Still Crazy For Candy After All These Years!

I've been here for a year!!

To all of my followers, I say THANK YOU!

I absolutely love doing this. My dream for years was to open my own sweet shop. I would work when I wanted, create the treats I wanted to make & of course NEVER work weekends. So I wistfully dreamed and drove my husband crazy every so often talking about it. Now, I'm doing exactly what I want to do! My story goes waaayyy back..to the 1960s. Yeah, that far back! I have loved sugar for 48 years and counting. Anytime I could get my hands on some candy, I was happy. Any and all allowance I got was spent on sugary treats. I would walk to the store, spend my entire $5.00, and share my goodies with the kids in my neighborhood. When my sisters and I went trick-or-treating, I would categorize and create candy arrangements on my dresser..until I just had to eat it. I saved ALL my candy wrappers, folding them neatly into piles until my Mom made me throw them away. Does this sound crazy to y'all? I bought any new candy that came out..and still do.

My naming this blog Sugartown Sweets was inevitable. I'll tell you why. Back in the late '60s, we made frequent trips from Atlanta to Tennessee. That's where all my grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins were. I sure do miss those days. My Daddy worked the graveyard shift at the Ford plant. So, we always left for those trips in the middle of the night when his shift ended. Daddy would carry me, sometimes asleep to put me in the car. He'd drive for hours while us kids slept. Waking up to eat breakfast was the best part of the trip. We always stopped at this wonderful restaurant where I'd eat my favorite cereal. Do y'all remember the little cereal boxes that you opened up to form a bowl of sorts? I got to pour my milk into this cute little box and eat Sugar Crisp, Lucky Charms, Quisp and more! The name of that restaurant was...Sugartown. :o) Ahh, the memories. Memories of my Daddy having a serious sweet tooth that he passed along to me, which brings us back to the sweetest room in our house, the kitchen.  This is where my Mom was always baking something sweet. Cakes, cookies, candies...we had so many favorites. Prune Cake, Congo Bars, Peanut Butter Pinwheels, Almond Cookies, Lemon Balls, Banana Pudding and of course her famous Milky Way Bar Cake! There are just too many to name! When she was baking, I was right there beside her watching everything she did. I almost always got dibs on licking the bowl.

Her Mom, (my sweet MeMaw) also loved making and baking sweets. Her old handwritten recipes are some of my favorite reading materials. She used these while preparing desserts for the kids in the school cafeteria where she worked. I thought it was funny the first time I ever read them..six pounds of butter, twelve cups of flour, etc. I very much remember her making yummy, pretty candies (that we still miss and talk about). Celebrating my 13th birthday in Tennessee the summer of 1970 something, she let me help decorate my own cake and I was hooked forever. After she passed away in 1997, my baby sister and I lovingly shared her cake decorating book collection. We then  decided to take cake decorating classes at Michael's. We absolutely loved it. While I no longer hardly ever decorate cakes these days, it is a very sweet part of my history. I also have a very dear aunt who decorates beautiful cakes and bakes yummy sweets. She made my 5th birthday cake..Strawberry! She tinted tinted it lavender. It is my all-time favorite cake..as well as my Dad's, daughter's and grandchildren! My daughter (who also inherited the sweet tooth) has quite the talent with sweets baking. 
To my Dad, Mom and all of these wonderful women in my life,
 I say thank you and I love you. 
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Thank you All For Visiting My Blog!
Wishing You A Sweet Day
from
SUGARTOWN SWEETS!
Leaving a comment here will make mine!

Jolly Ranchers Monster Mash Lollipops..and more!

Jolly Ranchers Lollipops..

'Cause we don't have enough already. ;o)

I saw these pretty little Jolly Ranchers Doubles when I was out the other day. I had never paid any attention to them. But, they are so unique, and make for quite the lovely little lollipop!

This purple and green lollipop just looks like Monster Mash to me. That old song just popped into my head as soon as I opened the oven door!

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 Place candies on parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake on 275 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Insert lollipop stick and voila'..super easy, cute and yummy little party treat. I love the sunburst effect this one has!

My very favorite! I absolutely love the ocean, and that's exactly what I see in this one!

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Happy & Sweet Creating 

from 

SUGARTOWN SWEETS

Have a Sweet Day..

Leaving a Comment Here Will Make Mine!

Thank You For Visiting My Blog Today :o)

Caramel Apple Milky Way Bar Cake

Caramel Apple Milky Way Bar Cake!
Some of you may have some extra candy laying around your house in the next week or so, specifically the yummy Caramel Apple Milky Way Bars. I came across these last week at Wal-Mart..Yay! I also found this recipe at food.com. It looked so good. I just made a couple of changes. One~I used the caramel apple flavor bar. Two~I added shredded apples. Three~I poured the icing over the cake while still warm. And finally..Four~I added nutmeg..at the last minute. Actually, I added it 15 minutes AFTER the cake was in the oven! This is why you see a rough and bumpy texture underneath the icing. I stirred the spice in and it pulled the Crisco away from the bottom of the pan, which made my cake stick. :/  But yours will be perfect! This is a very moist cake with a firm texture. Really, I liked it better on day two...and three. ;o)

 Dee-licious!

 I don't know how long these seasonal candies will be available..so I would purchase them now!

Mmmelting the chocolates and butter smells wonderful..

 It will take approximately 2 medium apples to make 1 cup. I used Jonagold apples.

 This Caramel Apple Milky Way Bar Cake Batter was so good..I licked the bowl!
 'Cause normally I don't do that sort of thing. ;o)

Caramel Apple Milky Way Bar Cake..
Have a slice today!

Caramel Apple Milky Way Bar Cake Recipe

1 11.5 oz. bag Milky Way Caramel Apple mini candy bars plus additional 12 mini candy bars

1 cup shredded apples (approx. 2 medium~ I used Jonagold)

2 sticks butter softened (to be divided)

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Melt 1 stick butter and the candy bars over low heat or in the microwave.

Cream sugar and remaining butter.

Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. 

Add shredded apples. Mix till combined.

Combine flour, nutmeg and baking soda in separate bowl.

Add alternately with buttermilk to cake batter beating until smooth.

Add melted candy and vanilla, mixing well.

Pour into a greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake @ 350 degrees 75 minutes.
Remove from oven, cool 10 minutes in pan.
Remove cake from pan and frost while warm.

*Milky Way Caramel Apple Icing Recipe

8 mini candy bars

1 stick butter

2 cups 10 x sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1-2 Tablespoons milk

Melt candy and butter over low heat.

Add sugar and vanilla.

Stir in milk till desired consistency is reached.
*Prepare icing while cake is baking.

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Thank you for visiting my blog!
Wishing a sweet day from
Sugartown Sweets
Leaving a comment here will make mine!

Candy Corn Marshmallow Leaves

Candy Corn Marshmallow Leaves..

I had to make them. Homemade Candy Corn Marshmallows. I'm kinda stuck on the candy corn color theme. They are just so pretty and, ...well, Fall!

I also made these & these recently!

Today, I was attempting to make marshmallow pinwheels, but I just couldn't get the crazy things to stick together. Basically, I was left with a glob of unusable, albeit pretty marshmallow ribbon mess. (aka future rice krispie treats) I decided the remaining candy could be cute, cut into little tri-colored leaves. I like them!

 I used vanilla in the white marshmallows. I also used orange flavoring in the tinted layers of candy. It was my favorite. I would go ahead and flavor all the marshmallows orange..just to make 'em extra yummy. :o)

Well, you don't have to make three batches, but it does make it easier when you have this many colors. You could just make one batch and try swirling in the orange and yellow colors.

 Lightly spray your pan or dish with non-stick spray. Spread  finished batch of marshmallows in pan, adding each additional layer on top of the other. Let sit at least four hours or overnight.  Cover with parchment paper lightly sprayed with non-stick spray.

The next morning you have pretty sunrise colored marshmallows!

 Lift the marshmallow out of the pan and place on a cutting board prepared with confectioners sugar. This will prevent the candy from sticking to...everything. Using a lightly oiled pizza cutter or long, sharp knife, cut candy into ribbons. Then cut marshmallows into different shapes with fondant cutters. Leftover marshmallows are never wasted here..just make some yummy rice krispie treats.

Marshmallow Recipe

2 Tablespoons plus 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup 

1/2 cup hot water

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large egg whites

1/2 teaspoon orange extract

1 teaspoon each yellow and orange food color gel

Mix gelatin and cold water in a small bowl, set aside.

In a heavy, straight sided sauce pan, mix together sugar, corn syrup, hot water and salt. 

Stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.

Continue cooking, without stirring, until mixture reaches soft-ball stage. (235 degrees)

Remove from heat, add gelatin (bloom) and set aside.

In mixer, with whisk attachment, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

With mixer on low speed, carefully add the hot sugar mixture, flavor and color.

Turn mixer on high speed and continue mixing for 10 minutes.

Pour the candy into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Cover with parchment paper lightly sprayed with non-stick spray.

Let stand four hours or overnight.

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Wishing You All a Sweet Day From

Sugartown Sweets!

Leaving a Comment Here Will Make Mine. :o)

Candy Corn Spoons

Candy Corn Spoons!

Candy Corn Treats using Jelly Belly Candy Corn, Candy Corn M&Ms and Ghirardelli Chocolate.

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We are enjoying near perfect weather here in my neck of the woods. My daughter and I, along with my grandbabies, spent last week in Disney World. I LOVE Disney! We got a chance to see some of the cute treats they were making..and yes, I did sample a couple. My favorite was the Peanut Butter & Chocolate Cupcake.. mmmmmm. I can't wait to get in the kitchen and make some new Mickey treats. But for today, I made these sweet little spoons, 'cause I already have all this candy corn and all. :o)
p.s. These are great for a quick cup of hot chocolate!

 Orange spoons from Party City: $2.49

Jelly Belly Candy Corn..I love this stuff!

!OO!

 Supplies needed: Spoons, parchment paper, dipping chocolate, candy corn, Candy Corn M&Ms, mini M&Ms, confetti sprinkles, & Food Writers (to make the eyes and draw the mouths).

 Let chocolate set up before decorating with candies. Just use a bit of melted chocolate to attach the candies to the spoons.

(Remember to line pan with parchment paper for no sticking)

Wishing Y'all a Sweet Day

From

Sugartown Sweets!

Leaving a Comment Here Will Make Mine!