I love to try new things. New foods, crafts, dances, and places to visit. In general I am game for new things. I don't always stop and think before delving into something new. I jump before I look and often find myself neck deep in mud. I am good for seeing a dish, recipe or project on line and deciding I can do that, I then jump right in without having done my homework, and then surprise surprise I have a mess, that isn't edible, usable, or feasible. One thing all this mud and messes has taught me, if I am thinking of using said projects as gifts, do trial runs, and practice it more than once.
With Easter coming I want to do a little gift giving. I am always up for gift giving, and even more so about giving gift I made. I have given so much soap and so many potholders, and towels that even I am bored with them. I know the gifts are good usable gifts and those that get them love them appreciate and use them, but they certainly aren't surprised when they open their packages. I get it, cause no matter how fancy I wrap them right down to making my own bags, there isn't a lot of excitement for me either, and I am the one that spent months and I do mean months getting everything ready. So I get it.
This Easter I am going to do the unthinkable, I am giving candy and sweets. Yep, even though every year when we would bring chocolate rabbits and such and the family would say, OMG we already have so much candy, I believe I am going to do something different enough it won't be Oh no not more candy. Yes I am going to make all the treats going into the baskets and hopefully they will be a big big tasty success.
I saw this cool looking clear candy that was for sure using a mold to make, and I was intrigued. There wasn't a recipe or even a name of the candy in the post, but in the comments someone said that it looked like Pennsylvania Dutch candy. I did an internet search and found lots of history about the candy and finally a few recipes too. After reading all the recipes I could find, I zeroed in on one that I really liked.
The author's directions were easy to follow and her insistence that you couldn't mess this recipe up, just made me smile and say yes this is it. My first batch was sticky, real sticky and unappealing . I figured out my corn syrup was old and while usable in other things it wasn't working in my candy. Next I figured out my food coloring needs to be added before boiling. Those two things made all the difference, my second batch was so much better and instead of ending in the trash people actually ate and enjoyed them. My 3rd batch has more flavor and molded up nicely and they aren't sticky but are full of air bubbles. Back to the books to find out how to avoid the bubbles, but these will be in the basket for sure.
I tried to make melt and pour candy once before and failed miserably. I seized the chocolate, burnt it, and then added water to the chocolate hoping to thin the mess and make it workable. Teaching me once again you must read all the directions beginning to end before you start. If I had done that I would have known to stop trying, once I seized it it was pointless and that water is a big no no.
The baskets are getting better and better with each addition, at least I am hoping so.
Peanut Butter Fudge, I have a recipe I use all the time, and love.
It has never failed me unless I do something wrong, and even then it is still tasty. No matter what, this fudge is basket bound, I just want it to be different than the regular bite size squares we normally cut fudge into. I tried my candy molds and I had a little success, so long as the mold isn't to deep. ( Sorry no photos, cause I ate them) I had another idea in mind, but I only have regular size cookie cutters I decided to try them any way.
And finally what I hope to be the center of my baskets, will be lemon curd. I once mentioned I make it and the response was raised eyebrows, and interest ,all in a good way. I decided then and there I would be including Lemon Curd as one of my gifts. Easter just seemed to be the perfect occasion and season.
I ran one test run, and it was as good as I remember. All I need to do is remember to put the eggs in before I turn on the heat, and if I do forget, to temper the eggs before adding them. Even with the small amount of egg that cooked we loved it. We enjoyed the curd in a dish with whipped cream on top, One large spoonful at a time. It was like eating pie without a crust. I didn't get photos, and I should have because it was as pretty and it was tasty. I do have a few photos from a few years ago when I first tried this recipe.
I can see the baskets all made up in my minds eye, and if they turn out half as well as I imagine, I may not want to give them away.
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