Mom's Famous Candied Figs

Pearl Robison

4 cups sugar
1 grated lemon rind
4 cups water
40 figs (or 1 gallon), washed and drained

Combine sugar and water in large kettle, add lemon rind and bring to boil. Carefully add figs, pressing down with back of wooden spoon till all have been submerged in syrup. Bring to boil again and simmer gently 1 hour. Turn heat off and let sit till cool. Slowly bring to boil again, pressing them gently with spoon into syrup. Simmer another hour and then let cool. Repeat process once more. Syrup will be thick; watch carefully, pressing them into syrup with care. When cool, drain, saving syrup for pancakes, etc. Arrange figs on cookie sheet, put into 225 degree oven till they're dry enough to handle. Pack into small containers and store in refrigerator.

Source: Grandma Pearl made these candied confections for years, gathering the figs from the trees in the old orchard. She loved giving them as gifts to family and friends!

Brad's Favorite Chocolate-Nut Balls

Rosalie Robison Risk

1 can (6 oz) evaporated milk
½ cup sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 pkg (6 oz) semisweet-chocolate
1 ¼ cups chopped walnuts or pecan pieces
1/3 cup orange juice
2 ½ cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 64 wafers)
1. In heavy, 2-quart saucepan, cook undiluted milk and chocolate, over medium heat, stirring, until chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
2. Remove from heat. Add crushed wafers, sugar, ½ cup nuts and the orange juice, mixing well. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
3. Shape into balls 1 inch in diameter. Roll in remaining nuts. Refrigerate 1 hour, or until firm. Makes 4 dozen.

Source: I really don’t remember, some magazine, but I've had it so long that Brad thinks it's not Christmas without them!

Peanut Butter Chapel Fudge

Rosalie Robison Risk

Use the Chapel Fudge recipe here, but instead of chocolate chips, put 1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter in mixing bowl, along with 1 stick margarine. Follow the other directions, boiling 8 minutes.

We like this one with chopped nuts.

Chapel Fudge

Rosalie Robison Risk

Put in mixing bowl:
12 oz (2 cups) chocolate chips (Hershey's work best)
2 sticks margarine
1 tablespoon vanilla

Combine and mix together in 4 quart heavy kettle:
4 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups canned milk
exactly 20 large marshmallows

Bring sugar mixture to rolling boil over med-high heat, stirring constantly. Continue
cooking at a rolling boil on med, med-high stirring constantly for 8 minutes. Pour hot mixture into chocolate chip mixture and beat vigorously with wooden spoon for at least 3 minutes. May add 1/2 cup or more nuts if desired. Pour into buttered 9x13 pan and cool. NOTE: If using milk chocolate chips, boil the mixture at least 12 minutes. It's wonderful made with mint chocolate chips, as well. If they're not available add 1/2 t. Mint flavor to regular chocolate chips.

Source: Sister Norma Graffam from Bangor, ME: one of the original 'old time members' who used this recipe to make hundreds of batches of fudge as fund raisers to build the Bangor Ward Chapel; hence it's name! This 'secret' recipe was closely guarded for many years. She was my Visiting Teacher and gave me this recipe. The fudge is great! As is the peanut butter variety.

English Toffee

Rosalie Robison Risk

1 lb. butter
1 6-oz. pkg. chocolate chips
3 cups sugar
½ cup ground almonds for top
1 cup slivered chopped almonds

Melt butter slowly and add sugar and slivered almonds. Turn heat to high. Stir
constantly, until dark caramel color, about 5 minutes. Pour out onto large cookie sheet. Let cool 10 minutes then sprinkle chocolate chips over top, let melt and spread out evenly. Sprinkle almonds on top of chocolate. Refrigerate long enough for chocolate to harden. Break into small pieces to serve. Makes about 3 ½ pounds.

Source: Sandra Krehel, Bangor Daily News. Makes large batch of excellent
toffee.

Maine Potato Candy

Rosalie Robison Risk

¾ cup cold mashed potatoes
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
4 cups confectioners' sugar
½ teaspoons salt
4 cups shredded coconut, chopped
4 squares melted baking chocolate

Plain mashed potato is used, no milk, butter, salt or pepper is added. Mix
potatoes and confectioners' sugar; stir in coconut, vanilla and salt. Blend well. Melt
chocolate over warm, not hot water. If water is too hot under the melting pot it will cause the chocolate to have white streaks as it dries. Spoon melted chocolate over the candy which has been pressed into a buttered pan to the depth of 1/2 inch. Cool and cut into squares. For haystacks, mold mixture into chocolate-like shapes and dip the lower half into the melted chocolate and set on wax paper to cool.

Source: Bangor Daily News. This is a common candy recipe in Maine, since they grow a lot of potatoes. These are a good addition to a box of Christmas candies, or add some to a May Basket! You can substitute chocolate morsels for the baking chocolate. At one time this candy was manufactured as Needhams, similar to Almond Joys.