Colorful Candy! Candy will be the focus of the lei, so choose candy that tastes great, with an appearance that will really "pop." I'm using Zaza Chewy Fruit Candy and Rainbow Twists, both available from Oh Nuts. There's a great selection of colorful bulk candy on the Oh Nuts website. I think these Fruitomila candies, Laffy Taffys, Sour Balls, and gumballs would also work well.
You will also need cling wrap and curling ribbon.
To make candy leis, start by unrolling a long strip of cling wrap. You'll want at least a yard, but go longer if you're making leis for adults.
Place little clusters of candies an inch apart down the center of the cling wrap. If the candies are very large, just put one, but if they're medium-sized then three or four usually works well--you want the candies to be noticeable, but not so large as to be bulky or uncomfortable.
Take the far edge of the cling wrap and fold it in half so that the candy is encased in the middle of the cling wrap.
Now take the outer edge and fold it back into the center, so you have a double layer of cling wrap around the candy.
At this point I like to pinch between the candy clusters to seal the cling wrap together. It's not entirely necessary, but I think it makes it easier to keep everything in place and to keep the candy clusters together in the candy lei.
Cut the curling ribbon in strips about 6-8 inches long.
Tie the curling ribbon in a double knot in between each cluster of candy in the candy lei, then curl it with scissors. Make sure you also tie the ends tightly.
Bring the two ends of the candy lei together, and tie them tightly with a double knot, curling that ribbon as well.
Your candy lei is now finished! You can also leave it untied and make a candy garland to string across walls or tables. Candy leis and candy garlands make awesome party favors and decorations for summer picnics, pool parties, barbecues, and graduation parties. Ready to make your own candy lei? Start by browsing the Oh Nuts candy selection.
All text and photos (c) 2010 Elizabeth LaBau
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To make these wedding favors, you will need:
Start by measuring your paper. My craft paper was 12" by 12", and I measured off 8.5" from one corner of the paper. Draw a straight diagonal line from the top corner to your 8.5" mark at the bottom.
Cut your triangle out. You'll have enough leftover paper to make a second triangle later. You now have a triangle with one leg measuring 12" and one leg measuring 8.5". Note that this triangle makes a large-sized paper cone (about 5" long) so if you want smaller cones, you'll need to experiment and find a triangle size that works for you.
To start folding the cone, hold the paper with the pattern side down, and the point of the triangle facing inward toward you. Keeping your thumb in the middle of the paper, fold the short end inward, forming a cone shape.
Take the long side and wrap it around the cone, bringing it all the way around to the front.
You now have a cone shape, but you probably also have a large hole in the tip, which isn't very attractive. You'll need to adjust the fit of the cone in order to make that hole smaller. You can do this by wiggling the outer layer--the long leg of the triangle--around, adjusting the angle in order to shrink the hole at the bottom of the cone. You want the hole at the tip of the cone to be so small as to be invisible.
We want to give our cone some stability, so take the "tail" of the outer wrap layer--that longer triangle leg that you just finished adjusting--and cover it with glue. Fold it to the inside of the cone and press firmly so that it sticks and you can hold the cone without worrying about it falling apart.
Now it's time for the fun part! Fill the cone with Jordan almonds, leaving some space so that you can fold the top over and seal the cones. For my cones, I used about ¼ cup (1.5 ounces) of Almonds per cone.
Spread a thick layer of glue on the top of your envelope, and firmly press it down on the cone to seal it. Finish off the cones with whatever decorative elements you'd like--stickers work beautifully (and provide an extra level of sealing strength), or ribbons, or buttons, or anything that fits with your wedding.
These Jordan almonds wedding favors look so beautiful, no one will guess how easy and cheap they are to make. The cost breakdown for these particular favors are:
A more complicated recipe can take up to an hour with the preparation of the filling.
Filling
20 ounces pitted prunes (2 packages)
12 ounces dried apricots (2 packages)
6 ounces dried peaches (1 package)
10 ounces raisins (1 package)
1 orange (thin skinned or peeled)
1 apple
6 ounces apricot jam (1/2 a small jar or to taste)
1 dash lemon juice
Dough
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup oil
1/2 lemon, juice and zest of
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-5 cups flour (sifted)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 pinch baking soda
Directions
1 For the filling, simply chop all the ingredients fine in your food processor and mix well.
2 For the dough, cream sugar and eggs.
3 Add oil and mix until it turns pale yellow and is no longer shiny.
4 Mix in lemon and vanilla.
5 In another bowl combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
6 Slowly add dry ingredients to wet. When it becomes difficult to mix, add more flour and knead.
7 Preheat oven to 375°F.
8 To assemble cookies, roll out dough (in batches) to desired thickness (maybe a little thinner than 1/4") and cut into circles of desired size (can use cookie cutter, inverted glass, etc). Put a dollop of filling in the center of each cookie and fold up into a triangular shape, pinching the corners and leaving the center open so that the filling peeks out.
9 Bake cookies for about 15 minutes until they are beginning to brown. I've always greased the cookie sheet very lightly with non-stick spray, but I don't know that you need to.
http://www.recipezaar.com/Hamantaschen-Best-Ever-158100
It may be worth it to try a more hands on recipe if you are trying to impress company or to get an even more delicious version of your favorite Purim snack!
Chocolate Hamantaschen http://www.jewishfood-list.com/recipes/cookie/hamant/hamantaschchoc01.html are special for the successfulness of their rich filling. Any ordinary cookie dough will work well with any luscious chocolate center.
Caramel Pecan Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
2 cups toasted chopped pecans
7 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 cup milk or nondairy creamer
1/4 cup honey
Chocolate Filling:
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk or whipping cream or coffee
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Hamantaschen:
3 cups flour
1/2 cup finely ground almonds
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter or margarine
3 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 egg
1 egg white
Make Caramel Pecan Filling:
Bring sugar and water to boil in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring with wooden spoon until sugar dissolves.
Remove from heat and add pecans, butter and milk. Return to heat, stirring constantly, and simmer until thick, about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in honey. Transfer to oven-proof glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
Make Chocolate Filling:
Combine cocoa, sugar, milk and walnuts in bowl and blend thoroughly.
Hamentaschen:
Combine flour, almonds, baking powder, salt and sugar. Blend in butter with electric mixer until mixture resembles very fine crumbs.
Blend water and cocoa in small bowl and beat in egg. Add to flour mixture and beat until mixture begins to form dough. Do not over-mix. Transfer to floured board and knead into ball. Chill 30 minutes for easier handling.
Divide into 6-7 portions. Flatten each with palm of hands and roll out 1/4" thick. Cut into 3-1/2" rounds with scalloped cookie cutter.
Place 1 teaspoon Caramel Pecan Filling or Chocolate Filling in center of each round. Fold edges of dough toward center to form triangle, leaving bit of filling visible in center. Pinch edges to seal. Place on lightly greased, foil-lined baking sheet and brush with egg white.
Bake at 350°F until firm, about 20 minutes. Transfer to racks to cool.
http://www.jewishfood-list.com/recipes/cookie/hamant/hamantaschchoc01.html
When making your very own Hamantaschen from scratch, you need to remember to prepare the dough thick enough so that it will hold the glob of filling on top without breaking. Also when you are pinching the ends of the circle of cookie dough to form a triangle, remember to press down firmly and securely to ensure that none of the corners will loosen while baking.
There are different types of Hamantaschen you can make. Instead of using natural preserves, try icing to create the look and feel of a Hamantaschen cookie. Whichever way you choose to make your Hamantaschen, it is sure to be a hit! With all the recipes available to select from you are bound to finish with a wide variety of delicious Hamantaschen cookies.
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The fruit filled Hamantaschen are the most widely seen Hamantaschen around. They are made with apricot and raspberry preserves or jam for filling. The Hamantaschen’s crispy cookie balances nicely with the soft and chewy center from the filling.
The chocolate filled Hamantaschen are usually the most requested flavor. Everyone loves to enjoy these Hamantaschen especially when they are warm. The gooey chocolate with the crunchy cookie are a delicious combo. These tend to be the most decadent flavor available, so these may be eaten up the fastest!
Other common Hamantaschen available are the prune Hamantaschen and poppy seed Hamantaschen kinds. They may not be the most obvious flavors for a dessert but they definitely succeed in providing a tasty treat. It is even a great excuse to enjoy a dessert for a nutritional supplement.
No matter which flavor Hamantaschen you choose to enjoy on Purim, you really can’t go wrong. You can bake them up and give them out as part of your Mishloach Manot or simply buy them wherever they are sold.]]>
Apricot Hamantashen
There is also another interpretation that the word Hamantaschen derived from the word mohn, which means poppy seed. It is customary to eat poppy seeds on Purim and they are available in poppy seed Hamantaschen as well.]]>
The celebration of Valentine’s Day is never complete without having given or received one of these intricately decorated Valentine’s Day candy gift boxes which is the epitome of a lover’s declaration of his feelings. The variety of such Valentine’s Day candy gifts are so amazing that one will find it hard to choose from the various selections displayed in the candy stores.
Same as in the past, it makes you tingle with excitement when you are given a gift of a gorgeous box of Valentine’s Day chocolates which comes in many different shapes and sizes. If you girlfriend loves chocolates, why not surprise and delight her with a gift of a big bouquet of Chocolate flowers instead of the traditional bouquet of flowers? I’m sure she will be thrilled with your innovativeness. You can find novel and very exciting Valentine’s Day Candy gifts not only in the shops but also online. You can get them in different types and categories to suit each person’s mentality not to mention affordability.
With you and everyone else under the sun buying Valentine’s Day Candy gifts for that special person in your life, how can you make your own gift more personal ?
A cardinal rule is to ensure that your partner is a chocolate lover and that he/she will really and truly appreciate your gift of Valentine’s Day Candy.
While some like dark or even bitter chocolate, there are others who prefer the lighter white chocolate or the sugarless ones, depending on their dietary requirements,
Did you know that a simple bar of “Mars” means “I love you”? Wouldn’t it be the sweetest way of saying the 3 words?
There are those who prefer nougat or caramel which also can be given as a Valentine’s Day candy gift.
You can also get personalized candy bars, pralines, jelly beans, chocolate covered nuts, baskets of chocolates or even luscious looking candy trees decorated with chocolate.
Another important point to keep in mind is that an overwhelming number of men are said to prefer receiving Valentine’s Day Candy gifts or Chocolate Roses over flowers. Therefore you must ensure that you give him/her what they prefer and not what you would like to have yourself.
So there you are, buy any one of the above mentioned Valentine’s Day Candy gifts for your loved one and you can be sure he/she will make you his one and only Valentine this year.
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Purim Baskets - Mishloach Manos
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Valentine's Day Candy
Does anyone wonder how and when this custom began? One of the common beliefs is that during the 1800’s, lovelorn patients were told by their doctors to eat as much chocolate as possible to calm them and sooth their nerves. It is also thought that as far back as the era of the Aztec empire, chocolate was considered an aphrodisiac and was used to win love.
Although it is the heart shaped Valentine’s Day candy that is popular today, in days gone by, Valentine’s Day candy was made in the shape of watches, anchors, horseshoes, or even postcards with lengthy messages of love written on them. The messages found inside Valentine’s Day Candy hearts today, are much shorter and sweeter and in keeping with the “cool” talk of the modern generation.
Valentine's Day Candy
Close upon a century now makers of Valentine’s Day Candy have been coming up with unique and novel ways of saying “I love you”. Apparently, just one company produces more than 100,000 pounds of Valentine’s Day Candy chocolate hearts per day and it is said that approximately 8 billion lovers are presented with these delectable candy chocolates within a period of six weeks. Although the peak season for the sale of these Valentine’s Day Candy hearts is just one month, the candy hearts are produced round the year for 11 months.
With great competition among manufacturers of Valentine’s Day candy, to invent novel confections to Valentine’s Day Candy titillate the palate of lovers, they come up with yummy new fillings for chocolates while catchy and romantic messages are introduced every year. Some of the more popular recent ones included such messages as “Puppy Love”, “Melt my Heart”, “Cloud Nine” and even “Take a walk”!
What lover can resist a Valentine’s Day Candy Chocolate heart that says “Melt my Heart” or “Make me yours”? I bet you can’t and neither can I.
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Chocolate Rugelach is a crowd favorite. You can get them dairy and fill your rugelach with milk chocolate. Or you can enjoy your rugelach after your Shabbos meal by adding pareve or dark chocolate and by substituting margarine for butter in your pastry.
Cinnamon Rugelach are also a favorite. These are especially mouthwatering to bake when the aromas from the cinnamon start to spread throughout your kitchen.
Apricot Rugelach are probably the most common fruit flavored rugelach pastries available. There is something about the sweetness of the dough with the tanginess of the apricot that makes it a delicious combination.
Raspberry Rugelach are a nice alternative to the common chocolate and cinnamon rugelach types. They go great with a cup of fruit flavored tea.
A rugelach platter is a great way to show somebody that you care. It can celebrate the birth of a baby, a recent marriage, or as a holiday gift.
It is pretty easy to make rugelach . There is no wrong way to eat Rugelach. Rugelach can be enjoyed straight from the oven or right out of the store. They can be crunchy or chewy, with nuts or without. The choice is yours
Full Rugelach Recipe Transcript
Hi, I’m Sean Farrell. I recently graduated from the Culinary Institute of America with my Bachelors Degree in Baking and Pastry Arts Management. After graduation, I took advantage of one of the CIA’s wonderful opportunities by interning with Chef Francisco Migoya at the Apple Pie Bakery Café. Today, we are going to make one of my favourite cookies, Rugelach. The first step is to make the filling. We are going to start with toasting out pecans. Now, it’s important to toast the pecans because it tends to bring out the oils in the nuts giving more flavour sort of filling. Rugelach is a traditional Eastern European treat, celebrated during the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah. In Yiddish, Rugelach means â little twists. I can tell my pecans are done toasting by the smell in the air, so I’m going to transfer them to a food processor. To this, we are going to add a small amount of chocolate and raspberry jam. To create a paste with all these ingredients in order to make our filling for our Rugelach, you know, you have the right texture for your paste when the mixture starts to pull away from the sides. Now, we’ll set this mixture aside while we make our dough. The first thing we do to make the dough is to sift all of our dry ingredients. We are going to take salt and I’ll put it in this flour. Well, it’s important to sift to make sure we get all the lumps out of the flour and make sure we aerate it as well. After we sift our flour and our salt, the next step is to cream the cream cheese and butter. We know when our mixture is creamed when the mixture is light in color. Take our sifted ingredients and add it into our. I added all of our dry ingredients at once. Now, we are just going to mix the mixture until it comes together. We know it’s ready when the mixture pulls off the sides, using a rubber spatula, just scrape the mixture off of the pedal making sure to scrape down the sides as well. Take our finished dough and wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour. I’m shaping it into a rectangle because later, we are going to perform what we call a threefold in order to have our flaky layers in our Rugelach. The dough has been chilling for at least an hour.
So now we are going to take it out of the refrigerator and roll it out and perform a what we call threefold. Now, it’s important that we work with the floured surface. Keep in mind that we need to keep a rectangular shape in order to perform threefold. Now, the filing that we used, even though we used chocolate, pecans and raspberry jam, use anything, from marzipan, to apricot jam, walnuts or just plain cinnamon sugar. The reasoning for performing the threefold is to make sure that all the butter and the cream cheese are incorporated into the layer of the dough. This is going to give us a final texture that’s flakey and a beautiful cookie. Now, if your dough cracks, just press it together lightly with your fingers. We are going to roll our dough well, just until it’s about little less than an inch thick. Now, I am going to take my and just straighten out the sides. As you can see, I am being careful to keep our rectangle shape. Now, to perform a threefold just think of how you fold a letter: one, two, three. On one side, and two. Straighten up the sides again. Now, we are going to wrap it out in plastic wrap and chill it again for another hour.
So, an hour has gone by. We have our chilled three-folded dough. Using our divide this into three potions. As you can see, we have our nice flakey layers. We have one, two, three. With the rolling pin, roll this out until it’s around a quarter inch thick. So once my dough’s about a quarter inch thick, I am going to take a ten inch room. If you don’t have one of these, just use a large mixing bowl. Brush off on flour, take our filling, putting about a quarter of it on to the surface of the dough. Mixing down lightly. Spread the mixture as thinly as you possibly can, leaving about an inch circumference around the edge with the dough. And you can also use your hands as well. We are going to take some cinnamon sugar and sprinkler it lightly on the surface. Divide our circle into either 12 or 16 triangles. The easiest way to do that is to start from the centre and divide our circle into four quarters. And it doesn’t have to be 16 triangles; it can be however big as you want it to be. For instance, we’ll take this slice and simply take the widest base and roll it forward, similar to how you shape . Now, Rugelach is a very simply cookie to make. Our dough has butter and pink cheese in it. So you need to take care in making sure that the dough is nicely chilled, otherwise your dough will become sticky and hard to shape. Once we’ve finished rolling out all of our Rugelach, we want to transfer them to a parchment lined baking sheet or lightly sprayed baking sheep , making sure that we have a good amount of space in between each cookie, to allow for even spread. Have a small amount of egg wash here, that we’re just going to top of each cookie. Now we egg wash the cookies because they are going to give us a nice brown color on the surface. After we egg wash our cookies, we are going to sprinkle small amount of cinnamon sugar on the surface and transfer them to a pre-heated oven to 375 degrees and bake them for about 25 to 30 minutes or until they are golden brown. After about 25 minutes, I am taking the last batch out of the oven. As you can see, they have a beautiful crescent shape and a nice golden color. A little bit of sheen, that’s from the cinnamon sugar. And it’s important to put this on wire rack. It helps to make sure that the bottoms of the cookies don’t get too soggy.
You can find this recipe and many others in CIA’s Baking at Home with the Culinary Institute of America,
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Hamantaschen- Purim Cookies
Shalach Manos for Kids