Candy Buffet

Since it's Halloween, maybe something orange, like candy corn. There are also seasonal harvest sorts of things like caramel apples. I have never heard of having a candy buffet. What an interesting idea.

Bulls eyes


Everton mints

Can you guess what I would want on the candy buffet?

I have not heard of this before, either. White and dark chocolates or truffles might be good.

This is going to sound like a downer, but really... you are getting married in late October, 2008 and you are planning the candy?

Marriage is a serious step - it's pretty early to be planning the details instead of dealing with the progression of the relationship.

I understand you are interested in design; your ideas on design of the wedding may change closer to the date. Be paying attention to who you two are and how you are going to get along for life after the big party.




Rereading what I just wrote, it sounds obnoxious even to me. I don't know that you're NOT paying attention to matters dealing with after the party. But a nudge in that direction, if you are not.

Uhh I am thirty. I know who I am. My relationship is fine. We don't need to work on anything. The thing that is not fine is my boring job. I work at a medical spa that has no customers and is on it's last leg. I am the only person there for nine hours. So basically until I go back to school in Aug. I have nothing to do but sit at a desk and look at the computer screen or read. So I plan my wedding, even the small details, because that is all I have to do. It keeps my mind occupied. When I am at home I focus on my relationship, when we see each other. When I am at work I try to stay occupied and not go crazy. I thought it would be fun to see what kind of candy people would come up with. Thanks for the comments. The candy picture will help. You don't know me so how can you give me advice about my relationship? There are some people who have happy healthy relationships.

Hi ricksang.

I've heard/seen of junk food buffets instead of the traditional dessert buffets, but I don't think I've ever seen one just featuring candy. Will you have dietetic candies for people who can't have sugar? Will you consider chocolates as candies, or do you mean sugar candies when you say candies? Will there be fruits for people who just don't do candies?

I like the general idea of a candy buffet but going with strictly black and white could limit things quite a bit.

How are you in the kitchen? you can fairly easily make your own marshmallow and/or lollipops, and tint them to your own preferences.

I've been working up my own energies to make some Earl Grey lollipops once it gets cooler again.

~~~

(planning ahead is good. one of my colleagues got married about 3 weeks ago - when she got engaged last November and went to the wedding planning sites, she just about blew a gasket when she discovered most of their guides started 18 months in advance of the wedding. There were a few crazy months, but it all worked out beautifully in the end. She was able to grab some cancellations for people she needed - ya know, photographer, dj, cake, videographer, wedding planner ... )

Oh yes I want chocolate. I didn't think about the diabetics. I will include them. I love to bake and cook. What are Earl Gray lollipops sounds interesting. No, no fruit because we are serving fruit with the appetizers. We had to get the venue last year because the place stays busy!!

But Osso I understand your thoughts. Relationships today are very iffy. And alot of people get lost in pre wedding bliss. I am trying not to do that, I promise. lol. Thanks for the advice anyhow...

Ricksang said,
You don't know me so how can you give me advice about my relationship?


I only observe you by your posts here so far.. Did you read my lasst sentences?


I have no advice about your relationship, except pay as much attention to it as the candy. If my comment is inappropriate by a wide margin, then that is all good. Have fun...

from my fav foodie website

Lollipops
by Kim O'Donnel

1 cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon flavoring (see note on flavors below)
4 drops food coloring (optional)
nonstick oil spray

Equipment
Candy thermometer
Lollipop sticks, bags and ties
Silcone "silpat" or "roulpat" baking mat -- highly recommended;
alternative: an oiled baking sheet lined with oiled parchment paper
Heat-resistant rubber spatula
Heat-resistant glass pitcher (Pyrex is one brand)

Method:
In an enamel-lined or nonstick 1 or 2-quart saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, water and cream of tartar. Stir over medium heat until sugar is completely dissolved and the syrup comes to a boil. Prepare glass pitcher by lightly lining the inside with nonstick spray.

Clip candy thermometer to the inside of the pan and cook, without stirring, until syrup reaches 300 degrees F (hard crack stage). This will take up to 30 minutes.

Immediately remove pan from heat and allow syrup to cool to 270. Stir in flavoring and food coloring. Pour candy into pitcher and then pour 2-inch circles/puddles onto your prepared parchment or silicone mat, leaving at least 4 inches between each candy. Lay sticks onto your candy circles so that tip of each stick lies at center of its own circle. Set pitcher down while you place lollipop sticks onto candy, but work fast, as syrup cools quickly and becomes thick.

Pour additional syrup over the circles, so that you "lock" the sticks into place. Don't worry if syrup spreads. Allow lollipops to cool completely before peeling them off.

Wrap in bags or in wax paper. Store at room temp for up to 2 months.

Note on flavors: Look for natural flavorings or edible oils in the baking department of the supermarket or in cookware stores like Sur La Table. I found maple, ginger, tangerine, walnut, banana, cinnamon, to name a few. For a combination of flavors (i.e. banana walnut), I would use 1/2 teaspoon of each. I also experimented with dried lavender and Earl Grey loose tea, by heating the 1/2 cup water in the recipe and infusing it with 1 tablespoon each of tea and lavender.

Final note: Please be careful. A sugar solution at 300 degrees is nothing to joke about. If kids are joining you in the project, let them place the lollipop sticks and watch the first steps from a distance.

http://forums.taunton.com/tp-cookstalk/messages?msg=31812.1

some other flavour ideas from the same thread

lemon/ginger
tequila-lime? (with a sprinkle of margarita salt)

Pina colada...coconut/pineapple?
I like strawberry lemonade but strawberry LIMEade is fabulous.

31812.13 in reply to 31812.10
kahlua? espresso? hey tracy- is there a way to make an opaque white mixture with a vanilla cream flavor? (i'm thinking white russian lollipops)

Chipotle
cocoa-chipotle (also known as hot chocolate)

If you're up to making some truffles, here are a couple of my favs from Kees

Almond
White chocolate truffles coated with toasted almonds

Black Sesame
Dark chocolate truffles coated with toasted white and dark sesame (my favourite most of the time)

http://www.keeschocolates.com/cho.html

or how about a sesame chocolate macaroon?

We cross posted, ricksang. I was worried you were doing that. The rest I understand. I do really mean have fun...

Lol no I didn't. But I did before I posted my second comment, sorry for the "to quick" response of mine.

Lol osso it is all good. Your cool beans with me!! Gosh it all sounds great!!! I have never had a real truffle, just the one's you get at the supermarket. I will have to try the lollipop recipe.

Wow, ehBeth, I never thought about getting candy-making equipment, now I'm wondering about it. Those truffles look great.

Hmm another idea is greens as you will (I assume) have some sort of flowers or greenery going on. Even a bunch of snowy white flowers will have green stems. So that's lime, but it's also mint.

(Just another note in favor of planning ahead -- especially 3 months ahead! That's not that long. Once you've decided to do a lot of your own wedding prep, sooner is definitely better... I say this from 2-hours-of-sleep-the-night-before experience.)

Oh no its next 0ct 2008. But vendors around her get booked very fast, since I don't live in a giant city. Plus. I will be going back to school for interior design in the fall. It is a very busy "project" intense program. I worked my butt off last semester. With work and school, I won't have to much time to plan. That is why I am doing alot over the summer and writing my ideas down. The green candy is a awesome idea.

OK, 15 months ahead then! I still think it's a good idea.

lol Thanks!!!!