Christmas Candy 2010

As usual I have cooked up som Christmas gifts for the lucky ones.
This year I dropped some licorice in everything
- because I just bought some licorice syrup from Johan Bulow (http://lakrids.nu/) the other day and had to try it out.

The fruit bars are almost guilt-free - no fat added!

Fruit bars with a hint of licorice
100 g walnuts (31/2 oz)
100 g almonds (31/2 oz)
100 g dried dates (3 1/2 oz)
100 g dried apricots
75 g prunes (2 1/2 oz)
75 g dried cranberries (2 1/2 oz)
1 dl dark brown sugar (6 TBSP)
1 dl flour (6 TBSP)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 large egg
1 tsp licorice syrup or Anise extract

Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with baking paper and preheat the oven to 160 C (325 F).
Chop the nuts and fruit (except cranberries) coarsely and toss everything together with flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk the egg together with the licorice syrup and mix it thoroughly into the fruit and nut mixture.
Press the mixture into the prepared pan and bake it for about 35 minutes.
Let it cool 20 minutes in the pan and then lift it out onto a cutting board.
Cut in desired bar-size and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Sesame candy
(80 candies)

250 g sesame seeds (9 oz/11/2 cup)
400 g cane sugar (2 cups)
150 g honey (1/2 cup)
100 g brown sugar (1/2 cup)
2 tsp licorice syrup or Anise extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger

Brush two large sheets of baking paper with oil or use silicone mats.
Toast the sesame seeds in a pan over medium-low heat, stirring often, until they are golden (5-8 minutes). Pour them into a bowl.
Melt the cane sugar, honey and brown sugar in the pan. Add the licorice syrup, cinnamon and ginger and stir well.
Turn the heat off and stir the seeds into the caramel with a wooden spoon.
Scrape the mixture onto one paper sheet (oil-side up) and place the remaining sheet (oil-side down) on top. Roll the mixture with a roller pin into a square about 1/4 inch thick.
Remove the top sheet of paper and cut the candy into 1-inch squares or diamonds with a sharp knife.
Let the candy cool completely and store in an airtight container at room temperature.

This years Christmas present

Chocolate Panforte

A rich sweet Christmas cake filled with lots of almonds, hazelnuts and dried fruit.

(2 cakes)
150 g hazelnuts (1 heaped cup)
150 g almonds (1 heaped cup)
225 g dried figs (1/2 pound)
225 g dried apricots (1/2 pound)
150 g dried dates (1/3 pound)
90 g semolina flour (3/4 cup)
1 dl cocoa (1/2 cup)
1 orange
1 lemon
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsk ground coriander
1/4 tsk ground black pepper
200 g cane sugar (1 cup)
225 g honey (1 cup)
100 g melted dark chocolate (3 ounces)
Confectioners' sugar

Roast the hazelnuts on a pan or in the oven 10 minutes and place them in a clean cloth. Rub the skin off of with the cloth.

Soak the almonds in boiling water for 3 minutes and nip the skins of.

Cut all the dried fruit into small pieces and mix them with the nuts, the flour, the cocoa, the grated orange and lemon rind and all the spices.

Put the sugar and the honey in a pot and stir it over the heat until the sugar has melted. Cook it without stirring about 5 minutes – until it reaches 120 degree C (248 degree Fahrenheit).

Pour it into the fruit and nuts and mix it well. Ad the melted chocolate and pres the “dough” in to 2 cake pans buttered and lined with baking paper.

Put the pans in the oven at 150 degree C (300 degree Fahrenheit) for 1 hour.

Turn the cakes out of the pans and remove the paper. Dust the cakes on both sides with confectioners' (powdered/icing) sugar.

Cool the cakes and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or paper and store in a cool, dry place.
Well wrapped the cakes will keep at least 1 month.