Sometimes it takes just a few simple ingredients to win a heart. That's what fellow Southerner Ben Mims recently did. And he did it with candy.
Making candy at home can be a bit fussy and time-consuming, but Mims' recent cookbook, "Sweet and Southern: Traditional Southern Desserts," has a simple recipe with a homey story.
It was his Aunt Barbara Jane's pretzel-peanut chocolate candies. Crunchy, salty and sweet, these chocolates are similar to bark, but easier. You simply mix everything together, then spoon it onto waxed paper to set up.
You can make Mims' pretzel-peanut-semi-sweet chocolate version, but you can also use cashew-coconut-chopped dried mango or dried cherry-toasted almonds-chopped candied ginger versions. Looking for other combinations? Mix whatever intrigues you; just stick to the proportions in the recipe and you should be fine. Or try these combinations:
* Pistachios, dried cherries and milk chocolate
* Toasted hazelnuts, raisins and dark chocolate
* Cornflakes, butterscotch chips and milk chocolate
* White chocolate, dried apricots and cashews
* Mini marshmallows, toasted almonds and dark chocolate
* Dark chocolate, orange zest, crystalized ginger and pecans
* Crumbled cooked bacon, peanuts and milk chocolate
CHOCOLATE CANDY CLUSTERS
10-ounce bag bittersweet chocolate
3 cups mix-ins (see ideas above)
Line a baking sheet with kitchen parchment.
Place the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high in 10- to 15-second bursts, stirring in between, until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Stir in the mix-ins of your choice, making sure they are evenly distributed and coated with melted chocolate.
Using 2 teaspoons, drop large spoonsful of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Let cool completely. Place in small decorative cupcake wrappers and store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to a week.
Start to finish: 30 minutes. Makes 40 clusters.