Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Making IT - Not Faking IT


OLD FASHIONED SWEETS

No Artificial Flavours, Colours or Preservatives in this Lot, just good old SUGAR and WATER
 It was Big kids only in the kitchen this time:

Toffee
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/4 cup vinegar

Boil all ingredients for approx 10 - 12 minutes, or until a little hard ball can be formed when a little of the mixture is placed in cold water. At this time the mixture will starts to turn a light caramel colour. Take off the heat immediately and allow bubbles to settle (which I did not do) and pour into Patty Pans. Allow to harden.  If you like you may sprinkle them with hundreds and thousands or maybe try some crushed nuts before they set.

One taste of these toffees and I was taken straight back to the confectionery stall that stood outside the tuck shop at my old primary school fete.  I remember making these with Mum when I was younger and through my high school years I experimented with other sweets like, chocolate fudge, coconut ice, sugar coated peanuts, peanut brittle, caramel popcorn balls, homemade honeycomb and marshmallows...
It's been on my list to do for a while now, to make the kids some real homemade treats, my eldest two can't believe that these sweets  taste so good, I caught them sneaking some into their lunchboxes this morning to share with their friends.  It has been so much fun to get the old  recipe books out and make these once again
I know I sound like an old granny, but you just don't see them around anymore, recipes and trends have changed so much.
 I'm actually off to a local Country fete this weekend and I shall be keeping an eye out for any of these goodies on sale.

Marshmallows
1 1/2 tabs gelatine
100ml cold water
pinch salt
1 1/4  cups sugar
140ml hot water
Toasted coconut

Place gelatine, cold water and salt in a mixing bowl
Place sugar and hot water in a saucepan and bring to boiling point
Pour over gelatine mixture and stir until dissolved
Beat until thick and white (holds it's form when lifted) 
Add colouring and flavouring (if desired)
Pour into a greased tray
Cut into squares when set
Toss in toasted coconut
* To toast coconut, spread approx 1 cup of coconut on a large plate and place under the grill, keep tossing coconut until golden all over.
(alternatively you can cook in microwave, just tossing every 20 sec or so for approx 2 - 3 minutes) 


Chocolate Fudge
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tabs butter
2 tabs cocoa
1/8 teasp cream of tartar
Vanilla

Place sugar, milk, butter, cocoa and cream of tartar in a saucepan
Stir over low heat until dissolved
Allow to boil for approx 8 min or until a little soft ball can be formed when a little of the mixture is placed in cold water
Remove from heat, add vanilla and beat until stiff
Pour into greased tray
When partly set mark into squares
Allow to harden before removing from tin

*Be careful not to over boil as fudge will harden while beating and set brittle and sugary. (Like mine did - Still YUM though)
*To make Vanilla fudge, just omit the cocoa

ENJOY !!!

10 comments:

  1. I too made some marshmallows recently with my daughter and her friend. I love making things like this from scratch, they are so much yummier. My daughter always says " wow I never knew how much sugar was in this till we made it", that's a good eye opener if nothing else.

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  2. OM Goodness...........those toffees...we would buy one, 5c mind you at the school fete...and suck on that thing all day...then fold the patty pan wrapper oh so carefully over it, and have the rest the day after....those things seemed to last forever....talk about 5c value for money..thanks so much for sharing, I will definately be adding this to my fav list and giving them a go...the modern mums at our school wont know what they are!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  3. Yum - these all look so tasty. I've made toffees plenty of times (used to love making 'lockjaw' ones - now I would just worry about the fillings) but have never attempted marshmellows! Thanks for the recipes I think I'll try them.

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  4. I was in Morecambe Bay last week and happened to stumble across an old fashion sweetie shop where they made all the sweets in a variety of flavours. Many of these were also sugar free. Your home made creations are tempting me to have a go. Sweet are not something I've ever attempted.

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  5. DEBlue, Sugar, yes the secret ingredient, that's what keeps the kids coming back for more.

    Suzanne, I'm thinking of approaching the P&C to make sure we get a sweets stall in at this years Christmas fete! I'm sure I'd be able to get a few mums involved. We all grew up with them.

    Duchess, These marshmallows are so light and fluffy and foamy, so unlike storebought varieties.

    MCheeks, thanks for the visit, I can not imagine how you would make sweets with NO SUGAR! You must make some time and try these yourself, they are so quick, simple, and yummy... :)

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  6. I love you for posting these recipes. Recently I bought some toffees for 50 cents each, one for all of us and treated them like gold, such a rare treat.

    Of course, you can just make them yourself!!

    I'm so happy you have a blog:) Love you:)

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  7. I've always wanted to make marshmallows. I see the recipe in a magazine and then file the issue (therefore losing it). They look wonderful and I vow to make them tonight! Lovely blog, I love your style. :)

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  8. Good luck with your Marshmallows Spring Chicken! You will be quite delighted! :)

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  9. Those toffees bought back memories from childhood. My mum also used to make them for all the school fetes. They would last forever!!!

    Guess what I will be making with the kids in the school holidays lol.

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  10. great recepies, but is tabs table spoon?

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Karen

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