Crock Pot Candy Flop.......

A while back I wrote a blog post about crock pot candy, which I've made for several years, particularly during the holidays, and I included the recipe. The recipe was included in my bank statement back when A) that bank was in existence; B) they included recipes; and C) we got statements in the mail.

It is a fool-proof recipe. Unless a fool starts fooling with it.

I should know better than to experiment in the kitchen. I consider it a miracle of epic proportions if something turns out right when I FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS, so experimenting should be out of the question. Especially with something that turns out perfectly every time. But leave something well enough alone? Oh no... not me.

I decided this recipe, already delicious and decadent enough, needed a couple of additional ingredients. So I dumped shredded coconut into the mix (without measuring, of course, just poured it straight from the bag until it "looked right") and included an entire bag of caramels. Which I had to unwrap individually, of course. While I tried to peer around the corner to watch a football game. (I would prefer to have a television in the kitchen, but I don't have enough counter space as it is.) I thought the addition of coconut and caramel would give it an Almond Joy-ish flavor.

In the original recipe, after the candy has cooked for three hours, you stir it up and drop it by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. It hardens slightly and then you store it in an airtight container. At least, that's what you do to the three or four pieces you have left.

I was afraid the caramel would make the mixture too gooey and that it wouldn't harden. But it had almost the opposite effect. The mixture was barely stirrable (is that a word?), although it could somewhat be formed into balls. Unfortunately I also skipped the "allow to cool slightly" step, so I burned my hands experimenting with THAT and ultimately gave up.

I scooped enough "clumps" out of the mixture to fill all three of my wire racks, and then I dumped the rest into an aluminum pan, a la brownies. The clumps don't taste bad, and the caramel is definitely detectable. They just aren't very pretty, so I won't be giving this batch as gifts. I'll try to cut the ones in the pan into squares tomorrow and see how that goes. It may all go in the trash can.

I did learn something, however, and that means the time and money spent weren't completely wasted.

Any of you cooks out there have any idea as to why the addition of caramel and coconut ruined the consistency of my candy? I'm sure there's a scientific explanation, and if Pioneer Woman and I were better friends, she could tell me.

Crock Pot Candy.......

I don't normally post recipes on my blog, because APPARENTLY SOMEONE HAS CORNERED THE MARKET ON THAT. However, I mentioned in my Seven Deadly Sins Meme post that one of my guilty pleasures is crock pot candy. Kelly was intrigued and asked me about it in a comment, and I promised her I would post the recipe. To be honest, I haven't made it recently, mainly BECAUSE it is a guilty pleasure.

This recipe was included in my bank statement one month several years ago, and I thought it sounded A) easy; and B) chocolaty. Two points for each of those characteristics. I usually make it around the holidays and give little individual packages to friends and co-workers. Unless I'm feeling particularly Bah-humbuggy, in which case I make a batch of it and PRETEND to give it to friends and family but instead climb into the crock pot and swim around in it.

Crock Pot Candy

1 jar (16-oz.) dry roasted peanuts, unsalted

1 jar (16-oz.) dry roasted peanuts, salted

1 pkg. (12-oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 bar (4-oz.) German chocolate, broken into pieces

3 lbs. (or 2 planks) white bark, broken into pieces

Put ingredients into a 4 or 5 quart crock pot in order listed. Cover and cook 3 hours on low. DO NOT REMOVE LID. Turn off and cool slightly. Mix thoroughly and drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let cool thoroughly. Approximately 170 pieces. (Yeah, right). 

I made a batch of this and sent it to Sweet Girl when she was on one of her Persian Gulf cruises. It was also a big hit at our family reunion. I've had the idea to make a large container of it and auction it off one year, but I haven't followed through with the thought.

I've wanted to try some variations, too, but I haven't gotten around to THAT either. I would like to try it with almonds instead of peanuts and add coconut. (Can you say Crock Pot Almond Joy?) Or maybe peanut butter added to the mix. Would that be too much peanutty goodness? Or maybe pecans and caramel.

Why don't some of YOU try one of these variations and send me a sample get back to me with the results? It could be fun.