Christmas Candy

When we think of Christmas candy, probably the most traditional is the candy cane. Typically red and white striped peppermint, they come in many sizes. They are available in other colors and flavors as well.

Also extremely popular at Christmas-time are gift-boxed assorted gourmet chocolates in all kinds of yummy shapes and fillings, and traditional specialty candies like "turtles", chocolate-covered cherries, chocolate-covered mint patties, truffles, peanut brittle, almond bark, fudge, toffee, candied popcorn, marzipan, and divinity.

Foil-covered chocolate Santas, Christmas trees, wreaths, reindeer, snowmen, Christmas tree lights, and decorations (complete with hanging ribbon), chocolate coins, and chocolate balls or 'kisses' covered in red and green, silver, gold, metallic blue, purple, or other brightly colored wrappers are to be found everywhere you look. Also popular are any candies (hard, soft or chewy) in Christmas-y red and green colors, as well as Christmas nonpareils - candy covered with red, green and white tiny, colorful balls (sometimes called 'sprinkles').

Other traditional Christmas candies include old-fashioned ribbon candy, "cut rock" art candy (those colorful hard candies with the pictures in the center), miniature 'pillows' (hard red or green striped candies shaped like pillows), Christmas straws (thin candy shell surrounding a creamy filling), licorice, and big old-fashioned, hand-poured, colorful lollipops.

Homemade Peppermint Ice Cream

1 cup milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups chilled whipping cream
1/2 cup crushed peppermint candy canes

Cook milk, sugar, salt and egg yolks in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until bubbles start to appear around the edges. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Then add vanilla, whipping cream and peppermint candy.

At this point, you can place it in the refrigerator to get a little colder, or if you happen to live where it's cold, you can just cover the pan and set it outside in a safe place to cool for a little while (just don't forget and let it freeze!).

Then, when ready, pour the chilled mixture into prepared, clean ice cream freezer, put the dasher or churn blades in place and the lid on.

If you are using an old-fashioned crank-style freezer, you will need to fill the outer freezer tub about 1/3 full of crushed ice or snow, and then alternate layers of ice/snow with rock salt (approx. 6 parts ice/snow to 1 part rock salt).

If you are using an electric-type freezer, or one that has a core central container you can pre-freeze in your freezer, or another kind of modern, new-fangled invention, just follow the instructions that come with it.

When the crank turns with difficulty, the ice cream is ready.

Drain extra water if necessary (so as not to get salt water in with the ice cream), remove lid and take out the dasher (which everyone will beg to lick clean!). At this point you can either replace the lid, repack with ice and salt and allow to stand and ripen for several hours, OR you can eat it right away. Because who has the patience to wait any longer anyway?! We want ice cream! We want ice cream! ...Yum!!