Mexican Whiskey Candy

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
Small pinch of baking soda
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup evaporated milk
2 tablespoons bourbon
2 1/2 to 3 cups pecan halves

Combine the sugar, syrup, baking soda, butter and evaporated milk. Cook slowly to the firm ball stage, or until candy thermometer registers 242 degrees F. Remove the candy from the heat and add the bourbon. Stir in the pecan halves and beat until candy thickens and looks creamy. Drop by spoonfuls onto wax paper and let cool.

Yields 36 pieces (two pounds).

Sweet Potato Candy

1 pound sweet potatoes
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup water

Wash and scrub sweet potatoes. Cook in boiling water until soft; let cool, then peel, mash, and pass through a sieve. Set aside.

In a saucepan on low heat dissolve the sugar with the water; cover, then simmer for 2 to 3 minutes to wash down crystals from the sides of the pan. Uncover and continue cooking on medium heat to the firm ball stage (242 degrees F) or until the syrup forms a firm ball that does not flatten when removed from cold water.

Add the potatoes to the syrup. Let cook until the mixture resembles a paste. Remove from heat and beat with an electric mixer on low speed until cool. By hand, roll bits of paste into 1 x 3-inch sticks. Place them on a board covered with wax paper and let them dry in a warm, dray place for 24 hours.

The following day, brush the candies with Glaze. Dry again. Wrap individual candies in wax paper or plastic wrap.

Glaze
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water

Boil sugar with water to the thread stage (234 degrees F). Syrup will spin a 2-inch thread when dropped from a spoon. Remove from heat and apply with a pastry brush to the candies.

Makes 32.

See’s Fudge

In the West, See’s Candy Stores are famous. This is the only recipe which has been made public. The rest are still secret.

3 (6 ounce) packages chocolate chips
2 cups nuts (any kind)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup butter or margarine

Let chocolate chips, nuts, vanilla extract and butter stand until room temperature in a large bowl (overnight is fine).

4 cups granulated sugar
20 large marshmallows, cut up
1 (13 ounce) can evaporated milk

Bring sugar and milk to boil in a large saucepan and keep at a rolling boil for 8 minutes. Dump this all at one time over the chocolate mixture. Add marshmallows and stir vigorously by hand until chocolate bits and butter are melted and mixture is smooth. Pour into a 15 x 13-inch cake pan or a 13 x 9-inch pan. Cool and refrigerate for 24 hours before eating.

It will keep well in the refrigerator and will last…and last…and last.

Red Peanut Patties

Peanuts are a very large crop in Texas. Goodart makes the original peanut patty which is sold in cafes and gas stations throughout Texas.

3 cups granulated sugar
3 cups raw peanuts
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Few drops red food coloring

Lay a large piece of wax paper on a dishtowel on a counter.

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, peanuts, corn syrup and water . Cook the mixture to soft ball stage (240 degrees F), stirring constantly over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients, adding enough food coloring to get a very bright red shade. Stir the mixture frequently for approximately 20 minutes, or until it cools to about 125 degrees F. The mixture will become very thick and creamy opaque, and the peanuts will be suspended.

Immediately spoon the mixture into large patties on the sheet of wax paper. Let the patties sit for at least 1 hour before eating them. Their texture should be chewy like nougat. Wrap them in plastic wrap for storage. They will keep for about 1 week.

Quince Paste (Membrillate)

1 pound quinces*
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

Line an 8-inch square pan with plastic wrap. Set aside.

Peel and core the quinces and soak them briefly in salt water, then rinse. Soak the cores in 1 1/2 cups water for 2 hours; strain core water through a sieve. In a pot, boil quinces in 2 cups fresh water and the strained core water until quinces soften.

In a blender, grind quinces and sieve them; set aside. Strain reserved liquid; set aside.

In a medium pot, boil sugar in 1 cup water to the soft ball stage (234 degrees F) or until syrup forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from cold water.

Mix in the sieved quince and the sieved reserved liquid. Continue cooking over medium heat until the quince mixture thickens and will not stick to the sides of the pot. Test by dropping a little of the mixture on a plate to see if it lifts off when cool.

Remove from heat and transfer to a mixer bowl. Beat with the paddle attachment until the mixture forms a paste. Spread the paste evenly onto the square cake pan, taking care not to wrinkle the paper. Spread the paste evenly so that no air spaces form when it cools. After 24 hours the ate should be a solid cake of jelly. With a sharp knife, slice into two 4 x 8-inch rectangles. Wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container until ready to serve. Slice as you would a block of cheese.

Try eating this with a slice of cheese, or use in various recipes. 

* You can also use guavas, mangoes, pineapples, peaches and plums or whatever fruit you prefer.

Cactus Rubies

This is a red jellied candy from an ancient Arizona food, the prickly pear cactus. Tourists buy a lot of this candy when they visit Arizona.

2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups red cactus juice
2 (1 3/4 ounce) package powdered fruit pectin
1 teaspoon baking soda

To obtain the cactus juice, gather very ripe red-purple tuna (fruit) from prickly pear cactus with tongs. Wash by overflowing water in container. Put fruit in a large pan and barely cover with water. Stickers will cook and strain out. Boil fruit until soft, occasionally mashing down and cutting through the fruit to release the juice. Strain through a cloth in a colander. This juice may be canned in fruit jars and used for candies and jellies, or used immediately.

Candy Procedure
Use two large pans because candy foams. In one pan, mix sugar and syrup and bring to a full rolling boil. Simultaneously, cook foaming juice, pectin and baking soda mixture in another pan until foaming dies down, stirring both mixtures. Pour pectin mixture slowly into sugar mix and boil together about 2 more minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from fire, stir a bit more to allow bubbles to escape and candy to clear. Pour into buttered 10 x 6-inch glass dish. Let stand at room temperature until set (several hours).

Turn out on sugared wax paper. Cut into squares and coat with more granulated sugar. Allow to dry at room temperature before storing.

Pinon-Chocolate Fudge

1 (7 ounce) jar Marshmallow Creme
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup pi?on nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, combine Marshmallow Creme, sugar, evaporated milk, butter and salt. Bring to a full rolling boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted and smooth. Stir in pi?on nuts and vanilla extract. Pour into a foil-lined 8-inch square pan. Chill until firm.

Makes about 2 pounds.