Recipe for cooking assorted chocolate candies

Desserts to Go with Coffee and Tea :: Chocolate Confections

Assorted Chocolate Candies

Source: The Wichita Eagle - 12/13/00

24 oz. (about 4 c.) semisweet milk or white chocolate
50 sm. two-layer candy c.

Fillings
Raspberry preserves
Marshmallow fluff
Toasted hazelnuts
Peanut butter
Liqueur-nut mixture (see note)
Caramel-praline mixture (see note)

Chop chocolate into sm. pieces if not using chips. Heat half of chocolate in top of double boiler until it melts and reaches a temperature of 110 to 120 degrees F. Remove saucepan with chocolate from heat and stir in remaining chocolate.

Stir chocolate frequently until it reaches a temperature of 86 to 91 degrees F for semisweet chocolate, 84 to 88 degrees F for milk and white chocolate.

Using a sm. pastry brush, paint inside of candy c. with melted chocolate. Place c. in freezer for 10 mins..

Remove c. from freezer. Using a spoon, fill c. three-fourths full with raspberry preserves, marshmallow fluff topped with a toasted hazelnut and other fillings.

Heat chocolate until it again reaches 88 to 90 degrees F. Using a spoon, drop chocolate on top of filling. Using the back of the spoon, smooth out chocolate and seal to the edge of the shell.

Return candies to freezer for 10 mins.. Remove from freezer and store in airtight container.

NOTES:
To make liqueur-nut mixture, combine 1/2 c. finely chopped nuts with 1/4 c. Bailey\s Irish Creme, amaretto or other liqueur. Place in freezer until ready to use. When filling candy shells, float nuts on top of liqueur.

To make caramel-praline mixture, melt 20 caramels and 1/4 c. heavy cream in the top of a double boiler. Stir in 1/2 c. chopped nuts. Cool before using.

Makes approximately 50 candies.