Candylicious -Daring Baker’s August’11 Challenge

The August 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge was hosted by Lisa of Parsley,Sage,Desserts and Line Drive and Mandy of What the Fruitcake?!. These two sugar mavens challenged us to make sinfully delicious candies! This was a special challenge for the Daring Bakers because the good folks at Chocoley offered an amazing prize for the winner of the most creative and delicious candy!

We were asked to make TWO candies,the first candy must be either a truffle,dipped or not dipped in chocolate OR a cut (square) dipped chocolate/bonbon OR a filled chocolate/bonbon using a chocolate mold
The other candy can be any CHOCOLATE OR NON-CHOCOLATE candy.

I decided to make Chocolate Bark and Sponge Candy.

CHOCOLATE BARK

Ingredients
Milk/Dark/White Chocolate,tempered (any amount)
Various nuts ( I used Walnuts,Almonds and Raisins)
Directions:
Line a baking tray with parchment paper.Temper your chocolate using your preferred method. Once tempered,spread the chocolate over the parchment paper.Sprinkle your ingredients over the chocolate.Leave to set
Tip:To help speed up the setting,you can put it in the fridge for about 15-30min. Don’t leave it in the fridge to avoid the chocolate from sweating (water droplets will form on the chocolate).Break into pieces and store at room temperature in an airtight container.

SPONGE CANDY

Ingredients
2½ cups Granulated White Sugar
2/3 cup Light corn syrup
6 tablespoons Water
1 tablespoon Baking Soda
2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
Vegetable oil for greasing pan

Directions:

1. Liberally grease a 10-inch round spring form cake pan with vegetable oil. Trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of parchment paper. Line the bottom of the pan with the parchment paper circle. Line the sides of the pan with a parchment paper so that the parchment paper creates a collar that sits 1 to 2-inches above the pan. Liberally grease the parchment paper.
2. In a deep medium saucepan add sugar,corn syrup,water,and vanilla. Over medium-high heat bring the mixture to a boil (without stirring) and cook until hard crack stage,i.e. until temperature reads 285°F / 140°C on a candy thermometer (if using light corn syrup,it will be light amber,if using dark corn syrup it will be the color of maple syrup). This should take about 10 minutes. If sugar crystals form on the sides of the pan during the cooking process,brush the sides of the pan with a clean pastry brush dipped in water.
3.Remove from heat. Working quickly,add the baking soda and quickly blend to incorporate the soda into the sugar mixture,about 5 seconds. The mixture will bubble up when you add the baking soda. Be very careful not to touch the hot mixture.
4.Immediately pour the hot toffee into the prepared pan. Let set completely before touching. Cut into pieces. It makes a huge mess. But the messy little crumbs can be saved to top ice cream. Leave candy as is and enjoy,or dip pieces in tempered chocolate and let set.

This surely was an easy DBC!