candy using milk chocolate

Thanks to you all!

Good milk chocolate happens to be my favorite. You can do a milk chocolate bar with nuts and dried fruit or orange rind, chocolate covered apricots or orange peel. How about chocolate covered oreos, which you can drizzle with white chocolate for a nice artistic touch. Chocolate fudge is another option. If you wanted to go simple, there are plenty of recipes that use sweetened condensed milk and take no time at all. Alternatively, you can make peanut butter cups or any of the other recipes out there that are intended to recreate your good ol' candy bars like Twix, Almond Joys and Snickers. I know a few exist on serious eats. Another way to use up chocolate is to make a hot chocolate mix that uses the chocolate with possibly some cocoa and whatever other flavor you want to add. Package it nicely (maybe with some mugs and homemade marshmallows) and provide directions as to how much milk/ cream, ect to be added.

I make about 50 pounds every Christmas.

Almond Roca (Adapted from BBCL - Anna)

3 cups sliced almonds, divided
4 sticks (1 pound or 2 cups) unsalted butter
3/4 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
scant 2 cups granulated sugar (I use 390 grams worth)
2 tablespoons Lyle's Golden Syrup or light corn syrup
1 teaspoon baking soda
12 ounces fine quality milk chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Evenly spread 1 cup sliced almonds onto a baking sheet and place in the oven until they turn a light brown, stirring occasionally, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Slightly crush almonds. Set aside remaining almonds for use later on.

Cover a 10" X 15" baking pan with foil and set aside.

Place butter, water and salt in a large heavy bottomed saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter has melted. Stir in sugar and Golden Syrup (or corn syrup). Attach a candy thermometer inside the pan and leave the heat on medium. Bring mixture to a boil and cook, without stirring, until the temperature reaches 240 degrees. Stir in the remaining 2 cups almonds. Keep stirring until the temperature reaches 295 to 300 degrees.

Remove pan from the heat and carefully stir in baking soda. Working quickly, pour mixture into the prepared pan, gently pushing hot candy into the corners with a heat-safe spatula if needed. This will begin to set very fast so don't mess around too much.

Wait 5 minutes, then sprinkle chopped chocolate over the top of the candy and let sit for 5 more minutes. Using a small off-set spatula, spread the softened chocolate evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the crushed almonds and let cool at room temperature for about 60 minutes. Place in the refrigerator and let sit until the chocolate has set. Break into chunks with a knife or your hands.

Makes about 3 1/2 pounds.

You can make peppermint bark using milk chocolate, it's a great edible gift!