Nut Caramel

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (no substitutes)
• 2-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• Dash salt
• 1 cup light-colored corn syrup
• 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup coarsely chopped nuts
Directions
1. Butter a 9x9x2-inch pan and set aside (do not overbutter or the caramels will be greasy).
2. Melt butter in a heavy 3-quart saucepan over medium heat; stir in brown sugar and salt. Stir in corn syrup. Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly until combined. Using a candy thermometer, cook to 248 degrees F (about 25 minutes), stirring occasionally (the mixture will be very bubbly). Remove saucepan from heat and stir in vanilla and nuts. Immediately pour into prepared pan.
3. Let candy cool completely before cutting into 1-inch squares. Wrap each square in waxed paper or plastic wrap and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Makes about 2 pounds (about 64 pieces).

Candy GAGA - the recipe

This year Hari Raya...why dont we try something new to impress friends and family..say..with our own making CANDY perhaps...homemade candy le kira tuh..huhuhu..:)

Here are some simple and nice recipe to try..(I havent try it yet, looks very luscious ). why dont you try it first...then let me know..hehehe..

Nutty Chocolate

Ingredients
• 1 12-ounce package semisweet chocolate pieces (2 cups)
• 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (one-half of a 14-ounce can)
• 1 tablespoon water
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted if desired
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
1. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper; set aside. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate pieces, sweetened condensed milk, and water.

2. Microwave, uncovered, on 100% power (high) for 1 minute; stir. Microwave about 1 minute more, or until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth, stirring every 30 seconds. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Pour mixture onto prepared cookie sheet and spread it into a 9x6-inch rectangle, or drop mixture by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet.

3. Chill fudge about 30 minutes or until firm. Cut fudge into 1-1/2-inch squares. Makes 24 pieces

Coconut Chashew Praline

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup half-and-half or light cream
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 cup lightly salted roasted cashews
• 1 cup flaked coconut, toasted*

Directions

1. Butter the sides of a 2-quart heavy saucepan about 7 inches in diameter.** In saucepan combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, and half-and-half. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Reduce heat to medium-low; continue boiling at a moderate steady rate, stirring occasionally, until thermometer registers 234 degree F, soft-ball stage (16 to 18 minutes).
2. Remove saucepan from heat. Add butter, but do not stir. Cool, without stirring, to 150 degree F (about 30 minutes).
3. Remove thermometer from saucepan. Stir in cashews and coconut. Beat vigorously with a clean wooden spoon until mixture just begins to thicken but is still glossy (about 3 minutes).
4. Working quickly, drop candy by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let stand until firm. Store tightly covered for up to 1 week. Makes about 60 candies.
5. *Toasting Coconut: Spread the coconut in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 5 to 8 minutes or until light golden brown, watching carefully and stirring once or twice so the coconut doesn't burn.
6. **Note: A saucepan with a smaller diameter will not allow the proper evaporation needed in candy making.

PHILLY OREO Cheesecake

This was the first ever cheesecake I had made and I was so worried that it might come out wrong or that it would be to hard for me to make right. But then I was so wrong….I made this for a trial and it was so easy and turned out SOO GOOD! Everyone loved it.... Of course you have to wait the whole 24 hours to set it right but it was definitely worth the wait! It tasted best after a week so definitely wait at least a day!

Here is a great cheesecake recipe for anyone with a sweet tooth! With this simple recipe, you can prepare this cheesecake at home like a pro!

I've taken this recipe from kraftrecipes.com

PHILLY OREO Cheesecake

What You Need

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, divided

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream

4 Eggs

Make It

HEAT oven to 325ºF.

LINE 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Process 30 cookies in food processor until finely ground. Add butter; mix well. Press onto bottom of pan.

BEAT cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each. Chop remaining cookies; stir 1-1/2 cups into batter. Pour over crust; top with remaining chopped cookies.

BAKE 45 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

TADAAAAA!!!! Say cheeseeee everyone...

Red Velvet aka Red Devil Cupcake

I had never seen or heard about Red Velvet aka Red Devil Cupcake before until I started blogging and trying to find some cupcake recipes...then walla...I found a very tempting picture of the cake and since then on I've been wondering how does the cake taste like. After much consideration, I then decided to make some and try it myself just to see how it taste..and the outcome..not bad though..

Here is the recipe that I get from http://www.marthastewart.com/

RED VELVET aka RED DEVIL CUPCAKES

Ingredients (makes 24)
2 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-rising), sifted
2 tbs unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder (I used ordinary cocoa powder)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil ( I used corn oil)
2 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 tsp red gel-paste food color ( I used 1 tbs liquid red coloring)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk (I used 1 cup fresh milk mix up with 1 tbs white distilled vinegar-let it stand for about 10 minutes before using it)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp distilled white vinegar

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk together cake flour, cocoa, and salt.

2. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, whisk together sugar and oil until combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Mix in food color and vanilla.

3. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture in three batches, alternating with two additions of buttermilk, and whisking well after each. Stir together the baking soda and vinegar in a small bowl (it will foam); add mixture to the batter, and mix on medium speed 10 seconds.

4. Divide batter evenly among lined cups, filling each three-quarter full. Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Transfer tins to wire racks to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored overnight at room temperature, or frozen up to 2 months, in airtight containers.

5. To finish, use a small offset spatula to spread cupcakes with frosting. Refrigerate up to 3 days in airtight containers; bring to room temperature before serving.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted ( I reduced the sugar into 2 1/2 cups)
3/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions
Beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and then vanilla; mix until smooth. Frosting can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; before using, bring to room temperature, and beat until smooth.
Here are those beautiful and extremely tempting Red Velvet cake and cupcake I saw online..

From Pickycook:

From Womansday:

From Photoshimona :