Simple Home Made Confections for The Holidays

Simple Home Made Confections for The Holidays

Rum Balls, 7 Layer Bars, Fudge and Honeycomb make for a sweeter holiday!

I like to cook, but what I really love is making confections during the holidays. Besides rum balls, I have a couple other favorites I like to make. Fudge is always a holiday favorite and this recipe can be switched up based on your liking or if you have a nut allergy. The 7 Layer Bars are super easy to make as well and since it’s the only one that requires baking I can usually work on all three of these treats at the same time.

Homemade Fudge! Here is what you will need: 

• 1- 8 oz. Box Cream Cheese, room temperature

• 1- Box Powdered Sugar

• 1- Bag 16 oz. Semi Sweet Chocolate Morsels

• 1- Tsp Vanilla

• Walnuts (if desired)

• Mini Marshmallows (if desired)

Melt the chocolate chips in a pot over a low flame, slowly add the powdered sugar stirring constantly to fully dissolved until everything has mixed fully being careful not to burn the chocolate. 

Remove from heat, add cream cheese, vanilla and mix well. You can add chopped walnuts or even marshmallow at this point. Scoop up about half and place on waxed paper. Begin to roll forming a log shape like a tootsie roll. Repeat with the remaining mixture. You can roll in fine chopped walnuts if desired at this point to garnish the outside. Twist the ends up and place in the refrigerator to firm up. Once firm open up paper and slice into 3/4" sections to serve. The cream cheese gives the fudge a creamy taste and helps balance the sweetness of the sugar and chocolate. 

Rum Balls ready for gifting!

Rum Balls

Here is what you will need:

• 1 Cup Finely Crushed vanilla Wafers

• 1 Cup Confectioner's Sugar

• 1 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Pecans

• 2 TBS Cocoa

• 2 TBS Light Corn Syrup

• 1/4 Cup Dark Rum

• 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar

Combine finely crushed wafers, confectioners sugar, pecans and cocoa into a bowl. Add corn syrup and rum mixing well. Using a teaspoon, scoop out and roll into small 1" balls and roll in fine granulated sugar. This recipe makes 2 dozen, I normally triple the amount.

7 Layer Bars

Here’s what you will need:

• Graham Crackers (I prefer the cinnamon ones)

• 1- stick of butter

• 1- Bag Chocolate morsels

• 1- Small Bag Walnuts (optional)

• 1/2 Bag mini marshmallows

• 1- Can Condensed Sweeten Milk

• 1/2 Bag shredded Coconut

Pre heat oven to 350 In a 9x12 pan melt your sick of butter. Crush your crackers in a food processor and place on top of melted butter. Drizzle the can of condensed milk over the crumbs and press down lightly. Layer the rest of the ingredients topping it off with the chocolate chips. Bake for 20 minute or until chocolate just starts to melt. Cool then refrigerate. Cut into size desired after chilled.

I use this fudge along with the rum balls and the other goodies pictured above for gifting at Christmas and to take to holiday parties. Placed on a tray, wrapped in clear gift paper and tied off with a holiday ribbon, your friends and family won't know it was homemade till you tell them. If you try this recipe I'd love to hear what you think or any spin you may have on it. Happy confectioning!