TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BARK, BUTTERMILK BACON PRALINES & BUCKEYE CANDY RECIPES!!

HOMEMADE

CANDY-CANDY-CANDY

LOADED TRIPLE CHOCOLATE BARK

Makes 4 pounds
INGREDIENTS:
7 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 cups pecan pieces
Salt
Cayenne pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch ground cinnamon
1 pound semisweet chocolate, cut into pieces
1 pound milk chocolate, cut into pieces
1 pound white chocolate, cut into pieces
1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large saute pan, melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar dissolves and is bubbly. Add the pecans. Season the pecans with salt, cayenne, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar starts to caramelize and coat the pecans evenly, about 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and spread the pecans over a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the pan in the oven and roast the pecans for about 6 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cool completely. Break the pecans into small pieces.
Fill 3 small saucepans halfway up the pan with water. Place the pans over medium heat; bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. In three separate mixing bowls, add each type of chocolate into the individual bowls. Place the bowls over the saucepans. Stir each chocolate until totally melted.
Remove the chocolate from the heat and stir 1 tablespoon of butter into each bowl of chocolate. Pour each type of chocolate over the marble or a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the pecans and coconut over the chocolates. Using a metal spatula, spread the mixture out evenly back and forth to about 1/4-inch thick. Either place the marble in the refrigerator or allow to sit out until set, about a couple of hours. Break the bark into medium pieces and serve.
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse by Ezra Pound Cake.

BUTTERMILK BACON PRALINES

INGREDIENTS:
1 c. granulated sugar
½ c. packed light brown sugar
½ c. buttermilk
1 T. light corn syrup
½ t. baking soda
¼ t. kosher salt
4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 c. chopped pecans
½ t. grated orange zest
6 sliced bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled

DIRECTONS:
Combine the first six ingredients in a deep saucepan, and cook slowly over medium heat until the mixture hits 235 degrees on a candy thermometer.
Once you’ve removed the saucepan from the stove, add the butter, vanilla, pecans, zest, and bacon. Beat the mixture like crazy with a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy. Drop teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper and let cool until firm.
This recipe is from "Screen Doors and Sweet Tea".

BUCKEYE CANDY

INGREDIENTS:
1 stick butter (pre-softened)
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
1 lb powdered (confectioners) sugar
12 oz. package of semi-sweat chocolate chips
1 tbsp. butter, margarine, or vegetable shortening (vegetable shortening is preferable)

DIRECTIONS:
Combine butter, vanilla, and peanut butter in medium mixing bowl, and mix well. Continue mixing as you slowly add in the sugar. The amount of sugar may need to be increased or decreases slightly as the mixture should easily form balls without being sticky. Form 1” to 2” balls with the dough and place them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Chill the peanut butter balls for at least 2 hours.
After balls have chilled, combine the shorting and semi-sheet chips into a double boiler. Use a toothpick or small skewer to pickup the peanut butter balls and dip them in the chocolate until only about 10-15% of the ball is left un-submerged. The candy should resemble the buckeye nut (see pictures of candy and buckeye nut below). Place onto a greased cookie sheet, and chill until chocolate coating has hardened.
This is a NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® recipe!