Alcohol candies can be an interesting addition to a wine gift basket. Here is how you can make these delightful confectioneries in your very own kitchen!
Did you Know?
Liquor-flavored candies were first created by Ruth Hanly Booe from Frankfort, Kentucky in late 1930s.
Generally, alcohol candies refer to a variety of confectioneries prepared by mixing your favorite alcohol with a wide variety of candies that include hard-boiled sweets, chocolate candies, gummy sweets or the good old cotton candy. Whatever be their combination, they are simply delicious! And they are great to pass around at any Bachelorette or Hens party.
Take your pick…
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
- Semisweet chocolate, 1 lb. (Grated)
- Pecans, 2 cups (Halved)
- Caramel candies, 1 cup
- Rum/whiskey, 1 tbsp.
- Heavy cream, 1½ tsp.
- Salt, ¼ tsp.
Procedure
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Take a large baking sheet and spread the pecans on it in a single layer. Bake the pecans till they turn brown. This might take approximately 10 minutes.
- Put them on a plate to cool down. Meanwhile, place a parchment paper on the baking sheet.
- Mix together some caramel, cream, liquor, and salt in small glass bowl.
- Microwave it uncovered for 2 minutes at medium power. Take it out of the bowl and stir well to blend it.
- Place the bowl back and microwave it for one more minute. Stir and keep it aside.
- Place half of the grated chocolate in a bowl and melt it by placing the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
- Once the chocolate has liquefied, take it off the heat. Add rest of the chocolate and stir.
- Pour half of the melted chocolate into a separate bowl and set aside.
- Add a cup of the roasted pecans to the remaining chocolate, and pour the mixture onto a baking sheet. It should have a thickness of about ¼ to ½ an inch.
- Drizzle the caramel mixture in a layer over it and add the remaining nuts.
- Top it off with chocolate that has been set aside, and let it set at room temperature for about 2 hours. Do not chill.
- Once it sets, cut it into candy sized cubes. Store the candies in an airtight container.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- Sugar Crystals, 2 cups
- Hot water, ¾ cup
- Light corn syrup, ⅔ cup
- Powdered sugar, ¼ cup
- Schnapps, ¼ cup
- Unflavored cooking spray
- Food coloring
Procedure
- Pour some hot water into a pot. Add sugar and corn syrup to it.
- Stir the mixture and place it on medium heat.
- Ensure that the sugar completely dissolves. Now, insert a kitchen thermometer into the mixture and heat until it reaches 300°F. When it does, remove from heat and set aside.
- Add a few drops of your favorite food coloring and stir till it gets blended.
- Pour in the schnapps, and continue to stir till the alcohol has mixed well.
- Grease a cookie sheet with unflavored cooking spray and place it in a tray. Pour the mixture onto it.
- Place the tray into the refrigerator and leave it there to cool. The mixture should set and become firm in the next 4 hours.
- Once it is firm, take it out and use a table knife to cut it into pieces.
- Dust the candy pieces lightly with powdered sugar. Store in an air-tight jar.
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
- Powdered Sugar, ¾ cup
- Bourbon/tequila, ¼ cup
- Corn syrup, 3 tbsp.
- Chilled Water, 2 tbsp.
- Food coloring, ¼ tsp.
- Kosher salt, 1 pinch
Procedure
- This recipe requires lollipop molds and sticks. So make sure to buy them before starting this recipe.
- Take a clean saucepan. Pour some bourbon/tequila into it. Keep aside a teaspoon of liquor for subsequent use.
- Add chilled water, powdered sugar, salt and corn syrup to the liquor in the saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and let the mixture boil. Stir gently with a spatula for 5 minutes. Once sugar dissolves, boil the mixture without stirring it.
- Remove from heat. Add to it a teaspoon of liquor that was previously set aside, along with your chosen food coloring agent. Stir well.
- Pour the hot mixture into lollipop molds using a spoon.
- Insert a lollipop stick in the mixture. Twist it so that it is fully covered in the mixture.
- Set the molds to cool immediately.
- Remove the lollies from their molds and place them in a clean container. Store them in a cool place.
Preparation Time: 2 minutes
Ingredients
- Gummy Bear candies, 2 lbs. (preferably multicolored)
- Vodka, 2 cups
Procedure
- This recipe does not involve any cooking process. Although the preparation time is merely 2 minutes, these candies get ready for consumption only after 6 days. So, plan to prepare them in advance.
- Start by putting all the gummy bears in a transparent jar. This jar must have a lid and should allow sufficient space for the candies to expand in size.
- Pour vodka on the gummy bears. Ensure that the candies are completely soaked.
- Cover the jar with a lid and place it in the refrigerator.
- Leave the jar in the fridge for about a week. Stir the candies with a spoon at least once in a day to ensure that they get evenly soaked.
- By the end of the week, your gummy bears will have soaked up all the vodka and expanded to almost double of their original size.
- Let the jar remain in the fridge until the candies are served.
Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients
- Vodka, 10 oz.
- Cola, 1½ tbsp.
- Grenadine, 1½ tsp.
- Ice cubes, 1 bowl
- Cotton candy, 1 packet (any color)
Procedure
- Take a martini shaker. Pour vodka, cola, and grenadine into it as per the quantities mentioned above. Shake it well.
- Pour the martini into glasses. Drop some ice cubes into them.
- Place a handful of cotton candy on the glass right when you are serving the martini. It will gradually dissolve, to create a special visual effect.
These recipes yield great results that are sure to become a rage within your circle of friends. However, you need to be cautious if there are kids at home. These candies look similar to any normal candy and can be tempting to your kids. So, store them in a safe place as a precaution.