Cherry Mountain's are my husbands all time favorite childhood candy and they are nearly impossible to find anymore. Some people call them Cherry Mash.

                         CHERRY MOUNTAIN

These finished candies can sit at room temperature for over a week (if they last that long) but hubby LOVES them COLD out of the fridge. The peanuts provide that wonderful sweet-salty taste and the 2 little drops of almond extract give the cherry flavor just the right boost.

There are several steps to this recipe, but they are all very easy. I hope you try them.

12 ounces of chocolate Almond Bark

1/3 cup chopped up cocktail peanuts (warmed up a little) 

2 Tbsp peanut butter (warmed up a little)

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 3/4 cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup finely chopped maraschino cherries**

2 DROPS of almond extract

24 mini muffin paper liners

Put 24 MINI cupcake papers in a mini muffin pan, then line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Set these 2 things aside.

The next “do ahead” is chopping the peanuts and then the **maraschino cherries. You will want a total of 1/3 cup of each. 

Chop the cherries in the food processor until very fine.  Dump them out onto several layers of paper towels and press on them to extract any extra liquid (very important).

Beat 1/4 cup of room temperature butter with 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 2 drops of almond extract (beat until smooth).  Add the chopped (and patted dry) maraschino cherries and mix well. Drop by teaspoon measure onto waxed paper and set in freezer for about an hour.

After the cherry centers have been in the freezer for an hour, melt 12 ounces of chocolate almond bark in the microwave for about 75-90 seconds (depending on how powerful your microwave is). My microwave is a 900 Watts and it takes 90 seconds (don’t over heat the chocolate).

After the almond bark is melted, add 2 tablespoons of warm peanut butter and 1/3 cup of warm chopped peanuts. Mix well and put a small spoon of this mixture into the bottom of each paper liner (just enough to cover the bottom).

Place a frozen cherry center on the chocolate base (cut them in half if they seem to big), then top with more melted chocolate-peanut topping.

Let these cool completely, or speed set them in the fridge. 

ENJOY !!!

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December 23, 2021

This is the fastest candy I have EVER made and better yet, my Picky-picky Hubby gives it two thumbs up!! It is made in the microwave and is pretty enough for Christmas gift giving.

12 ounce bag of good quality white chocolate chips

12 ounce bag of good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

12 ounce bag of good quality milk chocolate chips

3 cups of your favorite whole nuts (see note)

Note: DO NOT be tempted to use all one kind of chocolate. For some (unknown to me) reason, the blend of white chocolate, semi-sweet and milk chocolate produces the BEST chocolate taste EVER!!

 

Put the chocolate chips in a large, microwave safe glass bowl and microwave for two minutes at 60% power (imperative that you stir every 30 seconds). My microwave took about 2 minutes and 10 seconds.

 

Stir until all of the chocolate is smooth, then stir in 3 cups of your favorite whole nuts. I ended up adding five cups of whole mixed nuts and I'm fairly certain I could have added one more cup. This makes a LOT of candy!!

 

The recipe calls for spooning candies onto waxed paper, but I spooned mine into mini-cupcake size paper liners. Put them in the fridge to "speed set" for about 15 minutes and they are ready to serve.

 

NOTE: The candy will only be as good as the chocolate you use. I used Ghirardelli chocolate chips. (Note: You do not taste the white chocolate when they are all melted together (I don't like white chocolate), but the blend of the 3 chocolates is delicious.

Note: If you are making these ahead, store in the fridge in an air-tight container (or ziplock bag) until it's time to serve (or give).

 

NOTE: I used a mixture of whole roasted nuts (cashews, almonds, peanuts, pecans, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts...delicious).

                  MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

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December 11, 2020

This candy treat is very quick and easy to make and it tastes VERY much like an Almond Joy candy bar (only I think they are even better).

Just a few ingredients and no baking makes this recipe a real winner and they look so pretty. Great for gift giving or just for snacking.

1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut
8 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

12 ounce bag of milk chocolate chips (see note)
1/4 cup toasted almonds (optional)(see note)

Put the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and extracts in the food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped and thick and sticky.

Put 24 mini cupcake papers into a mini cupcake pan and set aside.

Melt the chocolate chips  (until smooth)in the microwave, on 30 second blasts (stirring well after each 30 seconds). My microwave took a total of about 75 seconds, or 2 1/2 blasts).

Spoon about 1 teaspoon melted chocolate onto the bottom of each mini cupcake paper and smooth it around a little.

Next, (using slightly damp hands) roll the coconut mixture into balls about the size of a grape and  sit them on top of the melted chocolate center. Flatten ball (just a little) with your finger.

Top coconut ball with about 2 teaspoons* melted chocolate. That's it!! *just enough to completely cover the coconut...but not too thick.

Set the candy in the fridge for about 10 minutes to "set" the chocolate. It couldn't be easier!!!  Makes 24 candies.

NOTE: Any flavor chocolate chips will work. We like milk chocolate, but semi-sweet or dark would work well too.

NOTE: I don't put nuts in this candy, but if you want them, go for it. A whole toasted almond on top of the coconut layer works well.

NOTE: I keep these in the fridge, although it's not necessary. It just depends on how hot it is where you live.

ENJOY !!!

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December 19, 2019

Crackerjacks are a very easy to make...... require common pantry ingredients..... and satisfy almost EVERYONE's sweet tooth!!

This recipe is always a hit at birthday parties and can be made ahead of time. I hope you like them as much as we do!!

 

1 bag of microwave popcorn (see note)
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup Karo corn syrup (the clear kind)
2 teaspoons molasses
1/2 cup butter cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 250° and lightly spray a large baking sheet (with sides) with vegetable spray and put it in the oven while it preheats (see note below).

In a medium size sauce pan, bring the brown sugar, corn syrup, molasses, butter and salt to a simmer. Cook (and stir) until this mixture reaches 250° on a candy thermometer (it only takes about 3 or 4 minutes). Just make sure you stir it the whole time.

While the mixture is simmering, pop the bag of popcorn in the microwave then spread it out on the prepared (warm) baking sheet and put it back in the oven to stay warm (add nuts at this stage if you are going to use them). (Tip: make sure to remove any un-popped popcorn "duds"). (see note below)

When the caramel mixture reaches 250°, remove it from the heat and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. Stir until very well mixed (it will turn the mixture a lighter tan color and get foamy which is what you want..... takes about 20 seconds).

Pour over the warm popped corn and gently stir to coat. Bake coated popcorn in the 250° oven for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

After it has baked one hour, turn it out onto some waxed paper and let it cool (it cools VERY fast). When completely cool, break apart any large pieces. Make sure you store these completed crackerjacks in air tight container (I use Ziplocks).

NOTE: I use one bag of lightly salted microwave popcorn. Personally, I don't think the heavy butter flavored variety would taste right, although I'm sure it would work.

NOTE: Make sure the baking sheet that you use has sides. I used my roaster pan and it worked well. You just want the sides to be tall enough, so that, when you stir the coated corn you won't lose any pieces over the edge.

NOTE: Instead of spraying my baking pan with vegetable spray, I like to use the new-ish  "no stick aluminum foil". Either way works well.

NOTE: Be careful while you are stirring this caramel sauce so you don't get it on your skin (it is dangerously hot).

CLEAN UP TIP:  This cooked caramel sauce gets VERY hard as it cools, so I suggest that you put your dirty utensils (and pan) in hot soapy water to soak a little while before you try to wash them. It makes clean up a LOT easier.

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May 04, 2016

A friend shared this recipe with me and I can guarantee you that I will be making this fudge over and over, it is REALLY fast and easy, and it is SUPER yummy!!

 

2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup (smooth) peanut butter

In a medium sized saucepan (with a heavy bottom), mix 2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup evaporated milk. The heavy bottomed saucepan will keep this mixture from scorching.

Cook on medium high heat, stirring, until bubbles start to form around the edge of the pan. Turn the heat down to medium low and cook until the mixture starts to boil (bubbles all across the surface that don't go away when you stir it). Boil for exactly 2 1/2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and peanut butter. Mix until very smooth (whisk works well here).

You can pour this cooked mixture into any size pan you like (larger pan gives you thinner fudge), but just make sure you have lined the pan with parchment paper or foil first. I had great luck using a loaf pan.

Sit this pan of hot fudge on a cooling rack. After about an hour or so, the fudge will be FIRM, but still very warm. This is the BEST time to cut the fudge cleanly.  Just grab onto the parchment paper or foil that you lined the pan with, and lift the whole thing out of the pan. Slice the fudge with a THIN, SHARP knife.

You can also wait and cut the fudge after its completely cool, but it cuts easier and more cleanly if you cut it while its still warm.

Store cooled fudge in airtight container.

 

ENJOY !!!

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May 31, 2015