Bars, Breads & Cookies Trail Items:
Bars, Breads & Cookies:
With homemade items try to eat your product within 3-4 days of baking it. Most homemade items can be frozen safely in advance (cut into indivdual portions, wrap, and store in large freezer bags.). Most frozen items are good for 1-2 months in a freezer.
The "You can make them your way" Bars:
Cereal Bars:
3/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
5 cups cereal (flakes work well)
1/2 cup raisins or other small dried fruit (I preferred dried cranberries)
Corn syrup and brown sugar in large saucepan, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter Add cereal and fruit. Stir until well coated. (A silicone spatula works well)
Press mixture into a buttered or sprayed 13x9 pan for thin bars, a 8x8 pan for thick bars. Press with spatula so packed in.
Cut when cool!
Fair warning: while utterly addicting, don't eat if you have funky dental work! They are sticky goodness.
Soft Peanut Butter Fat Bomb Cookies:
The recipe is posted on RecipeZarr. My version is here:
FILLING
Use a mixer to cream together shortening, peanut butter and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs.
Mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture.
Shape into 1 inch or so balls and place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 375 F for about 8-12 minutes until golden. When you take them out, they will be a bit soft but leave them on the sheet for a couple minutes and they will continue to cook.
Remove from the sheet and cool on wire racks.
When cool, in a mixing bowl, beat filling ingredients until smooth with mixer. With the milk add in enough to get it for spreading.
Spread on one half of cool cookies and top each with another cookie.
Recipe made about 30 filled cookies (yes, my cookies tend to be bigger than the recipes call for).
These cookies are fat bombs, no way to deny that. We ate them on our trip and enjoyed them very much in the cold weather. I wrapped each cookie up in plastic wrap and carried them in a freezer bag. The cookies are very moist and dense, so handled being smashed around.
Big Double Ginger Cookies:
Gorp Bars:
Banana Bread:
Scones:
DanielBars:
With homemade items try to eat your product within 3-4 days of baking it. Most homemade items can be frozen safely in advance (cut into indivdual portions, wrap, and store in large freezer bags.). Most frozen items are good for 1-2 months in a freezer.
The "You can make them your way" Bars:
Call
them a chewy granola bar or an energy bar, either way, these are
good! They freeze well also (wrap them up two bars to a bag for an easy
trail snack out of the freezer.) Trust me, you will LOVE these bars.
Yes, they are high in fat, but if you are hiking hard, you will burn it
off. And they are better for you than a candy bar!
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup dried cranberries (or whatever fruit you prefer!)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or other nut of choice, unsalted)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line a 13x9 inch pan with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, craisins,wheat germ, salt, cinnamon, and pecans.
4. In a smaller bowl, thoroughly blend oil, honey, egg, and vanilla; pour into flour mixture, and mix by hand until the liquid is evenly distributed.
5. I use rubber gloves for this.
6. Press evenly into the prepared baking pan. Make sure it is packed in tightly.
7. Bake 25-30 minutes in the oven or until the edges are golden.
8. Cool completely in pan before turning out onto a cutting board and cutting into bars.
Makes 12-16 bars.
Notes: These bars take well to using applesauce or baby prunes as part of the oil. Brown sugar Splenda® works well as a way to cut back on the sugar content for diabetics. Any nut can be used, and feel free to change the fruit or add chocolate chips, etc to the batter! These bars have been made by a number of hikers on hiking forums, and the consensus is they are fang good!-no matter how you change the recipe!
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup dried cranberries (or whatever fruit you prefer!)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or other nut of choice, unsalted)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Line a 13x9 inch pan with parchment paper.
3. In a large bowl, stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, craisins,wheat germ, salt, cinnamon, and pecans.
4. In a smaller bowl, thoroughly blend oil, honey, egg, and vanilla; pour into flour mixture, and mix by hand until the liquid is evenly distributed.
5. I use rubber gloves for this.
6. Press evenly into the prepared baking pan. Make sure it is packed in tightly.
7. Bake 25-30 minutes in the oven or until the edges are golden.
8. Cool completely in pan before turning out onto a cutting board and cutting into bars.
Makes 12-16 bars.
Notes: These bars take well to using applesauce or baby prunes as part of the oil. Brown sugar Splenda® works well as a way to cut back on the sugar content for diabetics. Any nut can be used, and feel free to change the fruit or add chocolate chips, etc to the batter! These bars have been made by a number of hikers on hiking forums, and the consensus is they are fang good!-no matter how you change the recipe!
Cereal Bars:
3/4 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
5 cups cereal (flakes work well)
1/2 cup raisins or other small dried fruit (I preferred dried cranberries)
Corn syrup and brown sugar in large saucepan, cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter Add cereal and fruit. Stir until well coated. (A silicone spatula works well)
Press mixture into a buttered or sprayed 13x9 pan for thin bars, a 8x8 pan for thick bars. Press with spatula so packed in.
Cut when cool!
Fair warning: while utterly addicting, don't eat if you have funky dental work! They are sticky goodness.
Soft Peanut Butter Fat Bomb Cookies:
The recipe is posted on RecipeZarr. My version is here:
1 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1 cup sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
3 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
FILLING
1/2 cup peanut butter
3 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-6 Tbsp milk
3 cups icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-6 Tbsp milk
Use a mixer to cream together shortening, peanut butter and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs.
Mix together flour, baking soda and salt. Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture.
Shape into 1 inch or so balls and place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 375 F for about 8-12 minutes until golden. When you take them out, they will be a bit soft but leave them on the sheet for a couple minutes and they will continue to cook.
Remove from the sheet and cool on wire racks.
When cool, in a mixing bowl, beat filling ingredients until smooth with mixer. With the milk add in enough to get it for spreading.
Spread on one half of cool cookies and top each with another cookie.
Recipe made about 30 filled cookies (yes, my cookies tend to be bigger than the recipes call for).
These cookies are fat bombs, no way to deny that. We ate them on our trip and enjoyed them very much in the cold weather. I wrapped each cookie up in plastic wrap and carried them in a freezer bag. The cookies are very moist and dense, so handled being smashed around.
Big Double Ginger Cookies:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup diced candied ginger
2 Tbsp white sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Add the candied ginger. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Makes roughly 2 dozen cookies. Wrapped in plastic wrap these are excellent for first night out.
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
1/4 cup molasses
1/4 cup diced candied ginger
2 Tbsp white sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Add the candied ginger. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
Makes roughly 2 dozen cookies. Wrapped in plastic wrap these are excellent for first night out.
Gorp Bars:
12 ounces chocolate chips (a bag)
6 ounces butterscotch chips
1 cup uncooked quick oatmeal
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup broken cashews
1/2 cup peanuts or walnuts or sliced almonds
Melt chips in a double boiler or in microwave (carefully if you use the microwave), blend in the honey. Pour over everything else in a large bowl. Mix well, working fast. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan (or use the parchment paper way described in the fudge). When partly cool, cut into bars..whatever size you would like. Wrap in plastic wrap. Store in the frig or freezer till trail time.
6 ounces butterscotch chips
1 cup uncooked quick oatmeal
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup broken cashews
1/2 cup peanuts or walnuts or sliced almonds
Melt chips in a double boiler or in microwave (carefully if you use the microwave), blend in the honey. Pour over everything else in a large bowl. Mix well, working fast. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan (or use the parchment paper way described in the fudge). When partly cool, cut into bars..whatever size you would like. Wrap in plastic wrap. Store in the frig or freezer till trail time.
Banana Bread:
1 1/4 cups mashed bananas
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup margarine (or butter)
1 1/3 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease with margarine or butter, two 7x3 inch loaf pans. Combine banana and sour cream. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and banana mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir into the banana mixture. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. (Check at 40 minutes, may need as long as 55-60 minutes.) Resist urge to eat till cool. And you want very ripe bananas for this. When cool, slice, and wrap in plastic wrap. Loaves can be wrapped and frozen for later eating.
1/2 cup of chocolate chips and or nuts are also good!
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup margarine (or butter)
1 1/3 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease with margarine or butter, two 7x3 inch loaf pans. Combine banana and sour cream. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and banana mixture. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Stir into the banana mixture. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pans. Bake for 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. (Check at 40 minutes, may need as long as 55-60 minutes.) Resist urge to eat till cool. And you want very ripe bananas for this. When cool, slice, and wrap in plastic wrap. Loaves can be wrapped and frozen for later eating.
1/2 cup of chocolate chips and or nuts are also good!
Scones:
This
recipe can be adapted to many different types-sweet to savory. Scones
pack well in plastic wrap-and are great even if crumbled.
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar (do not use if you decide to do savory)
4 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 400* Lightly grease or spray a baking sheet.
In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Mix the milk and egg together, and stir into the flour until moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times till not sticky. Pat dough out till about a 1/2" thick, and in a circle. Cut into 8 wedges, and put on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, or till golden brown.
Suggestions: add dried candied ginger, or diced dried fruit. Add in 1 tsp cinnamon or 1 tsp vanilla. Do fruit with chocolate chips. If you do savory, do a mix of herbs (dry) along with onions and cheese. Use your imagination!
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar (do not use if you decide to do savory)
4 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
1 beaten egg
1 cup milk
Preheat oven to 400* Lightly grease or spray a baking sheet.
In a large bowl combine all dry ingredients. Cut in butter. Mix the milk and egg together, and stir into the flour until moistened. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times till not sticky. Pat dough out till about a 1/2" thick, and in a circle. Cut into 8 wedges, and put on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes, or till golden brown.
Suggestions: add dried candied ginger, or diced dried fruit. Add in 1 tsp cinnamon or 1 tsp vanilla. Do fruit with chocolate chips. If you do savory, do a mix of herbs (dry) along with onions and cheese. Use your imagination!
Rendezvous's Trail Energy Bars:
The recipe is always variable, but here is the gist of it:
18 oz. jar of peanut butter
1 cup honey
1 stick butter
1/2 bag of marshmallows
Melt together and bring to rolling boil, boil for about two minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir in about 1-1.5 cups instant powdered milk until absorbed.
Add one box of favorite cereal--I've used granola, but for nutrition I prefer Kashi Go-Lean Crunch® or anything else with higher protein content.
Spread in 9 x 13 pan lined with wax paper. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes, then spread 1 cup of mini M & M's® over the top and squish in and flatten out, using a piece of wax paper or a rubber spatula.
Cool for another half hour, cut into bars, allow to cool completely, break into
bars and package individually in snack-size zip storage bags.
Version 2:
Made a no-honey, lotsa chocolate version of my trail bars.
1 stick butter, 18 oz. jar peanut butter, 2 cups miniature
marshmallows, 12 oz. bag semi-sweet chocolate morsels, 1/2 cup dutch process
cocoa, 1 cup instant dry milk, 5 cups Kashi Go-Lean Crunch® cereal.
I only brought the mixture up to a boil but didn't
let it boil for a couple minutes as there wasn't much sugar to set up, and with
the relative low melting points of the chocolate and the butter I don't
think this version would be that great on the trail in July.
Thank you to
Rendezvous for the recipe.
Daniel
1/2 cup melted butter, unsalted
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 cups raisins, dried cranberries, and chopped nuts
Mix all the ingredients and press into an 8 x 8-inch
microwaveable pan. Microwave on high for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the mixture
starts to turn brown. It should be soft to the touch when you take it out of
the microwave. Cool, cut into squares, and wrap in plastic.
Yield
Fudge:
Fudge Recipes:
I love making fudge for backpacking trips. It is great for group trips. It is sweet, high in fat, easy to carry and almost everybody loves fudge.
Yes, I know this it isn't freezer bag cooking per say, but it is good eating!
All my fudge recipes are molded into an 8x8" pan that is lined with wax or preferably, parchment paper (butter the pan first and the paper will stay in place when pouring). Refrigrate after pouring, then pop out, take off paper. I trim the fudge, wrap in 2 layers of plastic wrap, then put it in a gallon ziploc bag for carrying. Most fudge will do fine up into the mid to high 60's for temps. Fudge made at home should be eaten within a week or less. It does not have preservatives in it, as commercial items would.
Chocolate-Peppermint Fudge:
Rocky Road Fudge:
The Easiest Best Fudge Ever:
Bear Scat Fudge:
PB & Chocolate Fudge:
Peanut Butter "Fudge":
This isn't a backpacking recipe but it could be a recipe to make at home to impress your hiking friends while making s'mores.
Fair warning: it isn't a recipe for those who don't like to cook and while fairly simple, it can be intimidating to kitchen newbies as it does require a couple pieces of kitchen equipment.
Homemade marshmallows are something to make at least once in your life. They taste nothing like the stale dry counterparts you find in bags at the store. These are candy, meant to be enjoyed!
The recipe here has 5 ingredients and nothing fake added in. For those who cannot have artificial dyes this is almost the only way to have marshmallows. To give you an idea of what commercial marshmallows contain, here is the ingredient list for a certain brand name company:
"CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, DEXTROSE, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, WATER, GELATIN, TETRASODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE (WHIPPING AID), ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, ARTIFICIAL COLOR (BLUE 1)".
I came across my recipe on another blog, Boiled Parsnip. The recipe seemed like fun so I decided to give it a try. I did a couple minor changes to the recipe to make it more user friendly.
You will notice this is a more unusual recipe in that there is no corn syrup in it. While you can now find organic corn syrup it isn't easy to find it. Commercial corn syrup is almost always a blend of regular corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup. And no thanks to that!
Maple Syrup Marshmallows:
I love making fudge for backpacking trips. It is great for group trips. It is sweet, high in fat, easy to carry and almost everybody loves fudge.
Yes, I know this it isn't freezer bag cooking per say, but it is good eating!
All my fudge recipes are molded into an 8x8" pan that is lined with wax or preferably, parchment paper (butter the pan first and the paper will stay in place when pouring). Refrigrate after pouring, then pop out, take off paper. I trim the fudge, wrap in 2 layers of plastic wrap, then put it in a gallon ziploc bag for carrying. Most fudge will do fine up into the mid to high 60's for temps. Fudge made at home should be eaten within a week or less. It does not have preservatives in it, as commercial items would.
Chocolate-Peppermint Fudge:
3 cups chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter (use only butter)
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup fresh, chopped peppermint leaves (the leaves must be 100% dry of any water)
Put chocolate, butter and milk into a heatproof glass bowl, put that over a gently simmering pot of water on the stove. Using the double boiler method, slowly melt. Stir periodically. When melted, add the walnuts and peppermint leaves.
Pour into a prepared pan. Put into the refrigerator till cold.
1/2 cup butter (use only butter)
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup fresh, chopped peppermint leaves (the leaves must be 100% dry of any water)
Put chocolate, butter and milk into a heatproof glass bowl, put that over a gently simmering pot of water on the stove. Using the double boiler method, slowly melt. Stir periodically. When melted, add the walnuts and peppermint leaves.
Pour into a prepared pan. Put into the refrigerator till cold.
Rocky Road Fudge:
12 oz's semi-sweet chocolate chips (1 package)
11 oz's butterscotch chips (1 package)
1 16 oz bag of miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy works best)
Put the chips and peanut butter into a microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes at 70%. Stir well. If needed microwave for another minute in 10-15 second intervals. When smooth, add in marshmallows and mix up. Spread in pan and cool. This fudge is very high but so good! I use this to bribe my buddy Wrongbridge into making and tending me a roaring fire on cold nights....
11 oz's butterscotch chips (1 package)
1 16 oz bag of miniature marshmallows
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy works best)
Put the chips and peanut butter into a microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 2 minutes at 70%. Stir well. If needed microwave for another minute in 10-15 second intervals. When smooth, add in marshmallows and mix up. Spread in pan and cool. This fudge is very high but so good! I use this to bribe my buddy Wrongbridge into making and tending me a roaring fire on cold nights....
The Easiest Best Fudge Ever:
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream (ie. whipping cream)
1 3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups of chips (use any flavor! Chocolate, peanut butter, vanilla, butterscotch, mint, etc)
1/2 tsp vanilla or whatever flavor extract you would like (almond, peppermint, etc.)
Combine sugar, salt, butter, cream and marshmallows in a heavy medium saucepan. Set over medium heat, cook, stirring until butter and marshmallows are almost melted. That will take about 5-6 minutes. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Take off burner. Add chips and flavoring to pan. Start stirring and keep that going until all the chips are melted and it looks all nicely mixed. Pour into the pan. Let sit for 3 hours (or 1 in the fridge) before you take out of the pan.
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup heavy cream (ie. whipping cream)
1 3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups of chips (use any flavor! Chocolate, peanut butter, vanilla, butterscotch, mint, etc)
1/2 tsp vanilla or whatever flavor extract you would like (almond, peppermint, etc.)
Combine sugar, salt, butter, cream and marshmallows in a heavy medium saucepan. Set over medium heat, cook, stirring until butter and marshmallows are almost melted. That will take about 5-6 minutes. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Take off burner. Add chips and flavoring to pan. Start stirring and keep that going until all the chips are melted and it looks all nicely mixed. Pour into the pan. Let sit for 3 hours (or 1 in the fridge) before you take out of the pan.
Bear Scat Fudge:
It might be Cranberry Fudge, and it might be tasty, but pretty it is not.
1 package of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup canned evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 6 oz package dried cranberries
In a heavy medium sauce pan, over low heat, melt the chips and corn syrup, stirring, till melted. Watch this, and do not leave. Take off heat. Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Mix well, until smooth. Add in cranberries and pour into your pan. Refrigerate for 8 hours, then cut. This fudge is flexible, and should be cut while cold.
1 package of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup canned evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 6 oz package dried cranberries
In a heavy medium sauce pan, over low heat, melt the chips and corn syrup, stirring, till melted. Watch this, and do not leave. Take off heat. Add powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Mix well, until smooth. Add in cranberries and pour into your pan. Refrigerate for 8 hours, then cut. This fudge is flexible, and should be cut while cold.
PB & Chocolate Fudge:
2/3 cup milk
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup mini marshmallows
2 cups chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup plain M&M's®
In a 2 quart pot, combine milk and sugar. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, then simmer for 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and quickly add marshmallows, peanut butter and M&M's®. Mix well. Pour into a prepared pan and allow to cool, then cut and wrap tightly.
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup mini marshmallows
2 cups chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup plain M&M's®
In a 2 quart pot, combine milk and sugar. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil, then simmer for 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and quickly add marshmallows, peanut butter and M&M's®. Mix well. Pour into a prepared pan and allow to cool, then cut and wrap tightly.
Peanut Butter "Fudge":
1 1/2 cups quick oats
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 (12 ounce) bag chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350*.
Combine oats, milk, salt and vanilla. Stir in peanut butter and chips. Press into a 8X8" baking pan (greased). Bake for 30 minutes. Cool, cut and wrap tightly.
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 (12 ounce) bag chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350*.
Combine oats, milk, salt and vanilla. Stir in peanut butter and chips. Press into a 8X8" baking pan (greased). Bake for 30 minutes. Cool, cut and wrap tightly.
This isn't a backpacking recipe but it could be a recipe to make at home to impress your hiking friends while making s'mores.
Fair warning: it isn't a recipe for those who don't like to cook and while fairly simple, it can be intimidating to kitchen newbies as it does require a couple pieces of kitchen equipment.
Homemade marshmallows are something to make at least once in your life. They taste nothing like the stale dry counterparts you find in bags at the store. These are candy, meant to be enjoyed!
The recipe here has 5 ingredients and nothing fake added in. For those who cannot have artificial dyes this is almost the only way to have marshmallows. To give you an idea of what commercial marshmallows contain, here is the ingredient list for a certain brand name company:
"CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, DEXTROSE, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, WATER, GELATIN, TETRASODIUM PYROPHOSPHATE (WHIPPING AID), ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, ARTIFICIAL COLOR (BLUE 1)".
I came across my recipe on another blog, Boiled Parsnip. The recipe seemed like fun so I decided to give it a try. I did a couple minor changes to the recipe to make it more user friendly.
You will notice this is a more unusual recipe in that there is no corn syrup in it. While you can now find organic corn syrup it isn't easy to find it. Commercial corn syrup is almost always a blend of regular corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup. And no thanks to that!
Maple Syrup Marshmallows:
3 Tbsp gelatin (3 packets)
1/2 cup water
2 cups maple syrup
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (This helps the "fluff", find in the spice section)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pour gelatin and water into a stand mixer bowl. Make sure you have the whisk attachment on. Let the mixture sit while you heat up the maple syrup in a large saucepan with a heavy bottom. Cook the maple syrup and cream of tartar to hard-ball stage or 250* degrees. You will need a quality candy thermometer either analog or digital that clips onto the pan. I brought my syrup to this temperature over med high heat. If you haven't made candy before this can be a tad scary as the syrup is boiling. Make sure you have no kids, pets or hands falling into the syrup. 250* is VERY hot!
With oven mitts get your pan over to stand mixer. Pour it slowly into the gelatin while the mixer is running on low. Add the salt and vanilla. Turn it up to high and ignore it for a couple minutes. When it's very fluffy and seems to be done expanding pour the mixture into a lightly buttered 9"x13" pan. You will know when it is ready, it looks like marshmallow fluff. Use a silicone spatula to spread it evenly. Eat the left over marshmallow fluff off the whisk.
Let it set for 2-3 hours and then cut into squares. This can be tricky as it will be a bit sticky. You may want to lightly butter your knife. In a large bowl toss the cut marshmallows in powdered sugar. This will allow you to store them without sticking. You can also cut out shapes with deep cookie cutters dipped in the sugar.
These can be used in recipes calling for marshmallows or for simply nibbling away. They melt in your mouth as you eat them! They do have a very strong flavor - so if you love maple syrup you will love them. If not? Then bland corn syrup is your friend ;-) On a side note, the marshmallows are a pale khaki color. This is normal due to the syrup. That blue dye in the commercial variety? It is there to make the white whiter!
More ideas:
Substitute 2 cups of sugar and 1/2 a cup of water for the maple syrup. This makes a 'simple syrup'.
Substitute other flavors for the vanilla. Mint works well.
1/2 cup water
2 cups maple syrup
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (This helps the "fluff", find in the spice section)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pour gelatin and water into a stand mixer bowl. Make sure you have the whisk attachment on. Let the mixture sit while you heat up the maple syrup in a large saucepan with a heavy bottom. Cook the maple syrup and cream of tartar to hard-ball stage or 250* degrees. You will need a quality candy thermometer either analog or digital that clips onto the pan. I brought my syrup to this temperature over med high heat. If you haven't made candy before this can be a tad scary as the syrup is boiling. Make sure you have no kids, pets or hands falling into the syrup. 250* is VERY hot!
With oven mitts get your pan over to stand mixer. Pour it slowly into the gelatin while the mixer is running on low. Add the salt and vanilla. Turn it up to high and ignore it for a couple minutes. When it's very fluffy and seems to be done expanding pour the mixture into a lightly buttered 9"x13" pan. You will know when it is ready, it looks like marshmallow fluff. Use a silicone spatula to spread it evenly. Eat the left over marshmallow fluff off the whisk.
Let it set for 2-3 hours and then cut into squares. This can be tricky as it will be a bit sticky. You may want to lightly butter your knife. In a large bowl toss the cut marshmallows in powdered sugar. This will allow you to store them without sticking. You can also cut out shapes with deep cookie cutters dipped in the sugar.
These can be used in recipes calling for marshmallows or for simply nibbling away. They melt in your mouth as you eat them! They do have a very strong flavor - so if you love maple syrup you will love them. If not? Then bland corn syrup is your friend ;-) On a side note, the marshmallows are a pale khaki color. This is normal due to the syrup. That blue dye in the commercial variety? It is there to make the white whiter!
More ideas:
Substitute 2 cups of sugar and 1/2 a cup of water for the maple syrup. This makes a 'simple syrup'.
Substitute other flavors for the vanilla. Mint works well.
