Homemade Valentine's Candy

This coming Monday is Valentine’s Day. If you’re looking for something special to celebrate, I think candy’s dandy. And you can whip up some homemade candy that’s delicious and inexpensive in no time.


I wasn’t always an advocate of making candy at home; as a matter of fact, of all the things that I am afraid to cook—candy takes first place. Let me explain.

Years ago (never mind how many) when I was a young bride, I decided to make a birthday cake for my husband. His favorite cake and frosting was a specialty of my mom’s and I thought I’d call and get her recipe. The frosting for the chocolate cake was a true fudge frosting made like old-fashioned fudge—cooking the sugar and chocolate and cream or milk until the soft-ball stage, then cooling it down without stirring, adding butter and beating until it set up to frosting consistency.

I made the cake without mishap and confidently began the frosting. I was too young and cocky in those days to even worry about a failure. But a failure would be putting it mildly. Since I didn’t own a candy thermometer, I used the cookbook advice of testing the mixture by dropping a small amount in cold water and rolling it into a “soft ball.” If it just spread out in the water it wasn’t done yet; if it rolled into a hardball or a stiff, crackly thread, it was overdone.

I made my batch of frosting and when it tested done (I thought), I cooled it and beat it. And beat it and beat it and beat it. It wouldn’t set up. I called my mom. She said cook it longer and try again, which I did.

Several hours later, with a kitchen piled top to bottom with chocolate: pans, counters, spoons, me, and after kneeling in front of the refrigerator with my pan of chocolate, beating it in the refrigerator because I thought it was too hot in the kitchen for the frosting to set up, I finally gave up and went to the bedroom and cried until I fell asleep in exhaustion.

When my husband arrived home he took one look around and suggested we go out to eat. I have never made that frosting or any cooked candies since.

This year, I decided to find some recipes for candy that would taste delicious and still keep my sanity. I think you’ll agree that these fill the bill.

Creamy Peanut Dreams

½ 8-oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
¼ cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. real maple syrup
1 pound chocolate candy coating
½ cup chopped peanuts

Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and syrup until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Shape into 2-in. balls. In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt candy coating, stirring often. Place balls of candy on waxed paper set on a large baking sheet. Spoon chocolate over candy; sprinkle with peanuts. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Raspberry Truffles (Country Woman, Nov. 1999)

1 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. whipping cream
1-1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
7 ½ tsp. seedless raspberry jam
6 ounces white or dark chocolate candy coating
1 Tbsp. shortening

In heavy saucepan, combine butter, cream and chocolate chips. Cook over low heat for 4-5 minutes or until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in jam until combined. Transfer to a small freezer container; cover and freeze for 20 minutes. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a foil-line baking sheet. Freeze for 25 minutes. Roll into balls; freeze until very firm. In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt candy coating and shortening, stirring often. Cool slightly; spoon over balls. Place on a wire rack over waxed paper. Let stand for 15 minutes or until firm. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: 4 dozen

If you are more adventurous than I, or have successfully made the cooked type of candy; here is a recipe for President’s Day

Martha Washington Bonbons (The President’s Cookbook)

2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
½ cup cream or milk
1 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
Chopped nuts, chopped citron or fruit flavoring or rum extract

Cook sugars and cream in a covered pan to the soft-ball stage (234 deg. F). Pour the candy onto a buttered platter. Cool. When cool, beat in butter and vanilla until creamy. Knead the candy on a marble slab (Formica would do—or any hard surface); divide it into as many portions as you want varieties. Mix one portion with chopped nuts, another with chopped citron, and another with fruit flavoring or rum extract. After mixing each type, shape the bonbons. Leave some plain; dip others in melted chocolate, decorate with nut halves and/or candied cherries. Put each finished piece on wax paper and let it stand until firm (“Let it ripen,” says the old cookbook).