Candy & Treats Archives - Vintage Baked Modern https://vintagebakedmodern.com/category/index/candy-and-treats/ Wed, 16 Jul 2025 18:31:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 Old-Fashioned Toffee https://vintagebakedmodern.com/old-fashioned-toffee/ https://vintagebakedmodern.com/old-fashioned-toffee/#respond Thu, 24 Dec 2020 23:23:11 +0000 https://vintagebakedmodern.com/?p=2261 Old-Fashioned Toffee is a classic candy recipe made from butter and sugar and topped with chocolate and pecans. Toffee can be very tricky to make and I am lucky enough to have learned from my mother-in-law hands-on. You can make this year-round, however I’ve only ever made it as a special treat around the holidays. ...

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Old-Fashioned Toffee is a classic candy recipe made from butter and sugar and topped with chocolate and pecans. Toffee can be very tricky to make and I am lucky enough to have learned from my mother-in-law hands-on. You can make this year-round, however I’ve only ever made it as a special treat around the holidays. It makes for a perfect homemade gift when placed in a holiday tin.

Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Toffee

INGREDIENTS

butter:

Use good quality real butter since it is a main ingredient. My favorite brands are Challenge or Land O’ Lakes. Be sure to let the butter fully incorporate into the superfine sugar, otherwise your toffee will tun out grainy. The recipe calls for 1 pound of butter (i.e. 4 sticks) so I like to use half salted and half unsalted to provide a hint of salt without adding any additional salt to the recipe.

superfine sugar:

There are several types of sugar to use in your baked goods. When making candy use superfine sugar. I use Baker’s Sugar which is made of smaller sugar crystals that will dissolve faster to help ensure your toffee doesn’t come out grainy.

BAKER’S TIPS

heavy-duty cookware:

When making Old-Fashioned Toffee you need a good heavy duty pot or sauce pan that holds high heat. I use a LeCreuset dutch oven.

thermometer:

Also be sure to have a very good candy thermometer. You should always test your candy thermometer before you use it. To test your thermometer, boil water and place the thermometer in the boiling water. If it reads 212F degrees it is good to go. If not, adjust the temperature called for in the candy recipe to an adjusted temperature. For example: if your thermometer is 5 degrees higher (217F), add 5 degrees to the recipe temperature.

EQUIPMENT

silicone pastry brush:

When making candy keep a small bowl of water next to the stove. After you stir candy, the sugar crystals tend to form along the side of the pan. After you stir it, take your silicone pastry brush dipped in water and run along the edge of the candy to dissolve those sugar crystals.

Print

Old-Fashioned Toffee

Course Confections
Cuisine American
Keyword christmasrecipes, toffee
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 24

Equipment

  • Heavy-duty dutch oven
  • candy thermometer
  • 2 quarter sheet pans

Ingredients

  • 1 c. salted butter
  • 1 c. unsalted butter
  • 2 c. superfine sugar
  • ½ c. nuts (pecans) chopped fine
  • 4 milk or semi-sweet chocolate bars

Instructions

PREP

  • Set out 2 quarter sheet pans, pre-chop the nuts.

MAKE CANDY

  • Place butter and sugar in a heavy-duty sauce pan. Stir once in a while until it starts to reach high heat. Right after you stir the mixture, dip silicone pastry brush in water and run around the side of pan to dissolve the sugar crystals.
  • Continue to stir and watch closely as candy thermometer registers between 295-300°.
  • Remove from heat and pour immediately onto the 2 pans.
  • Add 2 broken up chocolate bars over each pan of the toffee and cover with foil. Let melt for a few minutes. Remove foil and spread melted chocolate with off-set spatula.
  • Sprinkle on nuts and put pans in the fridge to set for a few hours or overnight.
  • Break up toffee and store in a container.

More Confection Recipes

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]]> https://vintagebakedmodern.com/old-fashioned-toffee/feed/ 0 Chocolate Dipped Pretzels https://vintagebakedmodern.com/chocolate-dipped-pretzels/ https://vintagebakedmodern.com/chocolate-dipped-pretzels/#respond Sat, 12 Dec 2020 00:21:10 +0000 https://vintagebakedmodern.com/?p=5012 Chocolate Dipped Pretzels combine the perfect combination of salty and sweet and are easy to coat in milk, dark or festive white chocolate. Give these simple treats away in gift tins or add to holiday cookie platter along with old-fashioned toffee or old-fashioned peanut butter fudge. These are such a simple and fun treat to ...

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Chocolate Dipped Pretzels combine the perfect combination of salty and sweet and are easy to coat in milk, dark or festive white chocolate. Give these simple treats away in gift tins or add to holiday cookie platter along with old-fashioned toffee or old-fashioned peanut butter fudge.

These are such a simple and fun treat to make with your family during the holiday season. They also make a great gift if you package a few of them in a festive holiday tin.

Ingredients

OPTION #1 Candy melting discs: For the best tasting, look for chocolate melting disks that are made of 100% real chocolate. Most candy disks sold in stores contain mostly sugar, palm oil and other artificial ingredients. To make chocolate shiny for smooth dipping you can add a drop of canola oil to melted chocolate. If you use the candy melting discs, do not add any oil as they already contain palm oil.

OPTION #2 Chocolate bars: Chocolate baking bars. If using a block of chocolate, it may need to be tempered if it contains real cocoa butter mass and cocoa solids. Chocolate chips are a fast way to dip treats as they don’t contain as much cocoa butter as real chocolate so you don’t need to temper them.

  • Paramount crystals: Paramount Crystals are used to help melt chocolate, candy melts or yogurt, to help create a smooth, glossy coating. Use 1 tsp Paramount Crystals for every 2 cups chocolate, candy melts, or yogurt coatings.
  • pretzels: Pretzels are a hard, crunchy snack available in several shapes. The best type of pretzels for dipping include rings, small twists, waffle shaped, or pretzel rods. Look for these festive-shaped pretzels found in grocery stores during the holiday season.
  • Oil-Based Food Gel Color: Oil based food gel is a highly concentrated food color specifically designed to blend into fat-based ingredients like chocolate, butter, or cocoa butter. Using an oil-based gel vs. a water-based gel will prevent the chocolate from seizing.

Method

1. GATHER EQUIPMENT

  • Basic baking equipment: measuring cups and spoons, liquid measuring cups, spatula, bowls, cookie sheet, silicone baking mat or parchment paper
  • Highly Recommended: double broiler or electric chocolate melter, chocolate dipping tools
  • Recommended, not required: gel or oil-based color, squeeze bottle, Flo-Coat (if using gel food colors)

2. MELT CHOCOLATE (CHOOSE METHOD)

  • Double Broiler: Melt chocolate over double broiler by melting half the chocolate in a glass bowl over a pot of simmering water that is not touching the water, until the chocolate reaches 115-120° (dark chocolate) and 105-110° (milk or white chocolate) and then remove from heat and stir in remainder of chocolate until smooth. Be sure not to heat chocolate over 115°F, as it will burn. Use a high-quality stainless steel pot such as AllClad Double Broiler along with a digital thermometer for best results.
  • Microwave: Melt chocolate in the microwave by placing one third of chocolate into a glass bowl and microwave for 30-seconds. Then add an additional third of the chocolate and continue to melt in 30-second increments until it is all melted and smooth. Remove from microwave and add in final third of the chips. 
  • Electric Melting Pot: Melt chocolate in a electric chocolate melting pot such as Wilton Brand.

3. COLOR & MELT WHITE CHOCOLATE

  • Candy melting disks: these are sold pre-colored, however, they are not real chocolate. They are primarily made of oil and sugar and do not taste as good as real chocolate.
  • Color white chocolate (using oil-based color): When coating pretzels or other food in white chocolate, you must use oil-based candy coloring. I prefer to use Americolor Oil-Based Candy Color, however, it is not typically sold in grocery or craft stores.
  • Color white chocolate (using standard gel food coloring): When you color white chocolate with regular gel food colo, you will need to add a product called “Flo-Coat.” To do this: add 5 drops of Flo-Coat to 1-part gel food color into the melted chocolate. This will ensure the chocolate will not seize once melted.

4. DIPPING THE PRETZELS

  • Place pretzels in chocolate pot: place just a few pretzels in the chocolate pot at a time. Use a chocolate dipping tool or a fork to drain excess chocolate off the pretzel.
  • Decorate: Be sure to sprinkle on decorations such as jimmies or non-perils right away so that the chocolate doesn’t set-up too fast. I prefer to use all-natural sprinkles. Read the ingredient labels on pre-made decorations and you’ll see that most have artificial flavor. You can also use course (decorating) sugar which are large sugar crystals. I prefer to use course sugar is over sanding sugar as it tends to clump and melt into the chocolate.

5. ALLOW TO DRY

  • After you have dipped the pretzels be sure to put them on a non-stick surface such as sheets of parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat placed on a cookie sheet.
  • Let pretzels fully dry before placing them in a storage container.

Equipment

Recommended tools: (affiliate links)

Dietary Substitutions

TO MAKE GLUTEN-FREE:

  • Swap out the pretzels with gluten-free pretzels. I recommend using a high-quality brand such as Glutino brand. They are a great choice because they are a crispy pretzel and hold the crunch.

TO MAKE VEGAN/DAIRY FREE:

Storage

Store covered pretzels in sealed container or holiday tins. For a simple holiday gift, put some pretzels into a cello bag and tie with a cute bow.

You can also freeze dipped pretzels in a freezer-safe container. Place in layers between parchment or wax paper. To thaw, place container on counter-top and don’t open until they come to room temperature.

Print

Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword chocolate, Christmas
Prep Time 30 minutes
Servings 24

Ingredients

  • 1 bag mini pretzels or rods
  • variety of sprinkles

CHOCOLATE

  • 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate or disks
  • 1 c. milk-chocolate or disks
  • ½ tsp. canola oil or Paramount Crystals

WHITE CHOCOLATE

  • 1 c. white chocolate bar
  • 1 c. white chocolate disks
  • oil-based food color OR food gel plus Flo-Coat
  • ½ tsp. canola oil or Paramount Crystals

Instructions

PREP

  • Sort out the whole pretzels from the bag.
  • Line baking sheet with a Silpat mat or parchment paper.

MELT CHOCOLATE

  • Melt chocolate using your favorite method: double broiler, microwave, or electric chocolate pot until it is melted and smooth.
  • Place chocolate into electric chocolate pot on high setting until it is melted and smooth. Add the canola oil or Parmamount Crystals.

WHITE CHOCOLATE (COLOR)

  • Follow same directions except, add oil-based food color OR if you use regular food gel be sure to add Flo-Coat to the chocolate. To use Flo-Coat mix a ratio of 5 parts Flo-Coat to 1 part gel food coloring, then add that mixture to your white chocolate.
  • Only dip about 4-5 pretzels at a time and then decorate those immediately with sprinkles before the chocolate hardens.
  • Place pretzels on baking sheet lined with a Silpat mat or parchment paper.
  • Decorate with non-perils or sprinkles of choice.
  • If you have colored chocolate left over you can also put some in a plastic bottle made for doing chocolate work and drizzle over the finished dipped pretzels.
  • Let chocolate set about 1 hour. Store in a sealed container.

Notes

Be sure to use oil based food color. Do not use gel based coloring as it will seize.

More Candy Recipes

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]]> https://vintagebakedmodern.com/chocolate-dipped-pretzels/feed/ 0 Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge https://vintagebakedmodern.com/old-fashioned-peanut-butter-fudge/ https://vintagebakedmodern.com/old-fashioned-peanut-butter-fudge/#respond Wed, 09 Dec 2020 00:20:43 +0000 https://vintagebakedmodern.com/?p=2265 Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge is a rich, silky confection made with creamy peanut butter and marshmallow cream. This is my Aunt Ruth’s recipe passed down in our family. You can make this year-round, however it seems more special around the holidays. It is also a perfect treat to send to someone as a homemade gift ...

The post Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge appeared first on Vintage Baked Modern.

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Table of contents

Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge is a rich, silky confection made with creamy peanut butter and marshmallow cream. This is my Aunt Ruth’s recipe passed down in our family. You can make this year-round, however it seems more special around the holidays. It is also a perfect treat to send to someone as a homemade gift in the mail since it keeps well for a while.

Ingredients for Peanut Butter Fudge

INGREDIENTS

superfine sugar:

There are several types of sugar to use in your baked goods. When making candy, I only use superfine sugar. Superfine sugar is made of smaller sugar crystals that will dissolve faster to help ensure your fudge doesn’t come out grainy.

peanut butter:

Use smooth peanut butter in your fudge so it comes out nice and creamy. I use creamy Jif peanut butter labeled “natural,” but do not use “natural peanut butter” as that just contains peanuts and salt and for this recipe you need the oil found in Jif or similar brands.

marshmallow creme:

To make this recipe simple just use pre-made marshmallow creme. Try to find one that is as close to natural as possible. So many of them contain corn syrup or artificial flavoring (vanillin). Make your own marshmallow creme to give this fudge an even more homemade candy flavor.

all-natural vanilla extract:

Always use good quality all-natural, pure vanilla extract in your baking. If you purchase vanilla, be sure it only contains vanilla beans and alcohol. I make my own vanilla, which is super simple to make: Take 8 oz. of bourbon and add 5-7 vanilla beans that are spilt down the middle and let it sit for 3-6 months. As you use it replace the bourbon and add more beans. Store in dark, cool place and it can last many years. I prefer to use bourbon but you can also use vodka.

BAKER’S TIPS

heavy-duty cookware:

When making Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge you need a good heavy duty pot or sauce pan that holds high heat. I use a LeCreuset dutch oven.

test your thermometer:

You should always test your candy thermometer before using it to make fudge, or any other candy recipe. To test your thermometer, boil water and place the thermometer in the boiling water. If it reads 212F degrees it is good to go. If not, adjust the temperature called for in the candy recipe to an adjusted temperature. For example: if your thermometer is 5° higher (217F), adjust your recipe of soft ball stage (234-236°) and add 5°.

Print

Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter Fudge

Course Confections
Cuisine American
Keyword fudge
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • ½ c. unsalted butter
  • 2 ½ c. superfine sugar
  • ¾ c. evaporated milk
  • 1 c. creamy peanut butter
  • 1 c. marshmallow creme
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

PREP

  • Measure out both the peanut butter and measure out the marshmallow creme and set aside. Lightly grease an 8×8 pan with butter.

MAKE FUDGE

  • Melt butter over medium heat. Add sugar and evaporated milk and slowly turn up the heat so mixture comes to slow boil.
  • Let mixture come to soft ball stage (234-236°). Lightly stir and when making candy be sure to wipe down the sugar crystals on the side of the pan with water and a pastry brush. Take a bit of the hot mixture and throw in glass of water. If it goes into a ball its ready to remove from stove.
  • Remove from burner and add in the peanut butter, marshmallow creme, and vanilla.
  • Pour immediately into a greased 8×8 square pan. Let cool for several hours before cutting into 1" pieces.
  • Store in sealed container in a cool location such as garage or fridge.

Leave a comment below and let me know how it turned out for you!

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL! Stay connected with us for more vintage recipes baked modern!

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This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please see our full disclosure for further information.

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