Among the best known home-made candies, pralines have become a symbol of hospitality in much of the southern United States, particularly New Orleans. Throughout most of the South, the name is pronounced PRAY-leen, but in New Orleans, the common pronunciation is PRAH-leen. Traditional pralines are made using two much beloved […]
Makes 25 pieces Gianduja can be made a bit softer than usual by the addition of butter. Once it is made up, it is an ideal consistency for piping, whether from a star tip or a round one. Top the piped gianduja with toasted nuts, dip in chocolate, and enjoy! […]
Makes one 9-inch square slab Nuts paired with chocolate is always a winning combination. When you buy gianduja, it is always made using either hazelnuts or almonds, but chocolate can be mixed with any nut paste to make delicious gianduja. Let your own taste be your guide. These basic giandujas […]
Makes about 1/2 lb (about 10 servings) Drying beef was once a necessity for preserving meat. Today, dried beef is enjoyed as a delicious snack food. This smoked version is very simple to make, but it also works well to dehydrate the beef in a low-temperature oven or in a […]
Makes 1 large or 2 small loaves Challah is a special kind of bread, enriched with whole eggs, used for the Jewish Shabbat and holidays. Although challah is generally formed into a braid, other shapes are also traditional, such as a round loaf for Rosh Hashanah. Ingredients 4 1/2 cups […]
Makes about 3 dozen cookies To make sharper-looking cookies, reserve a portion of vanilla or chocolate dough, roll it to about 1/8 inch thick, brush lightly with water, and wrap around the checkerboard block. Refrigerate, slice, and bake. Ingredients Vanilla Dough 1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter 1 cup confectioners’ […]
Makes 1 lb Raisins can be used instead of cherries, but the sweet-tart flavor and plump juicy flesh of the cherries make the mixture extra special and are well worth the expense. Ingredients 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or butter 1 lb raw unsalted peanuts 1 tablespoon mild chile powder 2 […]
Makes 50 pieces Chocolate fudge is the classic American confection. In fact, when you say the name fudge, it is chocolate that comes to mind. Unsweetened chocolate is used in this recipe to supply full chocolate flavor when balanced with the sugar in the fudge. Ingredients 2 lb (4 cups) […]
Makes 12 servings Ingredients 1/2 cup sugar, divided use 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 3/4 cup milk warmed to 110°F 2 1/2 cups bread flour 1/4 cup butter, softened 2 large eggs, lightly beaten 1 teaspoon salt Egg wash of 1 egg whisked with […]
You might be surprised at how many different flavors and qualities of honey there are. And maple syrup, real maple syrup, has a light body and an intense flavor. But, like anything else, there are ways to “gild the lily” for something special. To make a flavored honey or syrup, […]
Dipping centers in chocolate not only gives them a beautiful appearance and a crisp shell, it protects the centers from humidity and helps to maintain quality. Hand dipping chocolates is a technique that requires some precision and much practice to master. But, like all candy making, learning is much of […]
Gianduja (jhan-DOO-ya) is a delicious mixture of chocolate and finely ground nuts. It is most likely Italian in origin and is traditionally made with dark chocolate and hazelnuts. While it is possible to toast and grind nuts and add the resulting paste to chocolate, it is simpler to make and […]