Tricky Turkish Taffy Treats

I've been on a mission to make non-dairy caramels. I know that the word "buttery" is usually used in conjunction with the word "caramel," so a version that doesn't contain any milk-based products sounds a bit ... well, odd, to be very polite about it.

But those who keep kosher - many of my friends - don't mix meat and dairy products; therefore, they wouldn't eat a caramel apple, for example, after eating a chicken sandwich. One of my co-workers has a very severe dairy allergy, and many people are lactose intolerant.

And so, it seems to me that being able to make a good non-dairy caramel would be a mitzvah ([MITZ-vuh = good deed]), enabling all of these people to enjoy treats that are currently verboten.

I first tried this project last year, using a non-dairy version of half-and-half; my "caramels" - I use the term with a roll of my eyes and a groan - separated into a layer of goo topped with a layer of grease. This was not one of my finer moments in the kitchen.

But my friend Emil Boch - The Kosher King of Ann Arbor, for those who remember my interview with him - told me that coconut products might be helpful, eliminating the chemical factors of pseudo-milks.

In all honesty, by the time I got around to trying this little venture again, I couldn't remember precisely which coconut product - milk? water? cream? - Emil had recommended. My brain has gone beyond being a sieve, and now qualifies for "burst dam" status. Age will cause your brain cells to implode ... I'm living proof.

But I am determined to make this work! So I bought one of the new coconut milk-based So Delicious non-dairy coffee creamers that are all the rage. I had some pareve ([PAHRV] = neither meat nor dairy) margarine. I had brown sugar. I had the last little dribble of my bottle of Drambuie, for flavoring. I was ready.

I put the margarine, corn syrup, brown sugar, Drambuie, and vanilla extract into a saucepan. I brought it to a boil. It looked beautiful.

I added the creamer, and brought the mixture back to a boil. It was much lighter than my dairy caramels had ever been; but I also knew that the mixture would darken as it cooked down.

From having made caramels before, I knew that it takes a loooong time to boil the ingredients down into a candy. You stand, you stir, you stir, you stand, you wait. Fifteen minutes ... liquid. Fifteen more minutes ... liquid. Fifteen more minutes ... thickening, kinda gooey. But still not looking like caramel. Still not the right consistency.

Since my candy thermometer broke and I haven't yet replaced it, I used the cold water test to see if my candy was even remotely approaching the right state. I dropped a little dribble into ice water, and tested to see if it felt like a little rubber ball ("soft ball" stage).

It was well beyond that. The candy was hard.

So I stopped stirring, I turned off the heat, and I poured this beige, marshmallow-y goo into a greased pan.

It wasn't looking particularly appetizing. But I thought perhaps I could call it "nougat," since it was clearly not even remotely resembling caramel. It might be lighter and fluffier than I'd planned, but that wouldn't mean it wasn't good.

But after I wiped up the grease bubbles and let it cool, it was hard. It was a rock. Seriously, this stuff could've scratched a diamond.

So, obviously, I wasn't going to cut it into little squares, wrap it in pretty papers, and give candies to anyone! What to do, what to do ...?

Well, I picked off a little bitty shard that was thin and fragile. I dared to taste it. And ... it was really good! It was sweet, an indescribable hint of the Drambuie and vanilla shining through, a wisp of butterscotchy-ness. I let my boyfriend, Craig, taste it, and he agreed that it was really nice.

He said, "It reminds me of that taffy you used to get, where you'd smash it and break it into little pieces."

That's it! I didn't make non-dairy caramels, I made non-dairy Turkish taffy (which is hard, rather than the chewy salt water taffy).

So, since today is Hallowe'en, I'm offering both tricks - caramels that magically transform themselves into an entirely different entity! - and treats, which are lovely little sweet taffies.

Once the taffy is broken up, larger pieces can be served as a candy; crumbs can be pressed into a shortbread cookie base, mixed into chocolate chip or oatmeal cookie batters, sprinkled over ice cream ... there are countless possibilities!

Always remember: if your recipe doesn't work out the way you'd originally conceived of it, just rename it, re-purpose it, and pretend that's what you'd intended all along ... :)


Turkish Taffy

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons Drambuie
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 pint So Delicious dairy-free French Vanilla coconut milk creamer

Place margarine, corn syrup, brown sugar, Drambuie, and vanilla into a 3-quart (minimum) saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add creamer and return to a boil; cook, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes. Skim foam from top, then continue to boil for 30 more minutes, stirring frequently.

Prepare a glass of ice water, and dribble a very small amount of the sugar mixture into the water; if it solidifies and is quite hard, the taffy is ready. Remove the saucepan from heat.

Line an 8"x8" pan with foil, extending the foil beyond the edges of the pan, then grease the foil with margarine. Pour the taffy mixture into the pan, and let cool completely.

Pull the taffy out of the pan by using the foil; peel the sides of the foil down. Place the taffy into a sturdy plastic freezer bag, then smash it against the countertop to break up the taffy.

Sausage-Apple-Yam Shepherd's Pie

It is incomprehensible to me, but my son - yes, Jeremy, who's usually such a cooperative eater - doesn't like Shepherd's Pie. It has all his favorite foods in it: meat, gravy and, particularly, mashed potatoes. I often top it with grated cheese. He hates it. What's a mother to do???

Make a variation on the theme, that's what. Use breakfast sausage, chopped apple, cider, and sweet potatoes ... et, voila! One of Jeremy's favorite dishes of all time!

Yeah, technically a "shepherd's" pie is made with lamb. But there's still ground meat for a base, there's gravy, and there's a kinda-sorta mashed potato on top. This dish is sweeter, though, more colorful, and a nice twist on tradition.

Now, this isn't technically a Hallowe'en recipe: there's no candy corn, and there are no spider webs made out of frosting. But the topping is orange, like a pumpkin! So, since "Trick or Treat"-ing comes on Wednesday and you might still be seeking ideas for your dinner or a party, I thought I'd offer this dish as well as some links to previous posts about the festivities:

Jack-o'-Lantern Pizza
Hallowe'en Dipped Marshmallows
Sweet 'n' Salty Caramel Corn Mix
Jack-o'-Lantern Cheeseburgers

Sausage-Apple-Yam Shepherd's Pie

• 2 very large sweet potatoes
• 1 pound breakfast sausage, hot or mild
• 2 large Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2" dice
• 3 large scallions, chopped fine
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• generous sprinkling freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups apple cider
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 cup brown sugar

Preheat oven to 425F. Prick sweet potatoes, then bake for 90 minutes until very tender. Let cool until you can handle them.

Place sausage into a large saucepan; break up sausage and cook it over medium heat. When sausage is half done, add apples and scallions; saute for 5 minutes, then add salt and pepper. Cover and cook for 10 minutes, until apples are tender.

Meanwhile, melt together butter and cornstarch. Slowly add cider, stirring it into the butter mixture until incorporated before adding more liquid. Once all the cider has been added, bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.

Place the sausage mixture into a casserole dish, then stir in the cider gravy.

Cut the sweet potatoes in half, then scoop out flesh into a mixing bowl. Mash sweet potatoes, then spread over the sausage. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the top.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Serves 6-8.

Hallowe'en Treats for the Grown-Ups

We've all done it - we've all raided our kids' candy stashes after they've gone trick-or-treating for Hallowe'en. We'd hang our heads in shame, but we're actually performing a mitzvah ("good deed") by saving our precious children's teeth from extra sugar and premature rotting. Be proud of your efforts! You've done well!

But, quite frankly, you can do better ... better than the sickly sweet mass-produced candies that are handed out, that is. (Don't even get me started on the party poopers who nobly give those little mini boxes of raisins; that is not an option!)

I'm here to tell you that you don't have to steal from your kids, because you can have luscious chocolates of your very own. And the kids can't have any of these, because of the alcohol used for flavoring. They're all yours!

While traditional chocolate truffles are rolled in cocoa powder, the confectioners' sugar gives these a bit of a ghostly aura. A few Hallowe'en-themed sprinkles tossed into the coating just makes the candies a bit more fun.

Hallowe'en is a festival of sugar and frivolity. There's no reason adults can't celebrate along with their children, but with a treat that's a bit more sophisticated than what the kiddies will be hauling home from their rounds.

And after the chaos of getting the kids' costumes ready, schlepping them around the neighborhood, and then trying to get them to bed despite the sugar high, don't you deserve a reward when it's all over???

More Hallowe'en Ideas:

Jack-o'-Lantern Pizza
Hallowe'en Dipped Marshmallows
Sweet 'n' Salty Caramel Corn Mix
Jack-o'-Lantern Cheeseburgers


Chocolate Truffles

(With many, many thanks to my friend Doris, who's recently moved to California but who left me with some priceless food-related gifts - including the cherry cordial - to remember her by whenever I cook with the lovely items ....)

1 cup chocolate chips
3 tablespoons whipping cream
2 tablespoons cherry cordial (or other flavoring)
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon seasonal sprinkles
12 paper candy cups, optional

Melt the chocolate, whipping cream, cordial and butter together in a small saucepan; whisk until smooth. Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap against the chocolate; chill until firm, 2 hours.

Combine the confectioners' sugar and the sprinkles in a small bowl. Using a 1" scoop, scoop balls of chocolate. Roll each ball into the confectioners' sugar mix until lightly coated, then place into paper candy cups. Refrigerate, then let the truffles sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to take the chill off before serving.

Makes 12 truffles.

Note: The cherry cordial is a lovely complement to the chocolate, but you could also use Kahlua or rum or even non-alcoholic options like coffee or the juice from a jar of maraschino cherries.

Pizza Party

My jack-o-lantern pizza is cute and fun, and it makes a big impact; but not many kids will actually want to eat the olives used for the decoration. Jeremy loves them and always has; his friends wanted every microscopic molecule of the black stuff wiped off before they'd eat a slice ... sigh.

This is another in my week's worth of Hallowe'en "recipes" which really isn't much beyond a list of instructions. You can make your own crust and sauce, or you can take the easy way out and buy a frozen pizza on sale (as I did for this photo op, while I was picking up 'scripts at the pharmacy).

So, here's the scoop:

Take your uncooked pizza and place it on the countertop.

Spread 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese over the mozzarella.

Bake according to recipe/package instructions.

Take a small can of chopped olives and whiz them for a bit in a blender or food processor; you can puree them or leave them with a bit of texture, whichever you prefer.

Use a small spoon to place mounds of olives in the pattern of a jack-o-lantern face. Serve to kids who will be thrilled (until they find out that there are olives on their pizza) ....

'Cause Marshmallows Don't Contain Enough Sugar Already ....

I know marshmallows don't need any adornment; perfect for cocoa, they're also fun to eat just out of the bag. But they make cute little tidbits for holidays, too, if you dip them into decorative sprinkles ... 'cause, as the post title says, they don't have enough sugar in 'em already, so let's contribute to the cause!

Place some festive sprinkles onto a plate.

Melt some white chocolate in a small bowl. Stick a toothpick into a large marshmallow, then dip the bottom of the marshmallow into the white chocolate. Dip the marshmallow into the sprinkles, then set it aside on a Silpat or some waxed paper until set.

And that's it!

Wordless Wednesday: Sweet 'n' Salty Caramel Corn Mix

Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger!

I'm neither a "Saturday Night Live" nor a John Belushi fan; but, how could I not think of the famous line when writing about cheeseburgers???

There is nothing spectacular about these burgers -- no secret seasoning mix or sauce, no list of 147 ingredients to buy for just the right tantalizing of your tastebuds. Make 'em any way you want to with your own special recipe. The beauty of these is in the aesthetics -- they're just cute!

So buy ground beef (turkey burgers don't have the same visual effect, though dark-colored vegetarian ones would), get some slices of American cheese, and have some fun! You can place lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and onions under the patties to oomph-up the nutritional content, and even serve 'em on whole wheat buns. But your kids won't care -- they just want to see jack-o-lantern cheeseburgers with funny faces.

One word of caution -- only put the cheese on the burgers just before serving. Cheese has this amazing tendency to melt. Really! I'm not kidding! So if you put the cheese on the hot burger patty too soon, you will serve plain ol' boring burgers instead of entertaining ones. Trust me, I learned this one the hard way ....

Jack-o-Lantern Cheeseburgers

Cook as many burger patties as you need, and place them onto buns.

For each one, prepare a slice of American cheese by taking a sharp knife and carefully cutting out a jack-o-lantern face. Stay as close to the center of the cheese slice as you can, and remember that simpler designs are more effective for clarity.

Place the cheese on top of the burger patty as close to serving as possible.

Every Day is Hallowe'en

Well, despite the fact that Christmas decorations are starting to appear in stores -- though I haven't seen any Chanukkah tchotchkes yet, despite its starting on the evening of December 1 -- we all know that Hallowe'en is coming on Sunday.

I've got my black t-shirt with the little orange sequined pumpkin all ready, and will pair it with dangly spiderweb earrings as I dispense candy to adorable little ones (my favorites are the ones who have no clue what's going on!) and kids who are too old to be begging but who will not be turned away. As I type this, I still haven't roasted any pumpkin seeds. Progress, my friends, not perfection! Remember that ....

This week, every day will be Hallowe'en at Food Floozie. Even though Jeremy is 19 and gave up trick-or-treating years ago, there are still some traditions that can't evaporate. I make pizza and cheeseburgers with jack-o-lantern faces on them. I make an idiot-proof snack mix that involves only opening bags and dumping junk food (caramel corn, M&Ms -- stuff that's utterly lacking in nutritional redemption!) into a bowl before stirring it all together. And I use festive sprinkles for decorating cookies or candies or whatever I have the time and the inclination to make.

So check in each day for a new festive idea! And don't bother playing the Monster Mash on Hallowe'en -- it's overdone. Try this oldie but goodie instead ....

Perfect Pumpkin Bread

Now that Fall has clearly arrived and Hallowe'en is imminent, I was in the mood for pumpkin bread. I had some leftover caramel sauce from Tom's birthday cake, so I thought: "When I make the pumpkin bread, I should make a caramel glaze for it." I found some time this past weekend to do some baking. And there you have it -- Sunday morning serendipity.

Except that I was out of my favorite white whole wheat flour, which doesn't particularly affect the taste of baked goods but does improve the nutrition quotient. But that was not going to deter me -- I was already going to be using butter, sugar and caramel sauce; there was little redeeming health value already, so why worry???

You'll notice, too, that I used Coffee-mate in the glaze. I could buy a gallon of milk every single day of my life, and I still wouldn't have any milk available when I want it. 19-year-old males go through it at a pretty good pace. It is incredibly frustrating, especially when you want a bowl of cereal, to find no milk in the house; but I have learned to adapt when I'm baking, 'cause that's the kinda girl I am.

So here is a lovely, moist, quick bread for a weekend, for a party, to go with coffee, whatever you can think of. Easy to make -- have I ever given such simple instructions before??? -- and delicious to eat. Enjoy!!!

Pumpkin Bread with Caramel Glaze

Bread:
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup pumpkin
2 eggs
1/3 cup walnuts, chopped fine
2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1-1/2 cups unbleached white flour
3/4 cup sugar

Glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons caramel sauce for ice cream
1 tablespoon vanilla caramel Coffee-mate

Make the bread: Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8"x4" glass loaf pan.

In a large bowl, stir together the wet ingredients; add the dry ingredients, and mix well. Pour batter into the loaf pan.

Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Remove bread from pan and let cool until lukewarm on a cooling rack.

Make the glaze: In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Spoon over the bread, spreading the glaze over the top of the loaf and letting some of the glaze drip down the sides. Let cool completely, then slice and serve.