I don't know about you and your family celebrate Christmas, but one of the memories from childhood that I have is of my mom and Aunt Sue making candies. And when I say "candies" I mean CANDIES. My mom made the BEST cherry cordials, buckeye balls, almond joy and mounds candy bars, caramel, fudge, and rock candy. They worked for days on these creations. If you've ever made homemade candies like this, you know the painstaking effort it takes to literally paint the molds, mix the fillings, tap, chill, and repeat. I remember the Christmas Eve tradition of listening to music, laughing, creating these goodies while tracking Santa Claus. I literally recall 1984 when, "
Do They Know it's Christmastime?" played on the radio throughout the season and loving the moment it came on while we were working in the kitchen. I turned up the radio and made my mom listen to the words. As I grew, they included me with as much as I was willing to do. One year, when my sister was old enough to "help", she reached her hand across the stove to grab something at the very moment that my mom was pouring the homemade caramel from the pot into a dish. It dripped on my sister's hand and burned it like plastic. She probably still has the scar. As I've grown, I have discovered that I too enjoy gathering with a good friend and making candies. I am not much of a baker, so this is more up my alley.
This year I decided that although I still want to make candies, I am changing the game plan just slightly. Instead of the tried and true traditional candies that my mom always made. I am going simple. 5 ingredients or less and little prep/creation time. I can't take credit for many of these recipes but I am happy to share what I have learned and found to be TISHtastic treats. Even if like me, you aren't a baker, you can handle these recipes. You really can!!! Get the kids involved. Or invite a friend over and split the batches you make together.
Today's recipe is for
Triple Chocolate Cookie Truffles
1 3.5 oz instant chocolate pudding 1 pkg of Oreo cookies (hold back 4-5 cookies, crushed)
1 cup cold milk 1 lb dark chocolate melting chips (not the same as are in cookies)
(white chocolate would also work)
Mix together in a bowl the pudding and milk. In your food processor (or the baggy and rolling pin method) crush cookies (hold out 4 cookies). Combine the pudding and cookie mixture and stir until a thick brownie consistency. Use a small melon scoop (Yeah for my Pampered Chef tool) and scoop these on to a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Place in the freezer for about 15-20 mins in order to set firm.
While they are chilling, melt your chocolate for dipping. Dip each ball, place them back on the tray then sprinkle with the separated cookie crumbles. Put the tray back in the fridge and chill until set.
OOH It's so good!!!! Enjoy
Let me know if you make any of the recipes I post and how you like them!
