Chocolate truffles. Photo: wiennat, Flickr
June is National Candy Month, and we're ready to help you celebrate with a whole mix of recipes that will morph you into an unstoppable candy-making machine. Just be sure to eat these puppies in moderation, lest you fall victim to the dentist's drill.
Hard Maple Syrup Candy
All-natural maple syrup candy is as simple as mixing syrup with a little cream of tartar, boiling it, pouring it into a thin layer to harden, and then cracking into chunks. It's natural, tasty, and requires no fancy tools outside a basic candy thermometer.
Chocolate Truffles
Chocolate treats always have that delectable and fancy wow-factor, and basic truffles are one of the easiest sugary bites to make. A chocolate mixture is heated, cooled, scooped into balls, and dipped into the coating of your choice for a heck of a lot less money than hand-made truffles from the chocolate shop.
Peppermint/Pecan Chocolate Bark
The simplicity of bark is too great to ignore. Chocolate is melted (or tempered and melted), mixed with added ingredients, poured, cooled, and cracked. Any number of additives can make their way into the mix. Our favorite -- dark-roasted coffee beans for a tasty snack with a caffeine kick.
Rock Candy
Here's the one candy many people have made at home because of its basic science roots. Water and sugar get boiled, a stick is slapped in, and half a week to a week later, rock candy is yours for the tasting. Why grow sea monkeys when you can grow sugar sticks?
Saltwater Taffy
Water and sugar can make a wholly different treat when it gets a few added ingredients and pulled into some chewy and tasty saltwater taffy.
Licorice
If you like that taste of licorice in your candy, try your hand at making your own chewy licorice. The recipe requires a few funky ingredients, but they should be easy to find in most grocery stores or ordered online.
Peanut Butter Balls
There's no reason those hard-to-resist peanut butter eggs can't be rolled into balls for a nutty treat all year long. The only challenge to this recipe is not eating each one as you make it!
Have another favorite candy recipe? Share it in the comments below.
