PICK YOUR SWEETS

Our readers know their candy.

When we asked for entries for the Review-Journal's candy contest, close to 20 readers submitted recipes for truffles and caramels and brittles, oh my. And not a sugarplum in sight.

Ten finalists were asked to submit samples of their candies for evaluation by a panel of 11 judges, and nine were able to comply. Most of them came from Las Vegas and Henderson, but Lois Anderson of La Verkin, Utah, made a much longer journey to deliver her caramels to the Review-Journal.

While the judges found Anderson's candies "sweet and powerful," with a "nice, rich caramel flavor," their No. 1 choice was Jennise Cicala's Santa's Simple Truffles, a recipe that lives up to its name. Among the judges' comments: "Awesomeness." "Very tasty and very rich." Cicala wins the $100 prize.

There is a tie for second place: Deborah Barton for her Norwegian candy ("buttery and caramel-y"), and Rene Thach for her fudge ("very traditional holiday treat").

Those recipes follow, along with the rest of the finalists that came before the judges.

SANTA'S SIMPLE TRUFFLES

1 18-ounce package Oreo cookies

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

12 ounces semisweet chocolate morsels

Crush Oreos with rolling pin or in food processor. Add or pulse in cream cheese.

Form into small balls and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes, until set.

Melt chocolate morsels in a double boiler. Coat truffles with chocolate and shake off excess. Refrigerate until set.

Makes about 5 to 6 dozen truffles.

Note: Refrigerate cookies beforehand for ease in crushing.

-- Recipe from Jennise Cicala of Las Vegas

NORWEGIAN CANDY

1 cup margarine

1 cup slivered almonds

1 cup sugar

1 tablespoon Karo or other light corn syrup

1 tablespoon water

2 1.55-ounce Hershey bars

Place all ingredients except chocolate bars in saucepan over high heat. Stir constantly until mixture boils and is one shade darker than brown sugar (about 10 minutes). Quickly pour the mixture onto a baking sheet and place chocolate bars on top. Allow them to melt, then spread lightly with knife. Cool, then chop into rough, bite-sized pieces with point of knife.

-- Recipe from Deborah Barton of Las Vegas

RENE THACH'S FUDGE

24 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

Pinch of salt

1 to 2 cups chopped nuts (preferably black walnuts)

41/2 cups sugar

1 12-ounce can evaporated milk

Put the chocolate chips, butter, vanilla, salt and nuts into a large mixing bowl.

Put sugar and evaporated milk in a large saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 6 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over contents of bowl and stir until butter is melted and fudge is smooth. Pour into a greased (use nonstick cooking spray) 9-by-13-inch pan and refrigerate until set.

-- Recipe from Rene Thach of Las Vegas

CARAMELS

2 cups whipping cream

1/2 cup milk

2 cups sugar

11/4 cups white Karo syrup

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix the cream and milk and put 1/3 of it into a heavy 4-quart saucepan. Add sugar, syrup and salt. (The reason you don't add the cream mixture all at once is that it will boil over; don't stir while cooking except when adding liquids.)

Cook over fairly low heat for about 30 minutes. Turn up heat and slowly add about half of the remaining cream mixture, while stirring. Do not let mixture in pan stop boiling when adding cream mixture, or it may curdle.

Add the rest of the cream mixture about 15 minutes later. Keep mixture in pan boiling and turn up heat slightly. Cook to soft-ball stage (about 238 degrees on a candy thermometer).

Remove from heat and add vanilla. Without scraping pan, pour mixture into a buttered 8-by-8-inch buttered pan. (Scrape remainder from pan, pour into a small buttered dish and let husband and kids sample.)

Cool at least 24 hours, but preferably 2 to 3 days. After cooling period, cut around sides of pan and with a pancake turner remove from pan. Cut into strips and then the strips into squares; wrap squares with waxed paper.

-- Recipe from Lois Anderson of La Verkin, Utah

SCOTCHEROOS

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 cup peanut butter

6 cups Rice Krispies

1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels

1 cup butterscotch morsels

Combine sugar and corn syrup in 3-quart pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and mix well; add Rice Krispies and mix well.

Press into 13-by-9-inch pan.

Melt morsels in double boiler. Remove from heat and spread evenly over Rice Krispies. Cool and cut into bars.

-- Recipe from Maureen Fillipon of Henderson

MARSHMALLOW SNOWFLAKES

Nonstick cooking spray

2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

11/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup light corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon (pinch) salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Powdered sugar

1- or 2-inch snowflake cutters

Coat 12-by-17-inch rimmed baking pan with cooking spray. Line with parchment paper and spray.

Pour 1/3 cup water into mixer bowl. Add gelatin and soften for 5 minutes.

Place sugar, corn syrup, salt and 1/3 cup water in medium saucepan. Cook until mixture reaches soft-ball stage (238 degrees on a candy thermometer), about 5 minutes.

With mixer on slow speed, whisk gelatin mixture; slowly add syrup, pouring in steady stream down side of bowl. Turn mixer to high speed and beat about 12 minutes, or until three times volume. Add vanilla and mix.

Pour into baking pan and smooth surface. Let set overnight.

Spray cutters with nonstick cooking spray and cut as many snowflakes as you can. Blot bottoms on paper towel and store. (Use scraps for hot chocolate.) Dust with powdered sugar.

Note: If desired, the bottoms of the snowflakes can be dipped into melted chocolate. Cool and serve.

-- Recipe from Sharon Peterson of Las Vegas

TURKISH DELIGHT

Oil for coating pan

3 cups granulated sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

3/4 cup sifted cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

11/2 tablespoons rose water

Pink food coloring

1/4 cup powdered sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon cornstarch, for coating

Oil an 8- or 9-inch square pan.

Place sugar, 1 cup water and lemon juice in a small pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook to 240 degrees. Set aside.

Combine cornstarch, cream of tartar and 3/4 cup water in a medium saucepan; whisk until smooth.

Bring 11/2 cups of water to a boil. Add to cornstarch mixture, whisking constantly. Place over medium heat and stir until thick.

Pour sugar syrup into middle of cornstarch mixture. Simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in rose water and pink color and pour into prepared pan. Let set overnight at room temperature.

Sprinkle coating mix on counter and unmold candy into it. Dust with coating. Cut candy into 1-inch squares. Let set overnight and dust with more sugar mix.

-- Recipe from Sharon Peterson of Las Vegas

FAIRY FOOD

2 cups light Karo syrup

2 cups light brown sugar

4 teaspoons baking soda

Melted chocolate for dipping

Butter or grease a 9-by-13-inch pan.

Put syrup and sugar in a large saucepan. Cook to hard-crack stage (290 to 300 degrees on a candy thermometer). Remove from heat.

Immediately beat in baking soda and pour into pan. It will probably foam up and nearly go over the edge of the pan, but will stop and shrink back down when it hardens.

Let cool. Break into chunks.

Dip chunks into melted chocolate (light or dark, your preference). Place on wax paper to harden.

-- Recipe from Candace Rosiak of Las Vegas

DELUXE MIXED NUT BRITTLE

11/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

11/2 cups sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra butter for cookie sheets

1 21-ounce can Planters Deluxe Mixed Nuts

Butter two cookie sheets and keep warm in oven.

Mix baking soda, 1 teaspoon water and vanilla; set aside.

In 4-quart saucepan combine sugar, 1 cup water and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until temperature on candy thermometer reaches 240 degrees. Stir in butter and nuts.

Cook, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 300 degrees. Immediately remove from heat, stir in baking soda mixture and quickly stir until well combined. Divide between warm cookie sheets and quickly spread as thin as possible. Cool thoroughly on wire rack. Break into pieces and store in airtight container.

Notes: Approximate cooking time is 11/2 hours. After adding nuts, do not leave mixture alone, because it can burn easily. (The darker the caramel, the richer the flavor, but there is a fine line between dark and burned, so be careful.)

Only make 1 batch at a time. Be careful to use a large pot, as mixture will expand when baking soda is added. Use wooden spoon for stirring. (Plastic will melt.)

Make sure trays are warm and work quickly with hot mixture for a thinner layer.

Splatters will burn; keep children at a distance.

-- Recipe from Denise L. Rousseau of Henderson

Contact reporter Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474.