stick of butter (1/2 cup) and 3/4 cup of brown sugar in a saucepan until boiling. Then, pour your mixture over the saltines. Next, pour 1/2 cup of chocolate chips on top and wait a few minutes, then spread the melted chocolate. You can also sprinkle candy pieces or nuts on top if you’d like. Let cool completely then break into pieces.
3. Peanut brittle
This recipe can be tricky, but delicious if done correctly. You will need: light corn syrup, sugar, water, unsalted peanuts, baking soda, and salt.
In a saucepan, combine 3/4 cup corn syrup, 2 cups of sugar, and 3/4 cups water. Bring to a boil at 260 degrees, or a hard ball stage. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, use this website as a guide to determine if the candy is ready. Once the candy is read, stir in peanuts and cook to hard crack or 290 degrees. Stir continuously. Then, add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Once all combined, pour onto the back of a greased cookie sheet and spread around. *The candy will be hot, so you can spread with your hands while wearing protective cooking gloves, carefully tilt the pan around, or use a silicone spatula, greased well. Let the candy cool completely, about 10 minutes then break into pieces. This recipe will make about 3 dozen pieces of peanut brittle, depending on the sizes.
4. Peppermint bark
You will need: semi sweet chocolate (chips or baking bar), white chocolate (chips or baking bar), and peppermint candies or candy canes, crushed.
First, melt 8 ounces semi sweet chocolate with a little canola oil and pour into a lined pan and refrigerate until hardened, about 1 hour. Repeat again with the white chocolate chips (8 ounces) and pour over the set semi sweet chocolate. (If you’d like more of a peppermint flavor, add peppermint extract to your melted chocolate.) Sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top and set in fridge again for another hour. Enjoy.
5. Orange truffles
You will need: crushed graham crackers, powdered sugar, frozen orange juice concentrate, light corn syrup, and melted butter.
First, mix together 4 cups of crushed graham crackers, 1 cup powdered sugar, one 6 ounce can orange juice concentrate, 1/4 cup corn syrup, and 1/4 cup (half a stick) of melted butter in a bowl until well combined. Roll mixture into balls and roll in a bowl of powdered sugar to coat, then place truffles on a cookie sheet or plate and place in fridge for 10 minutes to set. Enjoy!
These holiday treats are sure to impress your Christmas party this year. Happy holidays.
