Quick, Popular and Easy Homemade Candy Recipes

Popcorn Balls, Candy Haystacks and Marshmallow Truffles

Dec 22, 2008 Theresa Bledsoe

When the craving for something sweet hits, there's a simple fix. Below are three simple candy recipes that all require five or fewer ingredients.

Sweet Treats in a Hurry

Candy recipes don't have to be time consuming or difficult to make. These sweet recipes require minimal ingredients and very little time to make, yet they are attractive and fun to eat. From the traditional popcorn balls, to the modern haystacks, to the colorful marshmallow truffles, these recipes provide an easy way to turn out an appealing plate of goodies in no time.

Recipes that Children Can Make Alone or with Little Supervision

While an adult can put these recipes together in a hurry, they are also perfect for involving the entire family. If you have teenage cooks in the household, they can handle all of these recipes pretty much on their own, should you desire, though supervision of the cooking part of the process in still suggested, particularly when it comes to the hot syrup for the popcorn balls. Younger children can dip and decorate the Marshmallow Truffles, the most time consuming part of the preparation, leaving you free to join in the fun or to do other things in the kitchen.

Quick and Easy Popcorn Balls

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup light corn syrup
  • 1 cup water
  • 3 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 quarts of popped popcorn, salted

Directions:

  1. Combine all of the above ingredients in a heavy duty saucepan.
  2. Cook over medium heat until the mixture reaches the soft crack stage. (260 degrees on a candy thermometer.)
  3. Pour the hot mixture over 2 quarts of popcorn
  4. Using butter hands, shape into balls, taking care not to get burned by the hot syrup.

Makes about 6 -8 popcorn balls depending upon desired size.

Butterscotch Haystacks

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter
  • 1 - 12 ounce bag of butterscotch morsels
  • 1 - 3 ounce can of chow mein noodles
  • 1 cup of walnuts

Directions:

  1. Melt the butterscotch morsels with the peanut butter in a saucepan over low heat.
  2. Remove from heat as soon as both ingredients are well blended and the morsels have melted completely.
  3. Stir in the chow mein noodles and walnuts.
  4. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto aluminum foil.
  5. Refrigerate until hardened.

Colorful Marshmallow Truffles

Ingredients:

  • 1 - 10 ounce package of large Marshmallows
  • 1 - 12 ounce package of Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • Flaked Coconut, toasted
  • Assorted decorative candies

Directions:

  1. Arrange marshmallows on a cookie sheet or a jelly roll pan.
  2. Place the pan of marshmallows in the freezer for 15 minutes.
  3. Microwave chocolate chips on High for 2 1/2 minutes or until smooth, stirring every minute.
  4. Using a skewer or fork, dip each frozen marshmallow into the melted chocolate until the marshmallow is completely coated.
  5. Roll marshmallow in toasted coconut or decorative candies
  6. Use another fork or a metal spatula to place marshmallows onto waxed paper-lined cookie sheet or jelly roll pan.
  7. Chill or keep in a cool dry place.

Makes approximately 38 - 40 marshmallow truffles

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