Hoping to recreate her mother’s marvelous bonbons, Katrina Newhall asked for help.
And Forum cooks didn’t let her down, not even a little bit. Twelve of you not only fired off a favorite, some even sent along several recipes.
We had such a wonderful windfall, in fact, we couldn’t squeeze them all into print before the holidays were right on top of us. Getting back on track, then, here’s a trio from “the Bosseland Kitchen,” that of Monroe candymakers Herman and Judy Bosse.
“I think the following recipe that’s been in our family for years (and we’ve nicknamed peanut butter mud balls) may be one of the recipes Katrina is asking for,” Judy says. “I thought freezing them might slow down their disappearance.
“WRONG, our son would go down with a cereal bowl and fill it up and eat them frozen. Nothing is safe!
“We also like to make the butterscotch bonbons. They are family favorites, too. We don’t have a recipe for coconut bonbons, but my husband makes a coconut candy that I roll and he dips like we do both the mud balls and butterscotch bonbons.”
Peanut butter mud balls (no-bake bonbons)
1cup peanut butter
2cups powdered sugar
1/4cup soft butter
1package (12 ounces) chocolate chips
1heaping tablespoon paraffin
In mixing bowl, combine peanut butter, powdered sugar and butter; mix well, cover and refrigerate. When cold, shape mixture into small balls, using about 1 teaspoon per ball. Return to refrigerator.
In a fondue pot on medium heat, or in a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate chips with paraffin. If using fondue pot, turn down and hold on low for dipping. It is best to take only a few balls at a time from the refrigerator and dip them one at a time. Don’t let the chocolate get too hot or the bonbons won’t be glossy. Keep the chocolate at 90 degrees.
Let dipped balls cool on waxed paper and then put in storage containers in the refrigerator or freezer (they freeze well).
Makes 45 to 50 bonbons.
Butterscotch bonbons
2cups peanut butter
1/2cup soft butter
3cups powdered sugar
3cups crispy rice cereal
1package (12 ounces) butterscotch chips
1heaping tablespoon paraffin
In mixing bowl, mix together peanut butter, butter, powdered sugar and cereal. Refrigerate until cold. Shape mixture into small balls, using about 1 teaspoon per ball. Return to refrigerator.
In a fondue pot on medium heat, or in a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, melt butterscotch chips with paraffin. If using fondue pot, turn down and hold on low for dipping. It is best to take only a few balls at a time from the refrigerator and dip them one at a time. Don’t let the butterscotch get too hot or the bonbons won’t be glossy. Keep butterscotch at 90 degrees.
Let dipped balls cool on waxed paper and then put in storage containers in the refrigerator.
Amish coconut chocolate candy
3/4cup butter
1can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
2teaspoons vanilla
1/2teaspoon salt
52/3cups powdered sugar
1pound flaked coconut
1pound pecans, finely ground
11/2pounds chocolate chips
3ounces paraffin
In large saucepan, heat butter over low heat just until melted. Whisk in condensed milk, vanilla and salt, then add powdered sugar, coconut and pecans. Mix quickly (you’ll have to use your hands).
Cover and store in the coldest part of your refrigerator overnight. Shape cold mixture into small balls, using about 1 teaspoon per ball, and return to refrigerator.
In fondue pot on medium heat, or in a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate chips with paraffin. If using fondue pot, turn down and hold on low for dipping. It is best to take only a few balls at a time from the refrigerator and dip them one at a time. Don’t let the chocolate get too hot or the candies won’t be glossy. Keep chocolate at 90 degrees.
After dipping, place balls on cookie sheet lined with waxed paper and place in refrigerator to harden. When candy is firm, transfer to storage containers and keep refrigerated.
Candies keep for a long time in the fridge.
The next Forum will appear in Wednesday’s Food section.
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