Rolo Turtles - A Great Christmas Treat

I've made this super-easy recipe in past years but am so glad I was reminded of it on Julie's blog, Jane's Apron. The recipe is for making "candy" turtles using Rolo chocolates. YUM!

Rolo Turtles

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Candied Orange Slices

Reading blogs, craft blogs, that is, usually means I follow links and end up very far away from where I originally started. Thankfully, though, that's how I found this recipe for candied orange slices! It was on the blog named Brownie Points--it looks like another great food blog.

I just started the recipe tonight and will have to wait 2 weeks before it's done, but it looks worth the wait!

1 kg of sugar = 5 cups of sugar
600 g of water = 3 cups of water
100 g of sugar = .44 cups of sugar

Candy Orange Slices

modified version of procedure for candying fruit by Jean-Pierre Wybauw in Fine Chocolates, p70. Wybauw’s method utilizes a sugar refractometer- the following method doesn’t.

Fruit Prep:

• Clean three oranges by scrubbing under warm water.
• Slice into thin rounds. This candying method worked on all thickness of slices I tried up to 1/4 inch thick.
• The slices can be kept as circles, or cut into halves or quarters (hemi-circles and quarter-circles).

Blanching:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
• Have a bowl of ice water near by.
• Add the sliced oranges to the boiling water (may need to be done in batches depending on the size of your pot). Scoop from the boiling water when the slices float to the top and place into ice water to cool.
• When cool, drain and remove the slices from the ice water and transfer to a container large enough to hold all of the slices.

Candying:

• Bring to a boil: 1 kg of sugar (5 cups) and 600 g (3 cups) of water. This step is to just dissolve the sugar (not to cook the syrup).
• Pour the hot syrup over the orange slices. If the orange slices float, weigh them down to keep them fully submerged. Weighing down method I used the first week: placed a plate on top of the orange slices and a glass jar of water on top of the plate.
• Store the submerged orange slices in a dark cool place, like a cupboard or closet for the duration of the candying. I didn’t refrigerate them.
• Each day increase the sugar content of the orange slice sugar solution. Do this by draining off the sugar solution the slices are submerged in, add 100 g (.44 cups) of sugar, heat the solution to just dissolve the sugar, and pour back over the orange slices.
• Complete this increase-sugar step daily for two weeks.
• Notes
  • I didn’t follow the schedule as written: I skipped a couple days of the increase-sugar schedule, and just resumed the increase-sugar step when I was able to. My impression is that this recipe is not very picky about increasing the sugar each day. I think the variable of time is important though- don’t try to shorten the duration of this recipe.
  • Storage: the orange slices may be stored in the sugar solution indefinitely. No need to refrigerate, they can be stored in a cool dark place, like a cupboard.

Drying and dipping
The orange slices are removed from the sugar solution. Finishing can take multiple different routes:
arrange on a drying rack out at room temperature till less tacky, 1-2 days then

• roll in sugar (plain, vanilla, or with a touch of citric acid),
• or dip in chocolate (white, dark or milk- tempered holds up best).
• or you can do both- like in the picture: dip 3/4 of the orange slice in chocolate and sugar the exposed portion.

Storage of finished candies
In an air tight container is best to keep out humidity. I gifted these in glass canning jars or crunchy cellophane bags. The survivors of my nibbling suggest that these candies hold up well: at least a month, probably more.

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Oreo Truffles

I made Oreo Truffles for JP's birthday (instead of cake) and they were Delicious! They are sweet but not super-sweet, in my opinion. Last year I made cupcake pops from Bakerella and those definitely were too sweet, time-consuming to make, and messy! The Oreo Truffles aren't too messy, they are quick to make, and are very good.

The two fork tip at the bottom of the recipe is so helpful! Wish I would have known this last year when I made the cake pops!

Oreo Truffles

What You Need!

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Make It!

MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.

DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

How to Easily Dip Truffles

To easily coat truffles with the melted chocolate, add truffles, in batches, to bowl of melted chocolate. Then use two forks to roll truffles in chocolate until evenly coated. Remove the truffles with forks and allow excess chocolate to drip back into bowl before placing truffles on prepared baking sheet.

Special Extra

Sprinkle truffles with colored sugar or sprinkles in addition to or in place of the cookie crumbs.

How to Soften Cream Cheese

Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 10 sec. or just until softened. Add 15 sec. for each additional package of cream cheese.

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Checkin' in

A few months back the idea of getting organized in the kitchen and partnering with a good cook who was also very interested in getting the duties of the kitchen in order was all I could think about. Well, in the excitement I created this blog and she and I came up with a few ideas for helping each other. I'm embarrassed to say that the excitement and motivation came to a screeching halt (on my end) when, all of a sudden, it seemed my time for this adventure became limited. I apologize, Kelly, and I really hope to get on the ball at the start of the new year.

Today I came across this unique and yummy looking recipe and decided to post it here before it was lost in web world forever. I hope to make it soon! Maybe this will finally be the beginning of many more delicious recipes and great organizational ideas for our kitchens.

Aztec Chocolate Bark
Recipe by Garrett McCord
(his blog - Vanilla Garlic)

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