Dark Chocolate Pretzel Clusters

Chocolate with a salty crunch is all the rage now—even the mass market candy makers have caught on. But some of us are long-time devotees. Dark chocolate-covered pretzels have been a favorite of mine since childhood, so when I found myself with a bag of broken pretzels what else could I do but smother them in the best quality chocolate and turn them into a mouthwatering candy cluster.

• 
  
  4 oz. any shape thick-style salted pretzels
  
  


• 
  
  6 oz. dark chocolate (60% to 70% cocoa solids), chopped
  
  

Line a baking sheet with wax paper.

Put the pretzels into a sealable plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin or mallet into about 1/4-inch pieces. You should wind up with about 2 cups of pretzel pieces.

Place the chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water. Make sure the bottom of the pan does not touch the water. Melt the chocolate, stirring frequently, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the pretzel pieces to the chocolate and stir until well coated.

Scoop heaping tablespoon-size stacks of the chocolate-covered pretzel pieces onto the prepared baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and allow to cool and set, about 20 minutes. Store and serve at room temperature.

Caramel Peanut Popcorn

Cracker Jacks watch out! The popcorn, excerpted from the book DamGood Sweet, is great bagged in cellophane and given as gifts, or serve it in paper cones. For a more sophisticated take, try substituting toasted sliced almonds for the peanuts.

• 
  
  1 3-1⁄2-oz. package plain (unbuttered natural flavor) microwave popcorn 
  
  


• 
  
  1  cup packed light brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1⁄4  cup light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  6  Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
  
  


• 
  
  1⁄4  tsp. salt
  
  


• 
  
  2  tsp. vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1⁄2  tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  1  cup lightly salted peanuts (extra large, if available), roughly chopped
  
  

Heat the oven to 250°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Pop the popcorn according to the package instructions. Coat a large mixing bowl with nonstick cooking spray and transfer the popcorn from the bag to the bowl, then set the bowl aside.

Whisk the sugar, corn syrup, butter, salt, and 2 Tbs. of water in a pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Continue to simmer, stirring often, until the mixture reads 250°F on a digital thermometer, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the vanilla and the baking soda. Immediately pour the hot mixture over the popcorn. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the caramel into the popcorn until all of the popcorn is coated. Gently stir in the peanuts and transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Gently break up the popcorn and serve immediately, or store in an airtight container for up to 5 days (less if it’s hot and humid).

Pistachio Brigadeiros

Brigadeiros are Brazilian candies that owe their melt-in-your-mouth texture to sweetened condensed milk, cooked down until it's thick and fudge-like. Though chocolate brigadeiros are the classic, pistachio is a tasty flavor variation.

• 
  
  1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  
  


• 
  
  2/3 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs. finely ground pistachios
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. unsalted butter
  
  

Put the condensed milk, cream, 6 Tbs. ground pistachios, corn syrup, and butter in a 3-quart heavy-duty saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat to medium low, and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and pulls together into a dense batter, about 12 minutes. When the mixture is ready, the whisk will leave trails in the batter, allowing you to briefly see the pan bottom, and when you tilt the pan, the mixture should slide to the side in a blob, leaving a thick residue on the bottom of the pan.

Slide the mixture into a bowl. (Don’t scrape the pan—you don’t want to use any of the batter stuck to the bottom.) Let the mixture cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until very firm, 3 to 4 hours.

Put the remaining 1/4 cup ground pistachios in a bowl. Using a teaspoon or a melon baller, scoop the mixture by the teaspoonful, and with your hands, roll each into a ball about 1 inch in diameter. Drop each ball into the pistachios as you finish rolling it. When you have 4 to 6 brigadeiros, roll them in the pistachios and lift them out with your fingers semi-open, carefully shaking off the excess. If the pistachios don’t stick to the outside, re-warm the balls by rolling them briefly between your hands and then try to coat them again.

Chocolate Brigadeiros

Like many Brazilian sweets, fudge-like chocolate brigadeiros are named after a famous personality. Brigadier Eduardo Gomes was a well-known Brazilian Air Force commander who loved chocolate. Legend has it that brigadeiros were created for and named after him.

• 
  
  1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 oz. semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (preferably 60% to 62% cacao), chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. Dutch-processed cocoa powder
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup chocolate sprinkles (preferably Guittard)
  
  

Put the condensed milk, butter, cream, and corn syrup in a 3-quart heavy-duty saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Add the chocolate and cocoa powder and continue to whisk, making sure there are no pockets of cocoa powder. As soon as the mixture comes back to a boil, turn the heat to medium low and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and pulls together into a dense, fudgy batter, about 8 minutes. When the mixture is ready, the whisk will leave trails in the batter, allowing you to briefly see the pan bottom, and when you tilt the pan, the mixture should slide to the side in a blob, leaving a thick residue on the bottom of the pan.

Slide the mixture into a bowl. (Don’t scrape the pan—you don’t want to use any of the batter stuck to the bottom.) Let the mixture cool to room temperature and then refrigerate uncovered until very firm, 3 to 4 hours.

Put the sprinkles in a bowl. Using a teaspoon or a melon baller, scoop the mixture by the teaspoonful, and with your hands, roll each into a ball about 1 inch in diameter. Drop each ball into the sprinkles as you finish rolling it. When you have 4 to 6 brigadeiros, toss them in the sprinkles to coat. You may need to exert a little pressure to ensure that the sprinkles stick.

Mocha-Chocolate Fudge

This creamy chocolate fudge is the perfect gift for the serious coffee lovers on your list.

• 
  
  3 Tbs. cold unsalted butter; more at room temperature for buttering the thermometer and pan
  
  


• 
  
  3-3/4 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup cocoa nibs
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. instant espresso or coffee
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. table salt
  
  


• 
  
  25 coffee beans (optional)
  
  

Lightly butter the face of a candy thermometer and set aside.

Put the sugar, cream, chocolate, corn syrup, instant coffee, and salt in a large (4-quart) heavy-duty saucepan and stir with a spoon or heatproof spatula until the ingredients are moistened and combined. Stirring gently and constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, 7 to 12 minutes. Cover the saucepan and let the steam clean the sides of the pan for 2 minutes.

Clip the candy thermometer to the pot, being careful not to let the tip of the thermometer touch the bottom of the pot, or you might get a false reading. Let the mixture boil without stirring until it reaches 236°F to 238°F, 2 to 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter, but do not stir it into the mixture. Set the pan on a rack in a cool part of the kitchen. Don’t disturb the pan in any way until the mixture has cooled to 110°F, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, line the bottom and sides of an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides of the pan. Butter the foil. Set the pan aside.

Remove the thermometer from the fudge mixture. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture on high speed until it is a few shades lighter in color and thickens enough that the beaters form trails that briefly expose the bottom of the pan as they pass through, 10 to 20 minutes. After beating the fudge, stir in 1/2 cup cocoa nibs. Pour the thickened fudge into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to help nudge it out of the pot. You can scrape the bottom of the pot but not the sides; any crystals that stick to the pot stay in the pot. Smooth the top of the fudge with the spatula. If you like, lightly score the fudge into 25 pieces and place a coffee bean in the center of each piece. Set the pan on a rack and let the fudge cool completely, about 2 hours. The fudge will be slightly soft the day it’s made but will firm up overnight.

Turn the fudge out onto a clean cutting board and peel off the foil. Turn the slab of fudge right side up and cut it into 25 equal pieces.

The fudge will keep for a week to 10 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Coconut Brigadeiros

Brigadeiros are Brazilian candies that owe their melt-in-your-mouth texture to sweetened condensed milk that's cooked down until it's thick and fudge-like. Though chocolate brigadeiros are the classic, coconut is a tasty flavor variation.

• 
  
  1 cup sweetened condensed milk
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup coconut milk
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup finely shredded, unsweetened coconut (toasted, if desired)
  
  

Tip:

If you can’t find finely shredded unsweetened coconut, you can buy coconut chips or flaked coconut and run it through a food processor until it looks like it was grated on the smallest holes of a box grater. Be sure it’s unsweetened, or the brigadeiros will be much too sweet.

Put the condensed milk, coconut milk, butter, corn syrup, and ½ cup of the coconut in a 3-quart heavy-duty saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Turn the heat to medium low and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and pulls together into a dense batter, about 8 minutes. When the mixture is ready, the whisk will leave trails in the batter, allowing you to briefly see the pan bottom, and when you tilt the pan, the mixture should slide to the side in a blob, leaving a thick residue on the bottom of the pan. (It’s OK if the residue is slightly brown.)

Slide the mixture into a bowl. (Don’t scrape the pan—you don’t want to use any of the batter stuck to the bottom.) Let the mixture cool to room temperature and then refrigerate until very firm, 3 to 4 hours.

Put the remaining ½ cup coconut in a bowl. Using a teaspoon or a melon baller, scoop the mixture by the teaspoonful, and with your hands, roll each into a ball about 1 inch in diameter. Drop each ball into the coconut as you finish rolling it. When you have 4 to 6 brigadeiros, roll them in the coconut and lift them out with your fingers semi-open, carefully shaking off the excess.

Salted Caramelized Pistachios

You can make these up to a week in advance. Store in an airtight container while still warm to prevent the caramel from becoming sticky.

• 
  
  1/2 cup salted whole roasted shelled pistachios
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/8 tsp. fine sea salt
  
  

Line a baking sheet with foil.

Microwave the nuts on high for 1 minute so they will be warm when you add them to the caramel. Alternatively, heat them in a 200°F oven while you make the caramel.

Pour 1/4 cup water into a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Pour the sugar and salt in the center of the pan and pat it down just until evenly moistened (there should be clear water all around the sugar). Cover the pan and cook over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 4 minutes. Uncover and cook without stirring until the syrup begins to color slightly, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, swirling the pot gently if the syrup colors unevenly.

When the caramel is a pale to medium yellow, less than 1 minute more, add the warm nuts. With a heatproof silicone spatula, stir gently and slowly to coat the nuts with caramel. Continue to cook until a bead of caramel dribbled onto a white plate is reddish amber, about 1-1/2 minutes more. Immediately scrape the mixture onto the baking sheet and spread it as thin as you can before it hardens. When the caramel is slightly cooled but still warm, slide the foil with the caramel nuts into a zip-top plastic bag and seal the bag. Cool completely. Chop or crush.

Peppermint-Chocolate Fudge

Give your homemade fudge a flavor twist. This peppermint-chocolate fudge is the perfect holiday treat.

• 
  
  3 Tbs. cold unsalted butter; more at room temperature for buttering the thermometer and pan
  
  


• 
  
  3-3/4 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 cup crushed peppermint candy
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. table salt
  
  

Lightly butter the face of a candy thermometer and set aside.

Put the sugar, cream, chocolate, corn syrup, and salt in a large (4-quart) heavy-duty saucepan and stir with a spoon or heatproof spatula until the ingredients are moistened and combined. Stirring gently and constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, 7 to 12 minutes. Cover the saucepan and let the steam clean the sides of the pan for 2 minutes.

Clip the candy thermometer to the pot, being careful not to let the tip of the thermometer touch the bottom of the pot, or you might get a false reading. Let the mixture boil without stirring until it reaches 236°F to 238°F, 2 to 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter, but do not stir it into the mixture. Set the pan on a rack in a cool part of the kitchen. Don’t disturb the pan in any way until the mixture has cooled to 110°F, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, line the bottom and sides of an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides of the pan. Butter the foil. Set the pan aside.

Remove the thermometer from the fudge mixture. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture on high speed until it is a few shades lighter in color and thickens enough that the beaters form trails that briefly expose the bottom of the pan as they pass through, 10 to 20 minutes. After beating the fudge, stir in 1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy. Pour the thickened fudge into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to help nudge it out of the pot. You can scrape the bottom of the pot but not the sides; any crystals that stick to the pot stay in the pot. Smooth the top of the fudge with the spatula. Sprinkle 1/4 cup crushed candy over the fudge. Set the pan on a rack and let the fudge cool completely, about 2 hours. The fudge will be slightly soft the day it’s made but will firm up overnight.

Turn the fudge out onto a clean cutting board and peel off the foil. Turn the slab of fudge right side up and cut it into 25 equal pieces.

The fudge will keep for a week to 10 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Fast and Easy Nibby Fudge

Cacao nibs are roasted and lightly crushed cacao beans—in other words, pure chocolate! Their bittersweet, toasty flavor and irresistible crunch is a wonderful contrast to this super-creamy fudge. You won’t need a thermometer to make this fudge because marshmallow cream ensures a smooth texture. 

• 
  
  2/3 cup evaporated milk
  
  


• 
  
  One 7-ounce jar marshmallow creme
  
  


• 
  
  2 ounces (1/4 cup) butter; more for the pan  
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 teaspoon table salt
  
  


• 
  
  12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup cacao nibs, divided
  
  

Line an 8 x 8-inch pan with foil, folding the excess over the sides to form handles. Grease the foil and set the pan aside.

Put the evaporated milk, marshmallow creme, butter, sugar, and salt in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with a heat-proof spatula. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pan often, as this mixture is apt to burn.

Once the mixture comes to a boil, cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly; it will caramelize a bit, which is fine. Remove from the heat, add the chocolate and the vanilla, and stir until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add half of the nibs, stir to combine, and pour into the prepared pan. Top with the remaining nibs and allow to set.

Once the fudge is firm, lift it out of the pan using the foil handles and cut it into small squares with a long, sharp knife on a cutting board.

Crackle Brittle

This brittle is based on the filling of the celebrated Crack Pie we serve at my bakeries. An easy no-boil recipe, it’s a good option for anyone nervous about a pot of hot sugar.

• 
  
  Vegetable oil for the pan, if needed
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. all-purpose flour
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  2-1/4 oz. (4-1/2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  2 large egg yolks
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup puffed rice cereal, crushed corn flakes or other cereal, graham crackers, chips, pretzels, granola, nuts, or seeds
  
  

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Have ready a 9x13-inch rimmed baking sheet. If the sheet is not nonstick, line the bottom and sides with parchment and oil the parchment.

Whisk both sugars, the flour, and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk in the butter, cream, yolks, and vanilla until well combined.

Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet and use a silicone spatula to spread it evenly to the edges. Sprinkle the cereal, nuts, or seeds over the mixture. Bake, rotating the pan if hot spots appear, until the brittle is dark golden-brown, 20 to 25 minutes.

Cool on the baking sheet on a rack at room temperature for 30minutes (leave the oven on). If it’s still malleable, return it to the hot oven for another 5 to 10 minutes until it’s a shade or two darker. Let cool for another 30 minutes and test again. Once it’s no longer malleable, cool completely, about 1-1/2 hours.

Invert the brittle onto a cutting board and remove the baking sheet and parchment, if using. Use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or your hands to break it up into medium-to-small pieces. The brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Toffee-Style Brittle

This boiled candy is a good one to have in your repertoire because it’s so versatile. Depending on your add-ins, it can be classic or offbeat, sweet or spicy. Be warned that if you’re using red pepper flakes or cracked black pepper, the heat will build as you eat.

• 
  
  Vegetable oil for the pan, if needed
  
  


• 
  
  2-1/4 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 Tbs. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups chopped nuts (such as pecans, walnuts, or pistachios), or seeds (such as sunflower, sesame, or toasted pumpkin)
  
  


• 
  
  OR
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. spice (such as red pepper flakes, cracked black pepper, cracked coriander, or ground cardamom)
  
  

Have ready a 10x15-inch rimmed baking sheet. If the sheet is not nonstick, lightly coat it with oil.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, and 2/3 cup water in a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan. Stir until all of the sugar is wet. Clip a candy thermometer onto the pan and cook the mixture over medium-high heat without stirring (it will be foamy) until it registers 310°F and is tan around the edges, 12 to 16 minutes.

Remove from the heat and quickly remove the thermometer. Whisk in the baking soda (it will be foamy), and then the salt. Whisk in most of the seeds or nuts or all of the spice of your choice. Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet and tilt the sheet to spread it evenly. Sprinkle any remaining nuts or seeds on top. Cool completely on the baking sheet on a rack at room temperature, about 1-1/2 hours.

Invert the brittle onto a large cutting board. Use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or your hands to break it up into medium-to-small pieces. The brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Creamy Chocolate Fudge

Give the gift of fudge! This melt-in-your-mouth chocolate fudge is simple to make and keeps for up to 10 days in an airtight container.

• 
  
  3 Tbs. cold unsalted butter; more at room temperature for buttering the thermometer and pan
  
  


• 
  
  3-3/4 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. table salt
  
  

Lightly butter the face of a candy thermometer and set aside.

Put the sugar, cream, chocolate, corn syrup, and salt in a large (4-quart) heavy-duty saucepan and stir with a spoon or heatproof spatula until the ingredients are moistened and combined. Stirring gently and constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, 7 to 12 minutes. Cover the saucepan and let the steam clean the sides of the pan for 2 minutes.

Clip the candy thermometer to the pot, being careful not to let the tip of the thermometer touch the bottom of the pot, or you might get a false reading. Let the mixture boil without stirring until it reaches 236°F to 238°F, 2 to 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter, but do not stir it into the mixture. Set the pan on a rack in a cool part of the kitchen. Don’t disturb the pan in any way until the mixture has cooled to 110°F, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, line the bottom and sides of an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides of the pan. Butter the foil. Set the pan aside.

Remove the thermometer from the fudge mixture. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture on high speed until it is a few shades lighter in color and thickens enough that the beaters form trails that briefly expose the bottom of the pan as they pass through, 10 to 20 minutes. Pour the thickened fudge into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to help nudge it out of the pot. You can scrape the bottom of the pot but not the sides; any crystals that stick to the pot stay in the pot. Smooth the top of the fudge with the spatula. Set the pan on a rack and let the fudge cool completely, about 2 hours. The fudge will be slightly soft the day it’s made but will firm up overnight.

Turn the fudge out onto a clean cutting board and peel off the foil. Turn the slab of fudge right side up and cut it into 25 equal pieces.

The fudge will keep for a week to 10 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Toffee-Style Brittle

This boiled candy is a good one to have in your repertoire because it’s so versatile. Depending on your add-ins, it can be classic or offbeat, sweet or spicy. Be warned that if you’re using red pepper flakes or cracked black pepper, the heat will build as you eat.

• 
  
  Vegetable oil for the pan, if needed
  
  


• 
  
  2-1/4 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 Tbs. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups chopped nuts (such as pecans, walnuts, or pistachios), or seeds (such as sunflower, sesame, or toasted pumpkin)
  
  


• 
  
  OR
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. spice (such as red pepper flakes, cracked black pepper, cracked coriander, or ground cardamom)
  
  

Have ready a 10x15-inch rimmed baking sheet. If the sheet is not nonstick, lightly coat it with oil.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup, butter, and 2/3 cup water in a heavy-duty 4-quart saucepan. Stir until all of the sugar is wet. Clip a candy thermometer onto the pan and cook the mixture over medium-high heat without stirring (it will be foamy) until it registers 310°F and is tan around the edges, 12 to 16 minutes.

Remove from the heat and quickly remove the thermometer. Whisk in the baking soda (it will be foamy), and then the salt. Whisk in most of the seeds or nuts or all of the spice of your choice. Pour the mixture onto the baking sheet and tilt the sheet to spread it evenly. Sprinkle any remaining nuts or seeds on top. Cool completely on the baking sheet on a rack at room temperature, about 1-1/2 hours.

Invert the brittle onto a large cutting board. Use a meat mallet, rolling pin, or your hands to break it up into medium-to-small pieces. The brittle can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.

Chocolate-Coconut Fudge

You start with the smoothest, creamiest chocolate fudge recipe ever, then sprinkle on the toasted sweetened coconut flakes.

• 
  
  3 Tbs. cold unsalted butter; more at room temperature for buttering the thermometer and pan
  
  


• 
  
  3-3/4 cups granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  2-1/2 cups toasted sweetened coconut flakes
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 cups heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. table salt
  
  

Lightly butter the face of a candy thermometer and set aside.

Put the sugar, cream, chocolate, corn syrup, and salt in a large (4-quart) heavy-duty saucepan and stir with a spoon or heatproof spatula until the ingredients are moistened and combined. Stirring gently and constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, 7 to 12 minutes. Cover the saucepan and let the steam clean the sides of the pan for 2 minutes.

Clip the candy thermometer to the pot, being careful not to let the tip of the thermometer touch the bottom of the pot, or you might get a false reading. Let the mixture boil without stirring until it reaches 236°F to 238°F, 2 to 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter, but do not stir it into the mixture. Set the pan on a rack in a cool part of the kitchen. Don’t disturb the pan in any way until the mixture has cooled to 110°F, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, line the bottom and sides of an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides of the pan. Butter the foil. Set the pan aside.

Remove the thermometer from the fudge mixture. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture on high speed until it is a few shades lighter in color and thickens enough that the beaters form trails that briefly expose the bottom of the pan as they pass through, 10 to 20 minutes. After beating the fudge, stir in 2-1/4 cups toasted sweetened coconut flakes. Pour the thickened fudge into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to help nudge it out of the pot. You can scrape the bottom of the pot but not the sides; any crystals that stick to the pot stay in the pot. Smooth the top of the fudge with the spatula. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the coconut over the fudge. Set the pan on a rack and let the fudge cool completely, about 2 hours. The fudge will be slightly soft the day it’s made but will firm up overnight.

Turn the fudge out onto a clean cutting board and peel off the foil. Turn the slab of fudge right side up and cut it into 25 equal pieces.

The fudge will keep for a week to 10 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Bourbon Balls

For some of us, it wouldn’t be Christmas without these rich, potent treats. I like to make them with chocolate or vanilla cake scraps that I’ve saved in the freezer, but you can also use a store-bought pound cake, since saving scraps takes some forethought. But if you happen to have scraps, or even a leftover cake layer, here’s your chance to use them.

• 
  
  1 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup bourbon
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  
  


• 
  
  12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (about 2-1/2 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  8 oz. pecans, toasted and cooled (about 2 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  8 oz. plain homemade or storebought pound cake (thawed if frozen), cut into cubes (about 2-1/2 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  2/3 cup cocoa powder, preferably Dutch processed
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
  
  

In a small saucepan, bring the cream just to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from the heat and stir in the bourbon and vanilla. Sprinkle the chocolate evenly over the cream and let sit without stirring for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, pulse the pecans in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add the pound cake and pulse until the nuts and cake are finely chopped.

Stir the chocolate and the cream until smooth. Pour the chocolate over the pecan and pound cake mixture in the food processor and pulse until combined. Transfer to a medium bowl and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until firm enough to scoop, about 1 hour.

Sift the cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar together into a medium bowl. Line a rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment. Scoop out a heaping tablespoon of the bourbon-chocolate mixture and roll it in your hands to form a ball. Transfer the bourbon ball to the cocoa-sugar mixture, roll it around to coat, and transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining bourbon-chocolate mixture. Sift some of the remaining cocoa-sugar mixture over the bourbon balls just to dust them. Refrigerate the bourbon balls until firm, about 2 hours. For a nice presentation, you can put them in mini muffin cups.

Bittersweet Chocolate Bark with Marcona Almonds

Salty almonds meet deep, dark chocolate in this festive party nibble. If you can’t find Spanish Marcona almonds, which are generally sold salted, use toasted blanched almonds and add a good pinch of salt to the brittle.

• 
  
  1 cup plus 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  9 oz. Marcona almonds, coarsely chopped and sifted
  
  


• 
  
  1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
  
  

Make the almond brittle

Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with foil. Put the sugar in a 2-quart heavy-duty saucepan. Add 1/4 cup water and swirl (don’t stir) to moisten. Cover and boil over high heat until starting to turn golden around the edges, about 4 minutes. Remove the lid and cook, swirling occasionally, until the caramel is deep amber, 3 to 4 minutes more. Stir in half of the nuts. Pour the mixture onto the foil-covered baking sheet, and spread to 1/8 inch thick. Cool completely at room temperature.


Peel the brittle off the foil, chop coarsely, and sift through a medium-fine sieve to remove the extra-small pieces and the brittle dust, which will make the chocolate bark too sweet. At this point, you can proceed with making the bark, or store the brittle in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a week.

Make the chocolate bark

Line two 8x8-inch pans with foil. In a 12-inch skillet, bring 1 inch of water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a bare simmer. Put the chocolate in a dry stainless-steel bowl that fits in the skillet and put the bowl in the simmering water bath. Stir until most of the chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the water—be careful not to get any water in the chocolate—and stir until smooth. Stir in the remaining almonds and the almond brittle.


Divide the chocolate mixture between the prepared pans, making sure that none of the brittle is exposed. (The brittle will sweat and soften if not coated in chocolate.) Shake the pan a little to level the chocolate. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Turn out the bark and remove the foil. Cut into small, rustic pieces and refrigerate for up to 1 week before serving.

Chocolate Bark with Ginger and Pistachios

With a cup of coffee or tea, this is a quick and sweet end to dinner.

• 
  
  6 oz. bittersweet dark chocolate (70% to 72% cacao), chopped (1 cup)
  
  


• 
  
  2 oz. white chocolate, chopped (1/3 cup; optional)
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. chopped salted pistachios
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. chopped dried apricots
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. chopped crystallized ginger
  
  

In a small bowl, melt the dark chocolate in the microwave on high for 1 to 2 minutes. Stir until smooth.

Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or waxed paper. Spread the melted dark chocolate into an approximately 8x5-inch rectangle.

If using the white chocolate, melt it in the same manner as the dark chocolate and drizzle it in a zigzag pattern across the dark chocolate.

Sprinkle with the chopped pistachios, apricots, and ginger and press gently to set them into the chocolate. Chill in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. Break into pieces and serve. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Homemade Marshmallow Chicks

The taste and texture (to say nothing about the all-natural ingredients) of these homemade Easter treats are so much better than the store-bought variety that it would be a shame not to make them from scratch. Though some recipes call for gelatin and egg whites, this non-egg white version is much easier to work with. Not every homemade chick will be perfect, nor will they all look the same. Once they are coated with sugar and the little eyes are in place, they will look adorable.

• 
  
  4 jars (3-1/2 oz. each) colored sugars
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/4 cups water, divided
  
  


• 
  
  3 packages (1/4 oz. each)unflavored powdered gelatin
  
  


• 
  
  1 large vanilla bean, seeds scraped, or 1-1/2 tsp. pure vanilla bean paste
  
  


• 
  
  Pinch of table salt
  
  


• 
  
  2 cups (14 oz.) granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  About 96 mini chocolate chips or mini M&M’s®
  
  

Line two cookie sheets with nonstick liners and lightly grease. Put the colored sugars in separate shallow bowls.

Pour 3/4 cup of the water into bowl of a heavy-duty mixer fitted with whisk attachment and sprinkle the gelatin over the water. Let sit until the gelatin is moist and plump, about 5 minutes. Add the vanilla bean seeds and salt. (They’ll stay on top of the gelatin for now.)

Put the remaining 1/2 cup water, the sugar, and corn syrup in a medium heavy saucepan. Cook, stirring, over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Set a candy thermometer in the pan and increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Boil, without stirring, until the hot syrup is 258°F.

With the mixer on medium-low speed, slowly pour the hot syrup into the gelatin mixture in a thin stream down the side of the bowl (avoid pouring syrup onto the whisk, as it will splash against the sides of the bowl). Gradually increase the speed to medium-high and beat until the mixture is very thick, about 10 minutes. The outside of the bowl will still feel quite warm. It’s important to work with the marshmallow while it’s still warm—it’s difficult to pipe when it’s cold and stiff.

Fit a large round tip 1/2- or 2/3-inch (I use an Ateco #5 or #7) into a pastry bag and fill the bag with some of the marshmallow. Pipe the marshmallow into 3-inch-long by 1-inch-wide logs, spacing them about 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. As you reach the end of a log, keep pressure on the bag and in one continuous motion, lift the pastry tip up and pipe more marshmallow on top of the log going back about 1 inch. Release any pressure on the pastry bag and pull the tip up and out to form a beak. Reload the pastry bag with marshmallow as needed.

Sprinkle each shape with colored sugar, using your fingers to pat the sugar onto the marshmallow to cover almost completely, then set the cookie sheets aside until the shapes are completely cool but still tacky, about 1 hour. Using your fingers and working with one marshmallow at a time, lift the marshmallows from the sheets and roll in the bowl of colored sugars, pressing the shapes into the sugar lightly to cover completely. Return the shapes to the same sheets. Dap a bit of the remaining marshmallow from the bowl onto the flat side of the mini chocolate chips and press onto the shapes to form “eyes.” Set the sheets aside until the marshmallows are completely cool and no longer tacky, about 2 hours. Stow in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

Matzo Candy with Caramel, Chocolate, and Halva

I ate so much matzo when I lived on a kibbutz in Israel that I wasn’t sure I could ever eat it again—and to be honest, unless it’s loaded with butter and salt, who would want to eat this stuff in the first place. But in this recipe, the smooth, velvety texture of the halva combined with the saltiness of the cracker is the way to eat matzo going forward in life. Big statement, I know.

• 
  
  Olive oil spray
  
  


• 
  
  1 (11-ounce) box unsalted matzo crackers (11 crackers)
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  2 cups packed dark brown sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup light corn syrup
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 tsp. baking soda
  
  


• 
  
  3/4 lb. semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 lb. (1 cup) halva candy
  
  

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Spray 3 baking sheets with olive oil spray.

Lay the matzo out in a single layer on the prepared baking sheets.

Put the butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a small saucepan set over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the butter melts. Raise the heat to medium and cook until the mixture is bubbling rapidly, 3 minutes. Add the baking soda, turn off the heat, and stir. The caramel mixture will be thick and bubbly.

Spread the caramel over the top of the matzo crackers, covering their entire surface. Put the baking sheets in the oven and bake for 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove the baking sheets from the oven and immediately sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the caramel-covered matzo. Using a rubber spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the chocolate pieces so that they melt and coat the caramel matzo evenly. Then, while the chocolate is still warm, sprinkle with the halva. Let the matzo cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour or longer.

Break the cooled matzo into smaller pieces, and serve.