86-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, March 16, 2002
Sweet Recipes For Easter Treats
Every Easter season, many
cooks carry on the tradition of
making candy by using recipes
handed down through the
generations. These recipes are
often family favorites and taste
good. Many of these recipes call
for paraffin wax in the coating
chocolate. Unfortunately paraffin
wax as it is not FDA approved
for human consumption.
You may continue to use your
family recipes but make adjust
ments. Instead of combining
baker's chocolate with paraffin
wax, use chocolate coating wa
fers, which are available wherev
er candy making supplies are
sold. They are easily melted and
ready for coating in minutes.
Tempering chocolate is anoth
er method, although time con
suming. Tempering produces a
glossy coating that stays firm at
room temperature without the
addition of wax. Candies not
coated with chocolate that is tem
pered will probably have a some
what sticky coating that will
“bloom" with white or gray spots
or streaks. Chocolate that has
bloom is not harmful but may
look unappetizing.
Here are several methods to
make safe and simple chocolate
coating.
SAFE AND SIMPLE
CHOCOLATE COATING
2 8-ounce milk chocolate bars,
broken into pieces
'A cup shortening (not butter,
margarine or oil)
OR
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate
chips or mini chips
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons
shortening (not butter, mar
garine, or oil)
OR
2 cups milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons shortening (not
butter, margarine, or oil)
Place chocolate and shortening
in 4-cup glass measuring cup or
I'/: quart glass bowl. Fill another
larger glass bowl or large pan
with one-inch of very warm tap
water.
Place measuring cup or bowl
containing the chocolate in the
larger bowl or pan so that water
covers bottom half of cup or bowl
containing chocolate.
Note: Keep water level low so
that water does not get into the
chocolate mixture and ruin the
coating.
Stir chocolate constantly with
rubber scrapper until chocolate is
completely melted and mixture is
smooth.
This process is not difficult,
but it does take time. Do not
rush. It should take about 20
minutes to melt the chocolate. If
Recipe Topics
If you have recipes for topics listed below, please share them
with us. We welcome your recipes, but ask that you include ac
curate measurements, a complete list of ingredients, and clear
instructions with each recipe you submit. Be sure to include your
name and address. Recipes should reach our office one week be
fore the publishing date listed below.
Send your recipes to Lou Ann Good, Lancaster Farming, P.O.
Box 609, Ephrata, PA 17522.
March
23 Sandwiches
30 Easter Celebration
April
6 Cooking With Eggs
13 Asparagus and Rhubarb Recipes
the water begins to cool, pour it
out and add more warm water.
Be careful not to get any water
into the chocolate mixture. Re
move the measuring cup or bowl
containing the melted chocolate
mixture from the water.
Dip chilled centers completely
into chocolate mixture, one at a
time, with fork.
Gently tap fork on side of cup
or bowl to remove excess choco
late. Invert coated center onto
wax paper-covered tray or cookie
sheet; decorate top of coated cen
ter with small amount of melted
chocolate, using tip of fork.
Gently tap fork on side of cup
or bowl to remove excess choco
late. Invert coated center onto
wax paper-covered tray or cookie
sheet; decorate top of coated cen
ter with small amount of melted
chocolate, using tip of fork.
Store coated centers, loosely
covered, in a cool, dry place.
Enough coating for five dozen
centers.
Do not use butter, oil, or mar
garine in coating chocolate as it
contains moisture that will cause
chocolate to tighten and become
grainy.
CHEESE FUDGE
'/: pound Velveeta cheese
'/: pound butter
2 pounds powdered sugar
'A teaspoon vanilla
'/: cup cocoa OR : A cup peanut
butter
Melt cheese and butter in the
microwave. Stir in other ingredi
ents. Smooth into 9x13-inch but
tered pan. Chill and cut into
squares.
Kimberly Baker
Tioga Co. Dairy Princess
CHOCOLATE
EASTER EGGS
2 packages (3.4 ounces each)
cook-and-serve chocolate
pudding mix
'/: cup butter, melted
'/: cup milk
5-6 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 cups peanut butter
4 cups semisweet chocolate
chips
2 teaspoons shortening
Assorted decorating icings and
cake decorator candy flow
ers
In a saucepan, combine the
pudding mixes, butter, and milk.
Cook and stir over mediunt heat
until mixture comes to a boil.
Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer
or until thickened. Remove from
heat; stir in sugar and peanut
butter. Cool slightly. Shape '/:
cupfuls into egg shapes. Place on
a waxed paper-lined baking
sheet; refrigerate until set.
In a microwave or heayy
saucepan, melt chocolate chips
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and shortening; stir until smooth.
Dip eggs in chocolate; allow ex
cess to drip off. Return eggs to
waxed paper to dry. Decorate
with icings and candies as de
sired. Yield: 10 eggs.
Note: Butterscotch or vanilla
pudding can be substituted for
the chocolate pudding.
V.J. Newswanger
Morgantown
COCONUT OR PEANUT
BUTTER EGGS
Mix together:
'A pound butter
8-ounces cream cheese
Add;
2 pounds confectioners sugar
'A teaspoon salt
'A teaspoon vanilla
Fresh coconut to taste OR I'A
cups peanut butter
Place in refrigerator to chill.
Shape in form of eggs and put
back in refrigerator to harden.
Chocolate coating: In a double
boiler, melt one bar bakers’ choc
olate (your choice) with 2 table
spoons shortening (not butter, oil
or margarine, which contain
moisture that will cause choco
late to tighten and become
grainy).
Dip in formed eggs and chill.
Betsy Derstine
Mansfield
MARSHMALLOW
CUTOUTS
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
'A. cup cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
/t cup hot water
1 cup light corn syrup, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
V/i pounds white candy coat
ing or chocolate candy
coating, melted. If white
coating is used, you can
blend in pink or yellow
paste food color.
Coat lOx 15-inch jelly roil pan
with nonstick cooking spray; set
aside. In a bowl, combine gelatin
and cold water; let stand 5 min
utes. Meanwhile in saucepan,
combine sugar, hot water, and 'A
cup corn syrup. Bring to a boil
over medium heat, stirring con
stantly. Cook without stirring,
until a candy thermometer reads
238 degrees (soft bail stage). Re
move from heat, stir in remaining
corn syrup.’ Pour into mixing
bowl. Beat on high speed, gradu
ally add gelatin mixture by table
spoonfuls until well blended.
Continue beating until fluffy and
thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir
in vanilla, mix well. Pour into the
prepared pan. Let stand, uncov
ered, overnight. Cut with a cook
ie cutter coated with nonstick
cooking spray. Dip cutouts in
powdered sugar, brushing off ex
cess. In a microwave or crockpot,
melt the candy coating. Dip the
cutouts in the melted coating (do
it fast or the marshmallow will
melt). Place on waxed paper
lined pans to dry. Yields: 3'/>4
dozen, depends on size of cutter.
Loretta Kurtz
Allens ville
NO-COOK
EASTER MINTS
'A cup soft butter
'A cup light corn syrup
'/: teaspoon salt
Food coloring (3 different col
ors)
Vh cups confectioners’ sugar
Measure butter, corn syrup,
salt, and sugar into a large bowl
and mix well. When dough gets
too stiff, knead with your hands.
Divide dough into three por
tions and add a lew drops of each
Delight the little ones in your life by preparing Carrot
Cut-Outs, Bunny Pops, and cupcakes topped with a bum
ble bee or flower.
Featured Recipe
Kids of all ages love “bunny” treats, but the recipes for
Bunny Pops and Carrot Cut-Outs are sure to delight the youn
ger crowd.
No need to spend hours slaving in the kitchen when you can
use purchased cookies and marshmallows to make these de
lightful treats. For additional recipes, visit the Website
www.kraftfoods.com and www.reynoldskitchens.com
18 wooden pop sticks
18 Spring Oreo chocolate sandwich cookies
4 squares white baking chocolate, melted
18 large marshmallows
Decorating icings or gels
Attach a wooden pop stick to one side of each cookie using
melted white chocolate. Place, pop sides up, on long sheets of
wax paper until white chocolate is set. Turn cookie pops over to
decorate.
Cut marshmallows in half crosswise. Attach one half, cut side
down, to each cookie for “face” using small amount of melted
white chocolate.
Decorate bunny faces and ears with decorating icings or gels.
Makes 18 pops.
CARROT CUT-OUTS
3 tablespoons butter
10-ounces large or minature marshmallows
10 drops yellow food coloring
3 crops red food coloring
6 cups crisp rice cereal
Decorating icing and colored sprinkles
Melt butter in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmal
lows, cook until melted and mixture is well blended, stirring fre
quently. Add food coloring; stir until evenly colored. Remove
from heat.
Immediately add cereal; mix lightly until evenly coated. Press
into greased 15xl0xl-inch pan. Cool completely. Cut out
shapes, using greased 5-inch carrot-shaped cutter. Decorate cut
outs with icings and sprinkles. Let stand until set. Makes about
18 cut-outs.
Note: If carrot-shaped cookie cutter is not available, make a
template. Draw a 5-inch carrot on heavy paper or cardboard;
cut out. Place template on cereal mixture; cut around template
with a small sharp knife.
color of food coloring to each
portion of dough.
Pinch joff small pieces of
dough, roll into balls, and press
lightly with a fork.
COATED EASTER
PRETZLES
2 pounds white or colored
coating or chocolate coat
ing
1 package small pretzels
Melt the coatings in small
bowls in a pan of water. Dip the
pretzels in and lift out using a
fork, shaking off excess coating.
Lay the pretzels on wax-paper
V 1
' BUNNY POPS
lined cookie sheet and place in
the refrigerator to harden.
RICE KRISPIE
EASTER EGGS
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 cups rice crispy cereal
2 tablespoons oil
'A teaspoon vanilla
Mix together sugar, peanut
butter, cereal, oil, and vanilla.
Use hands to mold the mixture
into egg shapes. Place on cookie
sheet and freeze about two hours.
Dip in chocolate coating.