Hints for Making Good Fudge

Fudge is made of sugar syrups and requires the use of a candy thermometer. Before making the candy, check your candy

thermometer for accuracy by placing it in water and bringing the water to a boil. The thermometer should register 212 degrees F (100 degrees C). If the reading is higher or lower, take the difference into account when testing the temperature of a syrup.

To prevent sugary fudge, use a heavy saucepan with straight sides. Stir while mixture heats so candy will not stick and burn. For creamy fudge, remove sugar crystals from pan above the boiling level. To do this, wipe sides of pan with wet pastry brush OR use part of butter in the recipe to grease pan OR when candy boils, cover pan for 1 minute to allow steam to wash down the crystals.

Almond Creme Spritz Cookies (T&T)
There is one rule which I live by when making spritz cookies. It is a tried and true method of achieving consistency every time.

1) Don’t grease cookie sheets.
2) Add flour gradually.
3) Check for dough consistency before adding all of the flour.
4) If dough is too dry, add 1 egg yolk.
5) If dough is too soft, chill 30 to 60 minutes.

approximately 60 cookies
The recipe calls for sprinkling chopped almonds on top before baking. I have on occasion taken approximately 1/4 cup plus almonds with 2 tablespoons of the sugar from the 1/2 cup sugar in the recipe and made an almond flour which I add to the dough and then sprinkled the cookies with additional chopped almonds before baking. This gives the cookies extra depth.

• 1 cup softened sweet butter
• 3 ounces Philly softened cream cheese
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Finely chopped almonds for sprinkling tops

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Cream butter and cream cheese in mixer bowl till light. Add sugar, almond extract and vanilla, beating until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in flour until incorporated. Cover and chill for approximately 30 minutes or till easy to work with but not stiff.
4. Fill the press with dough and form desired shapes onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake approximately 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned around edges.
5. Chocolate Liqueur Truffles

These are quick, easy, and impressive. You can use almost any of your favorite liqueurs. Try hazelnut, orange, Irish cream, or chocolate liqueur.

• 2 1/2 cups finely crushed chocolate wafers (about 45 wafers)
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts, pecans, pine nuts, almonds, or hazelnuts
• 1 cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
• 1/3 cup favorite liqueur
• 1 to 2 tablespoons water
• 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
• 6 ounces white baking bar, chopped
• Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together the chocolate wafer crumbs, chopped nuts, confectioners’ sugar, and liqueur. Add enough of the water so crumbs hold together. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Place onto prepared cookie sheet.
2. In a small, heavy saucepan heat semisweet chocolate and shortening over low heat until melted.
3. In another small, heavy saucepan heat the white baking bar until melted. With a fork, dip half of the cookies into the semisweet chocolate mixture to coat; place on cookie sheet. Dip remaining cookies into the melted white baking bar to coat; place on cookie sheet.
4. With the tip of a spoon, thinly drizzle white baking bar mixture in a zigzag pattern over cookies coated with semisweet chocolate. Repeat with semisweet chocolate, drizzling over cookies coated with white baking bar mixture. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm.
5. Store in the refrigerator.