Christmas coal candy

Unfortunately, the Christmas holidays are gone.  But I will post this recipe for the 2011 Christmas holiday and beyond.

1. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with a piece of aluminum foil large enough to overhang the sides by about 2 inches. Set aside.
2.  Bring sugar, corn syrup and 3/4 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir to dissolve sugar, and wash down sides of pan with a pastry brush dipping inwater to prevent crystals from forming.
3.  Once mixture comes to a boil and all the sugar has dissolved, clip a candy thermometer to pan, and raise heat to high. Continue cooking without stirring until mixture registers 300 Fahrenheit (hard crack stage). Remove from heat.
4.  Carefully add food coloring, extract and baking soda; stir slowly with a clean    wooden spoon until thoroughly combined and mixture no longer bubbles, about 2 minutes.
5.  Pour into prepared pan, and let cool completely.
6.  Lift foil to remove candy from pan, and transfer candy to a large plastic bag. use a kitchen mallet or hammer break candy into pieces.

Sweet Potato Chocolate Cake

Makes 12 to 16 servings

2 1/2 cups sweet potato chunks

1 cup bittersweet baking chocolate squares

2/3 cup margarine

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp salt

5 Tbsp semi-sweet mint chocolate chips

» Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

» Over a saucepan of boiling water, steam sweet potatoes until very tender. (Make sure there is a gap between the top of the water and the bottom of the steamer basket.) Place sweet potatoes in a large bowl and mash using a potato masher. Add chocolate and let stand for 2 minutes or until melted, then stir to combine. Let cool.

» In another large bowl, beat margerine and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, and beat in vanilla. Beat in cooled sweet potato mixture.

» In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture until combined. Scrape into parchment paper-lined 13- by 9-inch baking pan and spread evenly in pan. Bake for about 25 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

» Immediately after cake comes out of oven, sprinkle chocolate chips over top of cake and let cool.

- Source: www.livestrong.com