Candy

Sugar, water, butter, and chopped almonds are cooked together until they caramelize to make this rich and chewy classic confection. Cut into rectangular shapes, dipped in chocolate, and covered with chopped almonds, these are hard to resist.

This rendition of peanut brittle is enriched with butter and a dash of vanilla. The butter and baking soda make it opaque instead of clear.

Nougatine is a crisp nut brittle made by cooking sugar with no liquid. The sugar must be stirred constantly to avoid burning and prevent lumps from forming. Nougatine is eaten plain, dipped in chocolate, or used as an ingredient in other candies.

A relative of English toffee, krokant is a chewy nut brittle rich with almonds, butter, and vanilla. It is eaten plain or dressed up by dipping in chocolate. It is also used to make other candies.

Chocolate caramels with cashews are dipped in bittersweet chocolate for a very chocolaty and nutty candy. These are my husband’s favorite caramel candies.

This version of the all-time American favorite is crisp, chewy, and very peanutty. After trying it, you will probably never eat store-bought peanut brittle again.

Espresso adds extra depth to the rich flavor of these candies.

These caramels combine maple syrup and pecans to produce a potent flavor that is hard to surpass. Be sure to use pure maple syrup.

Fondly known as turtles because of their appearance, these classic candies are pecan clusters topped with rich, creamy caramel then dipped in chocolate. They will definitely impress your friends.

The brown sugar used to make these caramels greatly heightens their flavor.

Bittersweet chocolate gives these caramels their terrific flavor.

A whole toasted hazelnut surrounded by a rich filling of chocolate hazelnut truffle cream is the soul of these molded candies. They are similar to Italian Baci candies, only better.

There are many molds available in bar shapes. Some are large rectangles with small segments that break apart; some are partially rounded rectangles; others are one piece. Whatever mold you choose, numerous different chocolate fillings can be used to create exciting and unusual candy bars.

These candy bars are loaded with the best that California has to offer. Toasted almonds, candied orange peel, and raisins are combined to make a delicious chunky candy bar.

The inspiration for this candy came in Paris, where I tasted a wonderful chocolate-lemon ganache at one of the best chocolate shops. Be sure to use freshly grated lemon zest for the best fresh lemon flavor.

The delicious flavor of gianduja is the star of this candy.

You can’t buy this ultimate candy bar in the store.

I created this candy after a trip to Paris, where I searched for the best candies and confections in town and tasted something similar at a top chocolate shop.

This combination of two pure flavors is delicious. Sometimes I substitute toasted and skinned hazelnuts for the almonds.

Tuile is the French word for tile. Here, a chocolate-nut mixture is draped over a rolling pin to give these confections a curve that resembles a roof tile.

Toasted coconut covered with chocolate makes this delicious candy. I love the contrast of texture that the crisp toasted coconut provides.

Rocher is the name of a classic French candy made with almonds that has an irregular shape. I’ve added coconut to the mix, a variation often found in French chocolate shops.

Passion fruit has a sweet/tart flavor that is unique. It transports me to the tropics with every taste. It can be time-consuming to get the juice from passion fruit, so I recommend using frozen passion fruit concentrate, which can be found in some specialty markets or through some of the sources listed at the back of this book.

Truffle cream is piped into foil, fluted-edge candy cups and chilled to form these delectable bite-size candies. Before they are eaten, the foil cups are peeled away, leaving a fluted design in the chocolate.