Jane has a Cooking Show!!

Hey Everybody!!

Check out my friend, Jane Sterling!! She has her own cooking show now!!

Scroll down the videos until you see Entertain With Jane! If you live in South Carolina, you can catch her on the FTC cable network. If not, check out her YouTube channel.

Sugarfree Hard Candy?

OK Sally as our resident professional chef person....I need a personal favor....a sugarfree [clove] hard candy recipe so I can make some...Can't find a recipe for hard candy without a ton of sugar....and my good ole diabetic life won't let me unless i load up on inaulin [sic]...Help Please!!!!

Jim

Dear Jim,

Well, I have bad news and good news.

The bad news is that hard candy cannot be made without some sort of sugar product. Blame science. 

Reminiscing about high school science class, you'll recall sugar is C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁ or a combination of carbon and water. (OK.Reminiscing about high school science class probably doesn't make you recall the chemical composition of sugar. You probably recall that cute blond in the next row. Work with me, Jim.) When water evaporates from sugar, it becomes harder due to it's carbon content.  Get it? Carbon is hard, right?

Sugar is make of tiny crystals. When a sugar-water solution is cooked, the water evaporates. Eventually, these tiny sugar crystals come together to form larger crystals. While molten, these large crystals can be molded. Once cooled, they become large hard crystals. That, Jim, is what a piece of hard candy is; a very large sugar crystal.

Since candy making depends on sugar's structural foundation, most so-called sugar free candy contains a small amount of a sugar product, such as malitol, a sugar alcohol. You could make sugar-free hard candy from scratch from this recipe.     However, since malitol has the highest glycemic value of all sugar substitutes, this is something to run by your doctor.

Sorry, Jim. I'm sure that's not what you wanted to hear.  However, hard candy is a pain to make.  Malitol is expensive. You probably would not save any money making it yourself.  Do yourself a favor and buy it already made.

I promised you some good news. Here it is. Sugar-free clove candy can be bought online - often for less money than it would take to make it.  Here's a couple of sources.

The Candy Emporium

Stained Glass Candy  

I hope that helps. If not, just remember you're sweet enough without sugar.

Tastefully,

Aunt Sally

Snow Ice Cream

Ben in North Carolina wrote back after trying the hot chocolate recipe. Now, he wants some snow ice cream to go with his hot chocolate. I can't blame him. What a great combination!

Dear Aunt Sally,

Absolutely Delicious! Made the recipe with the truffles. It is like dessert in a cup. Used mostly sugar free ingredients. Thank you, Aunt Sally. In the near future since Wilmington has between 4-6 inches of snow; how about a recipe for snow cream!

Ben in North Carolina 

Dear Ben,

Thank you for your kind compliment! I only wish I could see Wilmington in the snow. It's such a beautiful place.

A snow ice cream recipe is merely a suggestion. The exact amounts depend upon taste and the density of the snow. The one constant is the snow must be freshly fallen and clean.

This is the basic recipe. Adjust to your tastes. Low calorie sweetener may be substituted for the sugar. Adjust sweetener amounts according to package instructions.

Fondly,

Aunt Sally

Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
1 cup milk or cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place snow in large mixing bowl.

In another bowl, stir together the milk, sugar and vanilla.

Gently pour over the snow and stir to combine. Taste and adjust ingredients to your liking. Serve immediately. 

Variations
Follow the above recipe, but change the ingredients to one of the variations listed below. 

Dream Snow Ice Cream (tastes like a Dreamsicle)
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
1 cup milk or cream
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 - 2 teaspoons grated orange rind

Maple Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
3/4  cup milk or cream
1/4 cup maple syrup

Fruity Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
3/4  cup milk or cream
1/4 cup fruit syrup (strawberry, peach, blueberry, lingonberry, etc.)

Chocolate Snow Ice Cream
1 gallon freshly fallen snow
3/4  cup milk or cream
1/4 cup chocolate syrup

My yard: Snow on Cactus and Yucca

Homemade Hot Chocolate

Dear Aunt Sally, 

Do you have a recipe for Homemade Hot Chocolate?

Ben in North Carolina


Dear Ben,

But of course!   First, we need some definitions.  Hot cocoa is made with cocoa powder and is less rich. Hot chocolate is made with melted chocolate and is the sweetest, smoothest thing this side of heaven. For you, my dear friend, I will give you only the very best -- Hot Chocolate!

Hot chocolate is based on ganache. Ganache is nothing more than hot cream poured over chocolate, then stirred to blend. This simple mixture can be turned into frosting, glaze, pastry filling or chocolate truffles. You know that creamy center in boxed chocolates? That's ganache. 

To make hot chocolate, take two ounces ganache (or to taste) and place in a mug. Heat one cup milk over medium heat, being careful not to scorch. Pour hot milk over ganache, stir and enjoy.

Not in the mood to make ganache? No problem! Just pop over to the store and pick up chocolate truffles. This time of year, they can be found on sale just about anywhere, including drug stores and groceries. Take about two ounces of truffles (or to taste) and chop coarsely. Then, pour hot milk over, stir and enjoy.

To make a larger batch, heat milk on stove and add truffles to the milk in the pan. Increase amounts accordingly. 
 
Fondly, 

Aunt Sally