In The Kitchen
with Moira Sanders
Giving homemade candy at Christmastime is a delicious way of spreading holiday cheer. These candies taste very similar to the well-known chocolate bar, Big Turk, but without any of the stuff they put in there to make it last years rather than weeks. I make these with my homemade crab- apple jelly and they end up being a pretty pink colour (which is perfect against the chocolate brown!). Any flavour of jelly will work, however, and store-bought is fine. Many candy recipes call for a candy thermometer, but not this one. Just bring the jelly mixture to a boil and cook it for two minutes. Very easy and when I bit into my first piece, I went a little weak in the knees. Imagine making your friends and family go weak in the knees with your holiday gifts this year. Joy to the World!
Chocolate-Covered Fruit Jellies
 1 cup jelly, homemade or store-bought, your favourite flavour
1⁄2 cup water
3⁄4 cup granulated sugar
2 (1/4 ounce) envelopes unflavoured gelatine
1⁄4 tsp citric acid (available at the Bulk Barn)
Dipping Chocolate (for the simplest dipping chocolate, try Merkens chocolate wafers from the Bulk Barn)
Icing sugar
Butter or spray a loaf pan and set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the jelly, water, sugar, gelatine, and citric acid. Place over medium heat and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour into the prepared pan. Refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm.
Using a spatula, flip the candy out onto a piece of waxed paper or parchment. Cut into 1-inch squares. Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over simmering water. Use bamboo skewers or strong toothpicks to dip each piece into the chocolate and then set on parchment paper. Allow to set and store in an airtight container for up to a few weeks.
 Moira Sanders has made a career of food which gives her inspiration for her recipe blog www.moirasanders.com and for cooking for her busy family. Moira and her sister, Lori Elstone, have written “The Harrow Fair Cookbook”, which is now available and is published by Whitecap Books. Moira can be reached at moira@theharrowfaircookbook.com.
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