Brittles, Barks, and Bonbons

This book has recipes from melting chocolate and making bars to more timely recipes, but even the simple ones were great for Christmas gift giving and easy for the novice to prepare. I wrapped the peppermint bark in celophane decorated bags from the dollar store and got rave reviews. Also made the chocolate marshmallow pecan barks and they were incredible. Next, I want to make chocolate covered pretzels. The hardest part is not eating too much!

Brittles, Barks, and Bonbons delivers on its promise of delicious recipes for quick and easy candy. I had been a little intimidated about making candy, but the author makes it sound relatively easy with clear and detailed instructions. She also shares several tips that I haven't seen in other candy recipes (such as that beet sugar crystallizes less predictably than cane sugar, and that it is not necessary to wipe down the sides of the pan with a pastry brush when caramelizing sugar). The author provides a brief overview of ingredients and the few necessary pieces of equipment (which are likely to be in most kitchens with the possible exception of a clip-on candy thermometer which I found for 99 cents at a discount store). That is followed by candy tips and techniques. The first chapter, Brittles and Toffees, includes recipes for: *Old-Fashioned Peanut Brittle *Spanish Almond Brittle *Spicy Pepita Brittle *Coconut-Peanut Toffee *Macademia Nut Brittle *Pine Nut Honeycomb *Buttery Almond Toffee *Cinnamon Brittle The next chapter, Barks and Clusters, includes recipes for: *Dark Chocolate Bark with Figs, Almonds, and Anise *Chocolate-Cherry-Hazelnut Bark *Rocky Road Bark *Crispy Rice Bark *Peanut-Raisin Bark *Marbled Peppermint Bark *Sea Turtles *White Chocolate Clusters with Pistachios and Golden Raisins *Coconut-Smoked Almond Haystacks *Chocolate Pretzel Clusters The third chapter, Truffles and Chocolate-Dipped Candies, includes recipes for: *Malted Milk Chocolate Truffles *Chocolate-Sour Cream Truffles *Chai-Spiced Truffles *Mexican Chocolate Truffles *Dark Chocolate-Espresso Truffles *Mocha-Hazelnut Truffles *Chocolate-Dipped Marshmallow Peeps Pops *Chocolate-Covered Graham Crackers *Chocolate-Dipped Sesame Halva *Chocolate-Dipped Fresh Fruit *Chocolate-Dipped Dried Fruit *Chocolate-Dipped Candied Citrus Peel The final chapter, Bonbons and Other Sweetmeats, includes recipes for: *Vanilla-Sea Salt Caramels *Butterscotch Caramels *Honey-Almond Nougat *Candied Citrus Peel *Milk Chocolate Praline *Striped Butter Mints *Toffee Popcorn with Cashews *Marzipan-Filled Dates *Blueberry-Pear Gelees *Vanilla Sugar The featured recipes sound tempting but I gave the book 4 stars as I would have preferred photos of more than 23 of the 40 finished products, and would have also liked to have seen more recipes included.

Who knew you could do some many things with brittle? easy to make and even easier to gift.

Used a few recipes from the book so far and they are clear and concise. Make sure you have a candy thermometer before attempting most of the recipes. Very good for a person just starting with candy making.

I just bought this book because I saw it at the local grocery store, and I love it! So many recipes, and it's written in such a way that all of them are easy to follow. Beginners and seasoned candy makers will appreciate the clear directions and beautiful photos, and your loved ones will appreciate your prolific sweet treats. Highly recommended.