Chocolate Peanut Pralines

Last week, the days seemed to drag on.  The hours at work seemed endless and Friday took twice as long to get here.  It was just one of those weeks.  A week that required a relaxing weekend at the very end of it.  What did boyfriend and I decide to do in order to wash away the previous five days?  We went tubing.

If you are in the New Jersey/Pennsylvania/New York area this summer, I would recommend you set aside some time  and head to the Delaware River.  Boyfriend and I were a little wary as we got to the River.  Would it be cold?  Is the river deep?  Will I really need this life preserver?  What was the compelling story that the river tube staff member didn't tell me that would make me want to actually wear this life preserver?  I feel a little strange wearing a bikini in the middle of rural New Jersey.

When we stepped in the water, all my fears were set aside.  At this time of the year, the Delaware River is like a bath tub.  It is slow-moving and hip-deep along most of the tube riding route.  Most of all, it is the most relaxing way to spend an afternoon.  Although boyfriend and I apparently can't find the current in a river to save our lives.  We slowly floated along as everyone else in a tube passed us by.

The one fun thing about floating along in the slow current?  You find stuff on the bottom of the river!  Boyfriend and I rescued a fishing weight, a rubber wristband and a set of car keys from the riverbed.  If you're out there and find your long lost keys in the mail one day, that was us!  (and Shop Rite!)

So boyfriend and I started our workweek yesterday refreshed, relaxed and a little sun kissed.  Nothing like floating down a river for a few hours and enjoying a riverside barbecue to melt away the stress from the previous week.  Ahhh, floating away...

Sponge Candy FAQ

Over the past year I have gotten many, many questions about my Buffalo sponge candy recipe.  I thought it was about time to do an FAQ, to hopefully alleviate any concerns that you might have about making this tasty treat!

First, while the recipe seems a little tricky, I have had tons of people e-mail me about their successful batches of sponge candy.  This is totally something a home cook can take on, with a few simple tools...

1. A properly calibrated candy thermometer - Is your candy thermometer calibrated?  Easy way to check.  Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Stick your candy thermometer in the boiling water.  At sea level it should read 212 F.  If you are above sea level it will read lower (Denver about 202 F).  If your thermometer reads a little off, you'll be okay.  If it is really far off, it might be time to get a new one.

2. Sifter/sieve - You must sift your baking powder before adding it to the sugar syrup.  I didn't do this the first time and was left with big pieces of baking soda in my candy, non-delicious.

3. Parchment paper - For lining your pan.  Parchment paper is great because it's non-stick and won't melt.  It makes for easy removal of your candy from the final pan.

Sponge Candy FAQ's

Q: Do I have to use light corn syrup?  Can I substitute honey, invert syrup, glucose syrup, golden syrup?

A: Candy-making is like science.  You have to put in the correct starting materials to get your desired product.  Our correct starting materials are sucrose and glucose.  The correct mixture of these two sugars gives the desired final texture of the candy.  Change the starting materials and you will wind up with a completely different product.

After testing this recipe over and over, with several different liquid sugar sources, I have come down to the some conclusions about each choice. 

Honey - never replace corn syrup with honey in these kinds of candies.  Honey will burn when you take it up to the necessary 300 degrees.  Trust me, I tried.  I had to leave the windows open for days.

Invert Syrup - A mixture of fructose and glucose, derived from splitting a sugar molecule into its two components.  The final candy product using invert syrup never hardened up and was a gooey sticky mass.

Glucose Syrup - Yes!  This is the one product that I have found to have the same properties as corn syrup.  Found in pastry shops, art supply stores and specialty grocery stores, glucose syrup is your go to product if you want to steer clear of corn syrup.

Golden Syrup - Common in Britain and Australia, I have had limited success with this product.  A form of inverted sugar, this product is a mixture of fructose and glucose.  You won't get the exact same flavor as traditional sponge candy, but if it's all you have access to, it's a good choice.

Q: Why don't you use vinegar in your candy recipe?

A: Everyone has seen the volcano trick.  Baking soda plus vinegar equals bubbles.  Did you know that baking soda will break down and produce bubbles if you just heat it up enough?  It's called thermal decomposition.  Above 160 degrees F, baking soda will gradually break down and produce CO2 without any acid present.  We add the baking soda when our sugar syrup is about 280 degrees F.  This high temperature leads to a rapid decomposition of the baking soda and gives us our airy candy.

2 NaHCO3 + heat → Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2

Q: Why do you use gelatin in the recipe?

A: The gelatin acts to thicken the sugar syrup and form a matrix within the candy.  Once we add the baking soda to the gelatinized sugar syrup, the baking soda begins to break down and form carbon dioxide.  As the baking soda decomposes, it absorbs heat and cools the sugar syrup.  As the syrup cools, the gelatin begins to set, trapping the CO2 bubbles in the candy.

Q: Why isn't my candy as airy as traditional sponge candy?

A: First I would like you to enjoy a video of the head candy-maker at Watson's make a batch of sponge candy.  Did you notice how large a batch that man was making?  Personally, I don't have a bowl that large.  I also think boyfriend would have a problem with me turning the apartment into a science lab.  The trick to Watson's airy candy is that they only use the inside of the huge candy disk.

Using power tools, they remove the outer layer of candy.  This outer layer is denser than the inner layer because it has settled and some of the air has been pressed out.  Take a look at your next batch and you'll see that the inside of the candy has more air bubbles than the outer layer.

Q: How should I store my sponge candy?

A: To answer this question, you need to ask yourself one thing - Is it humid today?

If it is at all humid in your area, I would suggest coating the sponge candy in chocolate as fast as possible.  It will pick up moisture fast and turn into a sticky mess.  If the humidity is low, you can probably get away with keeping it uncoated, but in a zip-top bag.  Never, ever, ever put your sponge candy in the fridge.  Fridges are full of humidity!

Q: Does this really taste like Violet Crumble or Crunchie bars?

A: Yes.  I have personally had a Crunchie bar and can say that my recipe tastes a little smoother and is a bit easier to eat.  I fed this candy to a New Zealand friend of mine and they made the comparison with Violet Crumble without me saying anything.  So, if you've moved to a country without these candy bars, now you can make your own.

Did I miss any of your questions?  I'd be happy to answer them and keep adding to this post!  Just send me an e-mail at Wildeinthekitchen (@) hotmail (dot) com and I'll get to answering you right away!

Now, on to our second Candy Month Giveaway!!! 

Are you one of the unfortunate souls that have never had the opportunity to try Buffalo sponge candy?  Sure, the stuff we make at home is pretty good, but it's not Watson's.

The lucky winner of this giveaway will recieve a 2-pound box mixed boxed (dark and milk chocolate) of Watson's original sponge candy!  Yum.

Image via Watson's Chocolates

The Watson's giveaway is open from May 10th- through 11:59pm May 16th. THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED!  THANKS FOR ENTERING!  This time it's going to be a very simple one to enter, two ways to win!

1. Leave a comment here and tell me what candy is a local favorite in your hometown (or your house)!

2. Tweet about the giveaway and leave a comment here saying you did so.  (Feel free to add more exclamation points to use the full tweet character limit)

ex. I just entered to win two pounds of Watson's sponge candy from @WildeKitchen !!!  http://wildeinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2012/05/sponge-candy-faq-buffalo-giveaway.html

Good Luck!  And if you aren't the lucky winner, I hope that the tips I've shared with you today will help you make your own batch at home.

Sadly, Watson's can only ship to the contiguous 48 states. Their sponge candy is very delicate and prone to melting in hot climates! So this giveaway is open to those living in the lower 48. This giveaway is sponsored by me!

Chocolate Malt Marshmallows

As you read this, boyfriend and I are cruising around the Caribbean.  Depending on what time you read this today, we may be rappelling through waterfalls, sitting on the beach or stuffing ourselves with buffet food. 

We are on a cruise vacation because I wanted a nice, calm, relaxing break from work.  Our past few vacations have been anything but relaxing, with the trekking to far flung foreign lands, managing several different foreign languages and packing in as much sight-seeing as we could.  You want to go on a calm vacation, do not go to Bangkok.  You want a relaxing vacation, do not go on a trek around Europe.  You want to sit still for more than ten minutes, do not go on vacation with boyfriend.

This boyfriend of mine has energy for miles.  While vacationing on a white sand-ringed island last year, we decided to spend the day at the beach.  Snorkels, beach towels and Gatorade in tow, we made our way to a quiet and secluded beach overlooking the neighboring islands.  I laid my beach towel out, dropped my sandals in my bag and went to wade in the warm Caribbean water.  Having decided that was enough movement for now, I made my way back to our beach towels and realized I was by myself.

Boyfriend had wandered off.  Figuring he couldn't go too far (I had his shoes), I decided to wait for him by reading a magazine (okay, I was doing logic puzzles.  I'm a big old nerd!).  I kept hearing rustling noises in the bushes behind me, but we had been hearing that all week.  The noise was always birds.  A half hour later, boyfriend strolls up the beach from a completely different direction from where I last saw him.  When I inquired about where he was, his answer was simple.  "I was looking for monkeys!"

No, boyfriend isn't crazy.  We were on St. Kitts, which is an island with a bountiful monkey population.  He didn't find any monkeys on his little tour of the beach bushes and this wasn't his last trip off the beaten path.  When offered two options - the easy way - or - the way that requires climbing over rocks and shimmying down perilous ledges - boyfriend will always pick option 2.

This is why we are spending the day canyoning, rather than sitting on a beach and baking in the sun.  And you know what?  I wouldn't have it any other way.

Since I'm away this week, I didn't want to leave you feeling sad.  I realized there were two things I could do to make my absence a little easier. 

1. Chocolate malt marshmallows!

2. Throw a giveaway while I'm away! 

What am I giving away?  If you have been following the Candy Month hype on my twitter account, I mentioned giveaways!  This is the first of two that will happen this month.  (Oh just wait for the second, it will be delicious!)  I'm giving away one of my favorite candy cookbooks to one lucky reader!  This book gave me so much help and insight in the first few months of Candy Challenge 2011.

The Giveaway is now closed!  Congratulations to the winner - Amy Marantino!

Now it's your turn to give it a try!  This giveaway is for one brand new, shipped fresh from Amazon, copy of

Chocolates and Confections at Home with the Culinary Institute of America!

And...

How can you make candy without a thermometer?  You'll also receive the very same thermometer that I have come to love.  It's digital, has an alarm and two settings (oil & candy).

How do you enter?  There are so many ways!  Do them all and get up to 6 chances to win!

1. Simply comment on this post and tell me which candy recipe was your favorite from Candy Challenge 2011 (you can find the recap on the tab at the top labeled "Candy Collection")  Or maybe which candy you would like to try (or have made!).

2. Subscribe/follow/RSS Wilde in the Kitchen so you don't miss out on a single post!  Leave me a comment saying that you did!

3. Follow @WildeKitchen on twitter and leave me a comment here saying that you did so!

4. Tweet the following on twitter (or something along these lines!) and let your friends know about our fun giveaway!  Leave a comment here saying that you did so!

I just entered to win a copy of Chocolates and Confections at Home from @WildeKitchen so I can make candies at home too!  Enter to win at wildeinthekitchen.blogspot.com

5. Like Wilde in the Kitchen on facebook and leave me a comment, you know the drill.

6. The last and the most involved way to earn a chance to win...  Take part in the Wilde in the Kitchen Relay for Life Bake Sale!  Happening on May 17-18, I will be fundraising for Relay for Life and need your help!  Up for sale will be several popular Wilde candy treats and I would love to have you all help out! 

Drop me an e-mail [wildeinthekitchen @ hotmail (dot) com] and let me know if you would be interested in making a baked good/sweet confection for the bake sale!  For more information on the bake sale, check out Sundays post.

If you already do any of the above, like you already follow me on Twitter, you can leave a comment stating that fact.  That's cool, we're already friends!

Giveaway is open from April 24, all of the way until Tuesday, May 1st! The Giveaway is now closed, thank you everyone for entering!

Disclaimers...  This giveaway is open to those in the United States and Canada.  Sorry international friends, I'm not good with shipping abroad!  I have no affiliation with the publishers or writers of this cookbook, I just think it's awesome and want to share!

Cookie Dough Fudge

It's time for more candy!  It has been just over a year now that I decided to take on making homemade candy.  It started off innocent enough, with a few marshmallows, and grew into something almost uncontrollable.  Once I realized the vast array of candies that can be made with a simple sugar syrup, I was completely hooked.

Have you joined me on my journey and started making confections in your own kitchen yet?  If you haven't, then you must head to the store immediately and stock up on the following ingredients...

Sugar - I use this by the pound when I get started on a candy recipe heavy weekend.  Luckily, the larger the sack of sugar you buy, the cheaper it is.  Splurge on the ten pound bag.  Get someone with big muscles to carry that grocery bag to the kitchen.

Corn Syrup - Corn syrup is made of glucose and provides the necessary molecular structure for correct crystal formation in your candy.  (I feel like I need to do an entire post on corn syrup, it's so complex!)  Corn syrup is special and I've found that it is almost specific to the Americas.  I've begun testing my recipes with other liquid sugars, like glucose syrup and invert syrup, that are more globally available. 

Candy Thermometer - Available in alcohol and digital, I've had both.  My first candies were made with an alcohol thermometer, it's a perfect, inexpensive option for those just starting out their candy journey.  Just be sure to get down and read the temperature at eye level.  After my alcohol thermometer broke (bubbles may form in the red liquid) I upgraded to a digital model, one with an alarm.  Now I never miss when my sugar reaches hard ball stage!

That's it!  If you want to start making simple candies, all you need is sugar and corn syrup.  If you want to make more specialty candies, invest in some of these items...

Candy oils - These little bottles of oil pack a flavor punch.  Just a few drops of this stuff and your candies will taste like bubblegum, egg nog, cheesecake or root beer.  The options are endless and the flavors are cheap, buy a couple and begin to experiment.

Chocolate or Chocolate Candy melts - You want to coat your candies in chocolate, you need to go out and get some chocolate!  Sometimes block chocolate is elusive at the grocery store.  You can generally find it in the bulk food section of the store and it's usually Merckens.  Whole Foods also sells blocks of chocolate, mine carries the deliciously smooth Belgian Callebaut.  If you want to skip the process of tempering chocolate, you can use candy melts.  They are chocolate flavored and lack the snap that real chocolate has.

Powdered Milk - Mixed with water, this powdered stuff reconstitutes to skim milk. Mix it with a sugar syrup and you can make nougat.

Cocoa Powder - Natural.  Dutch cocoa powder contains a bit of fat and shouldn't be used when making or coating marshmallows.  Cocoa powder will allow you to turn plain nougat into chocolate nougat.  Plain marshmallows into chocolate marshmallows.  You get the idea.

Gelatin - Choose your favorite type, sheets or powdered.  Gelatin is necessary for so many candy treats, marshmallow, sponge candy, certain gummies.  Sometimes you can substitute with egg whites.  Vegetarians out there, I haven't tested any of my recipes with agar powder.  Let me know if you have!

Citric acid, malted milk powder, powdered pectin, invertase, the list could go on and on.  Start out with the basics and soon you'll find yourself trolling the specialty food stores and websites for new candy ingredients to experiment with!  (My primary sources are the King Arthur Flour.com, Lorann Oils.com and Amazon.)

Why Bother? 2012 - Potato Chips

Why bother indeed.  I was very excited to give homemade potato chips a try.  I sat on my train ride home, dreaming up delicious flavors of potato chips.  Spicy Buffalo and blue cheese.  Parmesan and garlic.  Thai sweet curry.  Alas, this was all not to be.

This is the first challenge of the year that has me a little stumped.  Perhaps it's that I just need a little more time to figure out how to make these bad boys?  Maybe I need to do a bit more research before peeling any more potatoes?  Or maybe, I realized that I prefer cheese puffs to potato chips.  Unless someone out there has a spare cheese puff making machine (as the cheese puffs are puffed with a special vacuum apparatus), I think I'll continue buying my cheese puffs from the store.

I made a batch of oven chips, destined to be Buffalo and blue cheese.  The chips that were too thin, burnt.  The chips that were a little thicker, never crisped up.  I think that I might need to experiment further.  I was so downtrodden by the baked chip fail that I refused to go on and make any attempt at frying some.  It would have been a sad day if I wasn't also preparing these...

Peanut butter and jelly marshmallows!  More candy for candy month!  Opposed to the epic fail of the potato chips, these little fluffy treats were an absolute knockout.  It's so funny too.  The process of making these two-layer marshmallows was not simple.  It required making two separate (and very different) marshmallow batters, cutting, dusting and attempting not to eat them all.  In total it took three hours to get these sweets from sugar to final product.

Not that this should scare you off!  Even if you don't want to make a double-layered marshmallow, each flavor was amazing on its own.  The concord grape layer was sweet and full of flavor (courtesy of the 100% grape concentrate) and they were a ridiculous purple color.  The peanut butter layer tasted just like a fluffernutter sandwich, sans the bread.  Put them together and we have a completely lunch inappropriate PB&J sandwich (although it tastes just like the lunch original).

Peppermint Pillow Mints

I hope that you are all enjoying your holiday weekend. Maybe you are spending time with family today, sharing a nice meal around the dinner table. Perhaps you are heading outside to enjoy the warmer spring weather. Or maybe you are like boyfriend and I, you're going to do nothing special at all.

My weekend has been spent getting ready for candy month! Have you been waiting patiently for this month and all of the sweet treats that it promised? According to the poll you all took last month, you wanted more recipes for classic candy bars and gummy candy. I have been boiling away batches of caramel and melting slabs and slabs of chocolate. Today however, I went simple and with a confection that had a sentimental facet to it, pillow mints.

My first, and only, experience with pillow mints are from my many childhood visits to my grams house. No matter the season or time of year, there was always a small crystal bowl of mints sitting on the buffet table. I would inevitably sit in my grandmothers rocking chair and eat mint after mint. Picking my favorite from the other colors, I would leave her little house with a bowl emptied of pink mints.

Making these mints was not only easy and fun (my fingers were stained blue from the food coloring!), but it brought back the memories of my gram and spending weekends at her little house.

Chocolate-Peppermint Marshmallows

Happy Valentine's day everyone!  Have you had your fill of pink, hearts and little cupid angels?  Somehow I missed out on this holiday.  Heading to the store this weekend I saw mostly St. Patrick's day decorations and candies.  Between visiting my parents two weekends ago and moving last weekend, January came and went without so much as a snowstorm.

I have done very little to prepare for this love-centric day.  I made no chocolate-covered strawberries, no raspberry covered chocolate mousse, no heart-shaped cookies.  I haven't even planned a wonderful dinner for boyfriend yet!  It will most likely be a last-minute, what can I make with the stuff in the fridge, kind of meal.  I think that as long as I avoid pork, sweet potatoes, shrimp and fruits, he'll like it.

This Valentine's day is a special one for boyfriend and I.  It's the first February 14 that we will get to spend together as a couple and we've been together for nine years.  I suppose that I should make this a special holiday...  Maybe I'll stop at the bakery in Penn station and get him a box of cookies.  We can enjoy the cookies with some hot chocolate and peppermint marshmallows.

Fan Favorites - 2011

As we approach the end of 2011, I though we should look back on some of our favorite recipes of the year.  From the stats, it's pretty easy to see which recipes were your favorites, but maybe you are curious about which ones I liked the best.  Or, maybe you're not.  Either way, the completion of the year is a good time to look back and reflect on our past.  Let's sift through the entries and reminisce on some of our go to recipes of 2011.

Starting with the fan favorites!!!  These are the top five recipes with the most blog hits all year.  Since this year was the year of the Candy Challenge!!! we saw lots of candy recipes, and they seemed to strike a chord with all of you. 

5. Ganduja & Caramel Candy Bars - These dense, rich and chewy bars came about as a part of the Daring Bakers August challenge.  A peanut and pretzel-filled layer of sweet caramel, topped with a peanut butter and chocolate slab, these bars were rich.  They needed to be cut into 1-inch squares in order to be considered "one serving."

4. Three Musketeers Bars - Another candy favorite!  I was totally sceptical when I started making this recipe.  There was no way that I could duplicate the classic candy bar.  And I was right, it wasn't exactly the same, it was better.  This bar is a slightly denser and way more chocolatey version of the classic.  These didn't last long on the snack table at work.

3. English Muffins - A departure from your love of all things chocolate, the English muffin recipe comes in third for your all-time favorite this year.  In the early days of 2011, I tried to take on the Bakers Apprentice Challenge.  After a few months I realized that trying to complete two challenges in one year was a bit crazy.  Thankfully I made these guys before I abandoned my yeast for a while.

2. Pumpkin Pie Mallomars - In my year of the Candy Challenge!!! I produced a ridiculous amount of marshmallow.  From raspberry to chocolate, key lime to pomegranate, there was no flavor that I wouldn't dare to make.  Around October I decided that I was time to give the Mallomar another try.  It was totally worth it, these were super delicious.

1. Buffalo Sponge Candy - By far, your favorite recipe this year has been my sponge candy recipe.  It has received twice the number of hits at our number two finisher and continues to popular every week.  Sponge candy is a hometown favorite, but people from around the world have their own brand of the candy.  With names like fairy food, honeycomb, violet crumble, crunchy and sea foam, it permeates the candy world without being obvious.  With the popularity of this recipe, I've decided to film a how-to video next year.  Look forward to seeing me in the kitchen, whipping up a batch of my favorite treat!

So there we have it, your top five recipes for this year!  It would seem that you all have a bit of a sweet tooth!  With Candy Challenge 2011 coming to a close, you'll see fewer candy recipes in 2012.  Don't worry though, I just got a new candy cookbook for Christmas and I've got to try it out!

Stay tuned tomorrow for MY top five recipes of the year!  You'll remember that I did a little more than eat candy all year, there were a few vegetables in there too!

Pumpkin Pie Mallomars

 Hello there!  I'm a Nabisco Mallomar!  I was born way back in 1913 and sold in a grocery store in Hoboken, New Jersey.  You've never heard of me?  Well, if you live outside of the tri-state area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut), you probably won't find me at your local grocery store.  70% of all mallomars are sold to the fine people on the east coast!

I'm super delicious!  Look at my rich, chocolatey coating.  It's so... oh, hello over there!  Who are you?

What are you?  Are you a fried egg?  Maybe you're a delcious ravioli?  Hmmm, you do look kinda familiar.  Have we met before?  Ohhh, I know, we're cousins!  You're from the Wilde side of the family!

Let's be friends! 

Look, we're so much alike!  I'm a vanilla cookie, topped with fluffy vanilla marshmallow!  Do you like my coat?  It's made of pure chocolate!

Oh wow, look at your outfit!  Look at that thick, white chocolate coat you have!  I'm so jealous!  My coat is a little thin, I get cold sometimes.  And is that a graham cracker cookie?  And pumpkin marshmallow?  Wow, you're like Fall in a bite.  Well, more like three or four bites, how did you grow so big?

Hi Nabisco Mallomar, no need to be jealous!  We're each special in our own ways.  You're a classic, people love you!  I'm a little wacky and crazy and I'm perfect for Fall!  People should definitely run out and buy some of your friends, you're only available at this time of year!  I'm also only around in the Fall because who wants a pumpkin pie in April?

Peanut Butter Nougat Bars

It's Friday, Friday, Friday...  I'm sorry to those of you who now have that song in your head.  Those of you who don't know what I'm talking about should head to YouTube and search "Friday."  Go ahead, I'll wait... 

There we go, now everyone is in a good mood, thinking about which seat they'll choose and how they want a bowl of cereol.  I know, the song is super annoying, but it puts me in a good mood!  Fridays have taken on such a new meaning since I've started my new life in the real world.

Fridays are the last day of the week that I have to wake up at 5:30 in the morning.  Fridays are usually devoid of meetings at work and everyone heads out the door by 4:30.  Friday evenings are for relaxing with boyfriend, eating pizza, Chinese food or sandwiches.  Friday is payday too!  Woot, payday!  Friday also means that the weekend is upon us and I get to spend some time in the kitchen.

This weekend I expect to get lots of baking and cooking done.  You know why?  It's because I'm an awesome girlfriend.  While at lunch yesterday I stopped by the video game store and got boyfriend NHL 2012.  Something that he has been suggesting that I buy him for at least three months.  It was just released on Tuesday and he's very excited about it.  When I gave it to him last night he was all jazzed, then he told me I had to learn how to play...  Hmmm, that wasn't part of my distraction plan...

Ganduja & Caramel Candy Bars

Welcome to a new week everyone!  I hope that everyone is safe and sound from this weekends East Coast hurricane.  I am currently still in Buffalo, since my return flight to New York was cancelled yesterday.  That's okay though, it means I get to spend an extra day with my family and the puppies.  The crazy, lunatic puppies. 

They are currently running around the kitchen with me.  Busy romping around, playing with toys and biting each other.  Generally with one puppy you get used to keeping all of your precious things a few feet off of the ground.  This keeps them from geting little teeth marks all over them.  With two puppies, you have to keep up with the nibbling on things and a constant puppy fight.

These puppies are totally spoiled, with more toys than I had when I was little.  There are even doubles of all the toys, so that they can each have their own.  The problem?  You guessed it.  One puppy wants what the other one has.  They will even taunt each other with toys.  One puppy walking up to the other an waving her toy around until the second puppy leaps at it.  Then it's an all-out puppy war over the toy, then the toy is forgotten and they just bite each other.  Puppy war!

According to the vet, they're just like little kids.  Unless one of them comes to you bleeding, they're just fine.

Chocolate Taffy

Imagine my delight when I read this months Daring Baker's challenge.  Well, just read the blog checking lines...

The August 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge was hosted by Lisa of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drive and Mandy of What the Fruitcake?!. These two sugar mavens challenged us to make sinfully delicious candies! This was a special challenge for the Daring Bakers because the good folks at http://www.chocoley.com offered an amazing prize for the winner of the most creative and delicious candy!

Candy? Seriously? I was so excited, because it was like an extension of what I've been doing all year long! I've made so much candy this year (really, have a look under "Candy Challenge 2011" for all of my previous treats!) that I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to make for this challenge. I decided it was finally time to try again with the chocolate taffy. I also thought I would finally make a real candy bar, layers and all.

Today, I'm plying you with the chocolate taffy.  I tried to make this earlier in the year and neglected to read the part about "constantly stirring" the candy mixture.  This candy, unlike most of the others that I've made, requires constant stirring.  With most candies, you don't want to stir them while they are coming to temperature because this might cause crystallization.  This candy will burn if left to self-stir.  Get your arm muscles ready, you'll be stirring for quite some time!

Have fun stretching and pulling the taffy!  Just be sure to cut lots and lots of pieces of wax paper, this recipe makes about 100 pieces of taffy.  The flavor is something of a more chocolatey and rich Tootsie roll, delicious.

Raspberry Truffles

I want to thank everyone for their kind words and sharing some of their own memories of their furry friends.  Our furry best buddies really bring us lots of love and great times.  While Zoe isn't around anymore, at least I have years of wonderful memories. 

As a little bit of a distraction, I made us all some candy.  This week I decided to keep it simple, no boiling sugar, no pulling taffy and no whipping anything.  It's a good old melt and scoop kind of recipe.  Oh, and it's delicious.  Definitely something you can use to distract yourself.

Peanut Brittle

This one's for my mom!  If there's anyone out there who I know will be thrilled with this recipe, it's my momma!  I've been putting off this traditional candy treat because I wasn't sure I'd be able to reproduce that classic flavor.  Peanut brittle has such a specific taste, if it isn't right, then it isn't peanut brittle.  Luckily, this recipe turned out dead on prefect.

I made a small batch this time, just to be sure that I got it right.  The only problem that I had with this recipe had nothing to do with anything that I did.  I'm sure that most of you living in the states got to enjoy the fabulous heat wave that rolled across the country.  Making hard candy in this type of hot and humid weather is not a good idea.  I made these on a dry day, but then the humidity rolled in and the candy made it's best attempts at sticking together.  What was a girl to do?  Eat it!

Strawberry Pate de Fruit

Do you remember what you wore on your first day of high school?  I do.  I thought I looked super cool in my overalls, pink Gap t-shirt and matching pink socks.  I also had on my brand new Aasics with the pink triangles.  I loved those shoes and wore them all year long.  The triangles always matched my outfit.  And I still own those pink socks.  Thankfully I no longer own those overalls, I think they were too short about a month after I wore them.

When looking in my closet last night I was faced with a similarly important decision.  What do I wear on my first day of work?  What could I see myself wearing on that all important day?  How would I remember myself as I walked through those glass doors?  This was an important decision.  As I mulled over my closet, boyfriend commented "I thought you would have this figured out a while ago!" 

Luckily, I didn't have too much to decide between.  Having worked in a university lab for the past seven and a half years, my wardrobe consists mostly of jeans and cute t-shirts.  My collection of business clothing is far smaller than my collection of white tees.  I'm going to have to go shopping!

Perhaps you're wondering, what did I decide on?  Sage green, silk button-down with a tie at the waist.  Black pants that I have decided are about a size too big after wearing all day.  Black patent leather ballet flats with a shiny silver buckle.  Today was a great day and I looked pretty good walking through those doors.