Sweet treats are a snap in microwave

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/12/2003 (8304 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

FUDGE — that quintessential Christmas goodie — just got easier to whip up, thanks to today’s recipe for microwave maple fudge. Sent in by Brenda Mazor of St. Andrews, the creamy fudge was one of the winners in the Christmas goodies category in our second annual Home for the Holidays contest.

The second winning Christmas treat is another microwave recipe — sesame seed candy courtesy of Lily Dyson.

Each of the winners receives a copy of the new Company’s Coming Decadent Desserts cookbook by Jean Pare. Next week, we’ll feature the final two winning Christmas dessert recipes in the Home for the Holidays contest.

Thanks to the following swappers for sending in their favourite recipes for Christmas goodies: Helen Pitura, Linda Kemball of Pine Falls, Joyce Hiebert of Steinbach, Darlene Smith, Edna Mroz of Beausejour, Yvonne Carroll of Selkirk, Leanne Landriault, Emily Lucko, Susan Gurney, and M.C. Ehnes of Birtle.

For many people living with diabetes who can’t indulge in the aforementioned sweet treats, the Canadian Diabetes Association has recently published a Healthy Holidays booklet that includes diabetic recipes for holiday treats such as eggnog, gingerbread, Nanaimo bars, butter-tart squares, chocolate peppermint cookies and truffles. For a free copy of the recipe booklet, please call the Canadian Diabetes Association at 925-3800 or outside Winnipeg, 1-800-226-8464.

Now on to recent requests:

Julia Bielak is seeking a recipe for cherry pound cake.

Phylli Keller of Russell requests a recipe for salad dressing that does not use white vinegar.

Helen Pitura puts out a call for hummus dip with chick peas, and lemon cheesecake.

Gary Yakimoski is still on the hunt for rootbeer ribs. Can anyone help?

Lastly, Diane Fraser is seeking recipes for homemade rye bread.

Please send any requests or responses to Recipe Swap, c/o Ilana Simon, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, Man., R2X 3B6, send a fax to 697-7412 or e-mail to ilana.simon@freepress.mb.ca. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number in case any ingredients or directions must be checked.

Microwave Maple Fudge

250 ml (1 cup) granulated sugar

250 ml (1 cup) brown sugar

250 ml (1 cup) whipping cream

5 ml (1 tsp) maple flavouring (or maple extract)

5 ml (1 tsp) butter

In medium bowl, combine white sugar, brown sugar, whipping cream and maple flavouring. Microwave for 11 minutes on high. Mixture will boil — DO NOT OPEN MICROWAVE. Fill sink about one-quarter full of ice-cold water and ice cubes. Carefully, with oven mitts, put hot bowl from microwave into water. Make sure no water gets into bowl. Add butter to fudge mixture. While the bowl is sitting in water, stir mixture until it becomes thick (about 5 minutes.) Mixture is thick enough when it wraps around the spoon.

Pour into buttered 2 l (8 x 8-inch) pan. Set in refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Taste-tester notes: This delicious fudge is simple to prepare in the microwave. If using the stove-top method, boil to the soft-ball stage (112–115 C, or 234-240 F) before placing bowl in ice water. If desired, add 125 ml (1/2 cup) toasted chopped walnuts just before pouring into pan. The nuts complement the sweet maple fudge.

Microwave sesame seed candy

125 ml (1/2 cup) honey

125 ml (1/2 cup) granulated sugar

1 ml (1/4 tsp) cinnamon

1 ml (1/4 tsp) ginger

125 ml (1/2 cup) finely chopped salted peanuts

250 ml (1 cup) toasted sesame seeds

In a large glass bowl, combine honey and sugar. Cook in microwave on high 4 to 6 minutes until mixture reaches soft-ball stage (112-115 C, or 234-240 F). Stir in spices, peanuts and sesame. Press hard into a greased cookie sheet and score into bars with a knife. Cool at room temperature and snap off pieces.