Sugar Savvy

What happens when you have a major candy craving and find yourself in a house with no candy? You scour the pantry and make your own. And you make it fast.

As a baker I always have chocolate chips on hand, which is a good thing when one of those candyless candy craving strikes. Lucky for me I found myself with an abundance of other baking chips to choose from. I also had mini-marshmallows and pretzels, which both go great with chocolate.

When I have an impulsive craving such as my recent candy craving I want it satisfied quickly. I want something that tastes good, but requires little effort and wait time. And of course, as little clean up as possible. Hopscotch Haystacks and Double Chocolate Clusters are about as quick and easy with minimal clean up as you’re going to get. Thanks to the ease of preparation and my vast selection of baking chips I was able to satisfy my candy craving and give myself a little variety in the process.

The following recipes only take a few minutes to prepare, but must be chilled so that the candy will harden - but if you get impatient the stuff tastes yummy eaten right out of the spoon.

Hopscotch Haystacks

1 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1 Tbsp vegetable shortening
1 cup pretzels, broken into small pieces

1. Microwave butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips and shortening in microwave safe bowl for 1 minute; stir and continue microwaving in 15 second intervals and repeat stirring until just melted and smooth.

2. Stir in pretzels and drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper.

3. Chill until set. Eat and enjoy!

Double Chocolate Clusters

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup pretzels, broken into small pieces
1/4 cup mini-marshmallows

1. Microwave chips in microwave safe bowl for 1 minute; stir. Microwave in 15 second intervals and repeat stirring until just melted and smooth.

2. Stir in pretzels and mini-marshmallows and drop by teaspoonfuls onto wax paper.

3. Chill until set. Eat and enjoy!