Help for Holidays– Candy Time!

One of the things I like about the holidays is making presents. The making time is a great time to think about the people in your life that you want to bless with a little holiday cheer, a time to reflect on relationships and thank God for the friendships He’s given us to enjoy.

In a culture where we all have so much “stuff,” I like to make consumable gifts: specifically cookies and candies. Oreo truffles are a perennial favorite; one of my friends calls them “crack balls” because they’re so delicious and addicting! This year we did some special things to pretzels, too: dipped them in white chocolate and peppermint bits. Yum!

The thing about all these yummies, though, is that they require melting almond bark, a process that I’ve never really enjoyed. When I microwave it I get impatient and almost always heat it up too much, which makes it irreversibly lumpy. Using a double-boiler is a little safer; in fact, that’s what I did when I dipped approximately eight million truffles for our wedding. The problem with that method is that it can be hard to find the right temperature in the beginning– too hot and you’ve ruined the chocolate, too cold and it doesn’t melt, and sometimes it’s hard to tell if it’s lumpy because it was too hot or because it was too cold. And a couple of times I almost ruined the bottom pot when the steam leaked out and the pot ran dry. If only there were a better way…

There is!!

Last year we stumbled upon the perfect solution. Crock pot!

We took our small, round crockpot and put a couple of inches of water in the bottom. Then we set a metal mixing bowl inside. We just happened to have one that fit in snugly, but not too snugly, with the metal lip of the mixing bowl overlapping the edge of the crock. We turned it on “keep warm” setting, then we put the cut-up white chocolate chunks in the bowl to melt, and voila! A double boiler that is just the right temperature and will stay that way for hours. Yay! And because the water didn’t boil, it didn’t boil away. It takes a while for the chocolate to melt initially, but you don’t have to babysit it while you wait, unlike the stove or the microwave. This method works really well, as long as you don’t put the lid on the crock and let it get too hot. Also, don’t use a bowl that fits too tightly in the crock; the heat causes slight expansion of the metal mixing bowl and if it’s too tight your mixing bowl can get stuck (something about a vacuum created can keep it sealed even after it cools– this happened with a pot and bowl at my parents’ house). Not fun.

Here are some other things that are really helpful:

Big sharp knife to chop up the chocolate chunks– makes the chocolate melt more quickly.

Wipe-clean oven mitt for handling the crock and bowl to get the last bits of chocolate out. If it gets messy you can wipe it off and use it again, whereas cloth mitts can conduct heat if they get too damp when you wipe them down.

Small cookie sheets that fit in the freezer so that you can have the chocolate set quickly– that way you can put your treats away sooner. (no pictiure, sorry!)

Wunderhubby to watch the kiddoes while you’re working and to help you after the toddler goes to bed

Lots of containers for the finished projects of yumminess!

So, that’s my helpful hint for the holiday. What are some things you like to make this time of year, and what tips or tricks have you learned to make it easier?