Sugar Zombie

I was out in the blogiverse reading this post from the David Lebovitz blog last month when I stopped to laugh over the author’s response to some sublime apricot bars he had sampled: “I’m sure they thought I was some sort of sugar-zombie the way I attacked it.” “OMG!” I thought. “Sugar zombie. This time of year that is soooo me. LOL!” I loved the thought of us enthusiastic holiday munchers roaming around half comatose, half hyped-up on a sucrose jag, moaning for “Suuuggaarrr! Suuuggarrr!” I don’t know about you, but holiday sweets get me through the winter.


I try to stay out of the brightly colored candy aisles at the stores and keep as many of my treats homemade as I can. They’re not any healthier, for the most part, but at least I put the effort and love into them before devouring them (or sharing them) and moving on to the next victim. Recently, I got around to updating a recipe I tried years ago for a butterscotch fudge flavored with butterscotch chips, pumpkin and spices. I remembered it as being super sweet and just too big of a batch, even for this sugar zombie, so I set about to make half a batch with possibly a little more flavor.

I know I shouldn’t do this, but I changed several variables at once when tackling this adaptation. I halved the recipe, substituted brown sugar for some of the white sugar, and added cream cheese to provide some tang to counteract the sweetness. It occurred to me that this could be a complete disaster, but I proceeded anyway. Luckily the recipe came out quite well with the texture of the fudge not suffering from my additions and substitutions and the flavor improving the way I had hoped. There’s nothing like successfully changing a candy recipe to make you feel like you know what you are doing.

Actually, this recipe is based on the nearly foolproof fudge recipes that contain marshmallow crème, which is sort of the cream of mushroom soup of the candy recipe world. Stir in the marshmallow cream and the texture of your fudge will be just right without much fuss or delicate procedures. I think I may have proved with this recipe, that marshmallow crème can make up for a serious deficiency of expertise. I do, however, have to apologize for one thing. The recipe below will leave you with half a can of evaporated milk, half a jar of marshmallow crème, and a little less than half a package of butterscotch morsels. We’re just going to have to find something else to do with them.

This fudge is indeed quite sweet, but the other flavors are really wonderful. The pumpkin and some of the spice and sweetness are at the forefront, then the butterscotch comes in. Finally, the spices push through at the end and echo in your mouth even after the fudge is gone. Sweet and sugary, yes, it is, but the other flavors are strong and interesting enough to create at least a more sophisticated sugar zombie.

All you chocolate zombies, however, are just going to have to find a different recipe.

Butterscotch Pumpkin Fudge
Based on a recipe from AllRecipes.com

You can replace the spices with 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice if desired.

I used an 8”x8” pan, which resulted in thin pieces of fudge. Use a smaller pan for thicker chunks.

1 cup white granulated sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup butter
1/3 cup evaporated milk
¼ cup pumpkin puree (or other sweet squash puree)
2 tablespoons cream cheese (regular or reduced fat)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
6 ounces butterscotch morsels (such as Nestle brand)
3 ½ ounces marshmallow crème

1. Spray an 8” x 8” (or slightly smaller) baking dish or casserole with nonstick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, combine the white sugar, brown sugar, butter, evaporated milk, and pumpkin. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and submerge it into the boiling mixture without touching the side or bottom of the pan.

3. Cook the mixture on medium heat, stirring frequently, until the thermometer reads 234 F, about 10-15 minutes. (The temperature is far more important than the time.)

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the cream cheese until completely incorporated. Use caution as the mixture may bubble and splatter and is very hot.

Stir in the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and butterscotch morsels. Keep stirring until the morsels are completely melted and the mixture is smooth. If the mixture cools too much to melt the morsels, put the pan over very low heat to help them melt. Stir in the marshmallow cream until smooth.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread it evenly.

Let stand at room temperature until completely cooled. Cut into squares and store in an air-tight container with layers separated by wax or parchment paper, preferably in the refrigerator. It will keep for several days.

Other recipes like this one: Bittersweet Almond Amaretto Truffles, Grandmama’s Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Pie Cupcakes

One year ago: Gingerbread Granola

Treats for Tricksters

While I’ll never show disrespect for a fun-size candy bar, I think it’s time to make a homemade treat for all the part-time devils, ghouls, zombies and Snookis roaming around this time of year. I actually love to make candy, so when the cheerfully messy part of my brain said, “Let’s make a batch of Mom’s caramel corn for Halloween,” the less motivated part went along with surprisingly little reluctance. (I guess I’m going as multiple personality disorder for Halloween.)

While I know I was hanging around the kitchen when Mom was making this caramel corn, I don’t think I ever participated in the process. In fact, as good of a cook as my mom is, I learned very little cooking from her. (She said I wasn’t interested. Whatever!) Most of what I remember learning in my parents’ kitchen I learned from Dad, who doesn’t cook. He taught me how to make eggs over easy, a jug of Kool Aid, and popcorn.

There wasn’t a fancy popcorn popper in our house. Dad made popcorn on the stove in a warped and battered kettle that had started its life as the bottom of a double boiler. He would heat the popcorn (just enough to cover the bottom of the kettle) in vegetable oil (just enough to cover the bottom of the kettle), shaking it gently until one or two of the kernels popped. He then put on the copper-colored lid and shook that kettle so vigorously that tiny sparks flickered between its lumpy, blackened bottom and the burner.

Things would get exciting if the popcorn would start to overachieve and he had to hold the lid on to keep the pot from overflowing. The popped corn would then get dumped into a big, white Tupperware bowl. If no one was on a diet (which was rare), a couple tablespoons of margarine would go into the still-hot kettle to melt and then get poured over the popcorn. Dad would apply salt, holding the shaker about two and a half feet above the bowl (so he could see the grains better as they sprinkled down) and stir it all with a butter knife, holding one big hand over the top of the popcorn to keep it from jumping out of the bowl. Our family of four would then gather around the bowl, usually on the living room floor, and watch network television.

Yes, Dad is the stuff when it comes to homemade popcorn. But this isn’t a treatise on popcorn. As important as good, well-popped corn is to this recipe, it’s really all about the sweet, buttery caramel coating. Brown sugar, butter (mom used margarine, but I never buy that anymore), dark corn syrup, and a bit of salt are boiled together, then joined by baking soda and a splash of vanilla. Baking soda is an important addition to hard candies that you want to be able to chew without breaking teeth. I use it to make perfectly crunchy peanut brittle as well.

The hot caramel syrup is poured over popcorn, which is something best done very carefully, since this is very hot stuff. An apron might not be enough protection. You’re best armed with a bit of strength and coordination as well. I wouldn’t even mock you if you wore safety goggles. Anyway, the coated corn is baked in a low oven, and when it cools, which, thankfully, doesn’t take very long, it is a sweet and crunchy treat that you’ll have to break down and share because the batch is so huge.

I don’t know why this stuff is so good… What am I saying? It’s popcorn slathered in butter and sugar. What could not be good about that? It’s buttery and sweet, with a bit of darkness from the molasses in the brown sugar and dark corn syrup. If you use the right amount of popcorn, the coating is light and crispy, just right for fluffy, fresh popcorn.

This caramel corn is good. Really good. Really, really good. I’m thinking there are plenty of ghosts, monsters and aliens, princesses, cartoon characters and “reality” TV stars, and even a naughty nurse or two who would gladly exchange even the nastiest tricks for this delicious treat.

Caramel Corn
Recipe courtesy of my mom.

½ pound (2 sticks) butter
2 cups (about 500 ml) brown sugar
1 (5 ml) teaspoon salt
1 cup (about 250 ml) dark corn syrup (such as Karo brand)
1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
6 quarts (about 6 liters) plain popped popcorn

1. Preheat oven to 200 F (about 95 C). Place the popcorn in a very large bowl with enough room to stir the popcorn. If you don’t have a large enough bowl (I don’t) divide the popcorn between two or more bowls. Set aside. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with aluminum foil. Cover the bottom and the rims with the foil. Spay the foil with nonstick cooking spray or brush evenly with vegetable oil. Set aside.

2. Combine the butter, brown sugar, salt and dark corn syrup in a medium size saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally as the butter melts. Bring to a full boil.

3. Boil for 5 minutes (no need to stir). Reduce the heat or remove the pan from the burner if the caramel threatens to boil over.

4. Remove from the heat and stir in the baking soda until completely blended.

Stir in the vanilla. The mixture may bubble vigorously when the vanilla is added, so be careful to avoid being splashed by the hot syrup.

5. Very carefully pour the hot caramel over the popcorn. Working quickly but carefully, stir to coat the popcorn as evenly as possible.


6. Transfer the coated popcorn to the prepared baking sheets. Place the sheets on racks in the upper third and lower third of the oven. Bake at 200 F (95 C) for 30 minutes, stirring and turning the caramel corn occasionally. Switch the positions of the pans, putting the one on the lower rack on the upper rack and vice versa. Continue baking for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. Remove from the oven and stir one more time. Cool in the pan on wire racks. Serve or transfer to an airtight container where it will keep for several days (but it will probably be eaten before then.)

Makes a generous 6 quarts (6 liters), or anywhere from 1 to 20 servings.

Another candy treat: Bittersweet Almond Amaretto Truffles

One year ago: Roasted Vegetables

Sweet Treats

You don’t have to have a Sweetheart to enjoy chocolate for Valentine’s Day. In fact, you don’t even need a Valentine’s Day to enjoy chocolate. Our world seems to demand an excuse for even our minor indulgences, however, so as long as the calendar is willing to oblige, I’ll make some truffles.

Bittersweet chocolate-almond-amaretto truffles, that is. 60% cacao chocolate (I used Ghirardelli brand) melted with heavy cream and a pat of butter, laced with amaretto liqueur and coated with toasted almonds. I’m rarely speechless, even when drooling, but it’s really not necessary to say more anyway.

Well, I suppose I should say some more, because truffles are really pretty easy to make yourself. They have relatively few ingredients, and do not require any fancy-schmancy techniques. Just warm some cream, pour it over chopped chocolate, stir it up, add some butter and liqueur and let it chill until it’s scoopable. Rolling the ganache (the milk and cream mixture) into balls and coating them can get a bit tedious, which is why I adapted this recipe for a smaller batch.

I don’t know if I don’t warm the cream enough, don’t chop the chocolate finely enough, or just have a kitchen that is much colder than test kitchens tend to be, but when I make truffles, the warm cream is never enough to melt all the chocolate as the recipes tell me it will. When this happens, I use the microwave to give the mixture a boost, which is fine as long as it is just a short boost (about 15 seconds or so at a time). The instructions in the recipe below include this re-warming step if you find it necessary.

Since there are so few ingredients, it is important to use those of high quality, or at least what you really like. I went pretty intense with the bittersweet chocolate, but you could use something milder, or even milk chocolate if you prefer. I used bar chocolate, but the recipe (from The Ultimate Candy Book by Bruce Weinstein) from which I borrowed lists chocolate chips as an alternative ingredient. You could also use a different liqueur, or, if you prefer not to use liqueur, you can replace it with about 1 ½ teaspoons of vanilla extract. You could also coat the truffles in a different chopped nut, or roll them in cocoa powder (their resulting grubby appearance is what inspired them to be named after the greatly prized fungus truffle). I also like them dipped in more melted chocolate.

Whatever your excuse for enjoying and sharing truffles, it is best to keep them in the refrigerator, but serve them at room temperature. I’ve heard tell that much of chocolate’s sensual nature is due to its melting at or near human body temperature. These truffles are no exception. Use them with discretion and share with extreme caution. And if Valentine’s Day (which is Sunday, by the way) is not your “thing,” please try not to be more bitter than the 60% cacao.

Bittersweet Almond Amaretto Truffles
modified from The Ultimate Candy Book by Bruce Weinstein

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate (I used 60% cacao), chopped
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur (such as Disaronno)
¾ cup finely chopped almonds (You could start with whole, sliced or slivered almonds. I used whole almonds.)

1. Place the chocolate into a medium-size microwave-safe bowl. Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat just until it begins to bubble. The cream under the surface may appear to be moving or bubbling. Do not allow to come to a full boil.

2. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let stand about 30 seconds. Stir the chocolate and cream together until the all the chocolate has melted. If the chocolate will not completely melt, microwave on HIGH for 10 to 15 seconds. Continue to stir until the chocolate melts. Microwave another 10 seconds if needed. Make sure the mixture is warm before proceeding to the next step.

3. Add the butter and amaretto and stir until the butter is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and shiny. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill until the mixture (ganache) has become firm enough to scoop and roll into balls (at least 1 hour).


4. While the ganache is chilling, place the almonds in a large skillet. Heat over medium-low heat until they are beginning to brown and become fragrant, stirring or tossing often. Transfer to a plate or bowl and cool completely.

5. When the ganache has chilled, scoop out by heaping teaspoons and roll into approximately 1-inch balls. Roll the balls in the toasted almonds, pressing lightly to make the almonds stick.* If the ganache becomes too soft to roll into balls, put it back in the refrigerator until it is sufficiently firm. Serve at room temperature. Store extras in the refrigerator in layers separated by wax paper in a sealed container. They can last at least a week in the refrigerator if you don’t eat them all right away.

Makes about 2 dozen 1-inch truffles.

*You may have leftover toasted almonds, but you can use them on ice cream, in oatmeal, whatever you like. Keep them in the refrigerator or freezer.