Chocolate treats for a holiday weekend

Barb from Hudson has made her Chocolate Molasses Caramels for as long as she can remember.

Stacy from Hastings likes to make Turtles as a surprise for her kids.

Karen from Coldwater says her Peanutty-Chocolate Bonbons sound fancy, but they’re easy to make and delicious.

Here are their recipes:

CHOCOLATE MOLASSES CARAMELS

3 T butter

3/4 c heavy cream

1 c sugar

1 c molasses

4-1 oz squares unsweetened chocolate

1/2 t vanilla

DIRECTIONS: Lightly grease an 8x8 or 9x9 inch baking pan with a little butter. Set aside. Melt butter in a saucepan. Add cream, sugar and molasses. Bring mixture to boiling. Add chocolate and stir to melt. Continue boiling, stirring occasionally, until mixture reaches the firm ball stage; 248 degrees on a candy thermometer. Add vanilla and mix. Pour into the baking pan, having the mixture 1 to 2 inches deep. Let cool. When almost cold, cut into cubes and wrap individually in wax paper. Place on a baking sheet in a single layer and refrigerate until hardened.

TURTLES

3 1/2 c light brown sugar

1-14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 c light corn syrup

1 c butter

4 c pecan halves

12 oz pkg milk chocolate chips

1/2 bar paraffin wax

DIRECTIONS: In a saucepan, mix together brown sugar, condensed milk, corn syrup and butter. Bring to a boil, stirring often, and heat to 230 degrees (soft ball stage) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in pecan halves. Drop mixture by teaspoonsful onto a buttered baking sheet. Let stand until turtles are firm. Melt chocolate and paraffin together. Dip each turtle into the mixture and place on waxed paper. Chill in a refrigerator until firm.

PEANUTTY – CHOCOLATE BONBONS

6 oz cream cheese, softened

1 T milk

4 c confectioners’ sugar

1/3 c cocoa powder

1 t vanilla

1 c finely chopped peanuts

12 oz pkg peanut butter chips

2 T shortening

DIRECTIONS: Beat cream cheese and milk in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. Blend in confectioners’ sugar, cocoa and vanilla. Stir in peanuts. Cover and chill for several hours until firm enough to handle. Form into 3/4 inch balls. Place on a wax paper lined tray. Refrigerate uncovered for 4 hours, until dry. To coat – melt peanut butter chips and shortening in a saucepan. Set aside to cool slightly. Dip balls into mixture and lift out with a fork. Place on waxed paper, swirling a thread of the mixture across the top for decoration. Refrigerate bonbons uncovered for 1 hour. Store in a cool, dry place.

Dear Lynn,

I’ve been looking for really good recipes for either Black Forest Pies or Black Forest Cakes. Can you help?

Ruth from Pioneer

Please send recipe and requests to The Recipe Exchange at lynneckerle@gmail.com.