Making candy can be as easy as pie

Candy making has a reputation for being time-consuming and difficult, but with shortcuts, it can be easy.

Even without candy molds, a candy thermometer or a free afternoon to devote to the enterprise, candy can become part of the modern home cook’s repertoire.

“I do think people made candy more back in the day,” says candy maker Sharla Perry of Garland, Texas. “It was part of being a homemaker. I think that now people tend to bake more. I don’t know if candy seems daunting.”

Spring is a season for sweets. Wedding showers, receptions, Easter and more call for confections that can be color-themed to the event. Making special-occasion candy is doable even for beginners.

But choosing the right recipe is key. Look for ones that can be customized to taste with favorite nuts, fruits or flavorings. For a toffee coating that cooks quickly, the Hershey Co. suggests heating Bits ’O Brickle chips and corn syrup, and pouring it over snack mix. After it cools, you can customize the mix with seasonal candy-coated chocolates.

Many home cooks are familiar with microwave peanut brittle. A nut brittle also can be made in the oven. New Orleans chef John Besh’s version, which he uses in a fall greens salad, is almost irresistible to chileheads thanks to a kick of cayenne pepper.

There are plenty of shortcut truffle concoctions and fudge recipes. Fudge dipped in a good melted chocolate outshines one dipped in some of the waxier, less-flavorful melting barks.

Fondant sounds fancy, but easy no-cook versions can be flavored with quality extracts, colored and wrapped around bits of fruit or nut and dipped in chocolate.

Toffee Popcorn

From Hershey Co.

8 cups popped popcorn (microwave reduced-fat butter flavor works fine)

2 cups miniature pretzels

3/4 cup peanuts

1 (8-ounce) package Bits ’O Brickle Toffee Bits (no chocolate added; toffee bits only)

1/2 cup light corn syrup

Candy-coated chocolate kisses or Easter eggs (optional)

Preheat oven to 275 F. Grease a large roasting pan. Place popcorn, pretzels and peanuts in prepared pan.

Combine toffee bits and corn syrup in a heavy medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until toffee is melted. This takes about 12 minutes.

Pour mixture over popcorn mixture in the greased pan. Stir until evenly coated.

Bake 30 minutes, stirring frequently to distribute toffee coating and to keep it from sticking to the pan.

Remove from oven. Stir mixture every 2 minutes until slightly cooled, about 10 minutes. Cool completely.

Stir in optional chocolate candy. Store in an airtight container in a cool place.

Yield: About 12 1-cup servings

Approximate nutrition per serving:261 calories, 12 grams fat (5 grams saturated, 40 percent fat calories), 4 grams protein, 37 grams carbohydrate, 5 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 410 milligrams sodium.

Easy Macaroons

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Cookies and Candies (1966)

1 (14-ounce) package shredded coconut

1 (14.5-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Green food coloring (optional; see note)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Mix ingredients, adding food coloring until mixture is desired intensity. Drop from a teaspoon onto prepared cookie sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes. Cool slightly; remove to rack.

Note: Turn these cookies into Easter nests by adding green food coloring to the mixture. Gently push Easter egg candies, such as candy-coated malted milk eggs or speckled jelly beans, into center of each macaroon.

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen

Approximate nutrition per piece: 92 calories, 4 grams fat (3 grams saturated, 36 percent fat calories), 1 gram protein, 14 grams carbohydrate, 3 milligrams cholesterol, 1 gram dietary fiber, 42 milligrams sodium.

No-Cook Fondant Creams

Adapted from Children’s Quick & Easy Cookbook, DK Publishing (1997)

1 egg white

3 cups powdered sugar

A few drops extracts, such as peppermint, orange, maple or lemon

Food coloring

2 ounces white or bittersweet chocolate

Line a cookie sheet with wax paper.

Whisk egg white lightly in a bowl until it is frothy but not stiff.

Sift powdered sugar into the bowl, then stir it into the egg white until mixture is stiff.

Turn out onto board and knead with hands.

From here, you will be kneading in extract and food coloring, which will provide enough moisture for the fondant dough to gather, if it hasn’t already.

Divide fondant into 3 balls. Cover 2 with plastic wrap to prevent hardening.

Knead extract and food coloring into one of the 3 balls, then roll the mixture into small balls, place on cookie sheet and flatten with a fork.

Add extract and food coloring as desired to remaining balls of dough, form into small balls and flatten.

Let set 24 hours, covered, at room temperature.

Melt chocolate and dip some of the creams; these look nice dipped halfway.

Yield: 34 creams

Approximate nutrition per piece: 51 calories, 1 gram fat (10 percent fat calories), no protein, 21 grams carbohydrate, no cholesterol, no dietary fiber, 2 milligrams sodium.

Oven Nut Brittle

Adapted from My New Orleans: The Cookbook by John Besh

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts or 4 ounces pumpkin seeds

1 egg white

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.

Mix sugar, cayenne, salt and nuts in medium bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg white until foamy, but not stiff. Fold egg white into seed mixture. Mixture will be crumbly.

Using a spatula or hands, spread the mixture evenly on pan. The thin layer will measure about 6 by 10 inches.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until completely golden brown. Mixture will foam, rise and expand as it cooks, then flatten as it cools.

Cool completely and break into pieces.

Yield: Varies

Shortcut Truffles

From Sandra Lee

Remove wrappers from 28 milk-chocolate kiss candies. Place in a microwave-safe bowl with 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons whipping cream. Microwave on Medium (50 percent power) for 1 minute. Stir until smooth and creamy. If chocolate is not melted after stirring, microwave at Medium 15 seconds and stir. Cover; refrigerate 4 to 6 hours or until firm. Remove wrappers from 10 caramel-filled kisses. Use about 1 tablespoon chocolate mixture to cover each caramel kiss, rolling in hand to make a ball. Roll in ground pecans.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Allow truffles to soften at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes before eating.

Yield: 10 truffles