Candy
Here are three candy recipes that I love. They are all really fun for kids to make and the last one is very easy for even little kids to make (it only has two ingredients):
1) Butter crunch– this candy is almost exactly like toffee except it is softer and chewier due to the low temperature at which the butter-sugar mixture is cooked. I found the recipe in a 1942 Woman’s Home Companion cookbook. To make butter crunch, melt 1 cup butter over low heat and add 1 cup sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add 1/8 cup of water and 1 Tablespoon of corn syrup. Cook over low heat until it reaches 290 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Stir slowly to prevent burning. Remove from heat and stir in 2/3 cup of almonds. Pour into a buttered pan and let cool. Melt 4 ounces of chocolate or chocolate chips and spread the melted chocolate over the top. Sprinkle it with 1/3 cup almonds that have been chopped finely. If you want, you can spread chocolate and almonds on the other side, too.
2) Peppermint Patties–this recipe is from the same cookbook: Combine 1 cup of water, 2 cups of sugar, and 2 Tablespoons of corn syrup in a saucepan. Stir gently over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, then cover and boil for 3 minutes. Remove the cover and keep boiling (without stirring) until the temperature reaches 240 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Tip: If crystals form on the side of the saucepan as the mixture boils. The cookbook recommends using a damp cloth wrapped around the tines of a fork. Pour the syrup onto a marble slab or saucepan that has been sprinkled with cold water. If you have marble countertops, you can do this right on the counter. Do not scrape the pan. Let the syrup cool to 110 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Once it has cooled, use a broad spatula or a knife/spoon to “work it smoothly, toward the center of the slab.” As it cools, it will begin to look like icing and then harden into fondant. Knead the mixture to soften it and then place the fondant into the top of a double boiler. Heat over medium heat (DO NOT BOIL) and stir in a teaspoon of peppermint extract. Drip the melted fondant onto wax paper with a spoon and make circular patty shapes. When they harden, dip them into melted chocolate and let them cool.
3) Peanut Butter Cups–Peanut butter cups are really easy to make. Just melt chocolate or chocolate chips and pour the melted chocolate into a cupcake liner in a cupcake tin (just enough to cover the bottom). Then place a few teaspoons of peanut butter on top of the chocolate and cover with more melted chocolate. Kids may also enjoy decorating the tops with M&Ms, sprinkles, or other candies. Refrigerate until the chocolate has hardened.