Sunday, December 9, 2018

Candy Cane taste test!


It seems that 2018 was a good year for candy canes, as they passed my taste test. Actually this has become an issue, once upon a time, you could buy candy canes and not really worry about the flavour. Times have changed and who wants to accidentally hand out canes that taste like paint thinner! I am not sure what the stores are doing, buying cheaply made candy canes with low grade ingredients or storing them from year to year trying to eventually sell them. Either way I have come across some really awful tasting candy canes. There is nothing more disappointing than taking down the decorations, only to discover the remaining Christmas treat is inedible!


 Mmmm, why yes Carnaby Sweet, I do approve of your recent batch of candy canes. They have that traditional peppermint, Christmas candy cane flavour. This will allow me to take some to work but most importantly, I can snack a little on them while decorating.

 With the holidays approaching, I want to share my mom's cranberry oatmeal cookie recipe. I keep promising to do it but I get busy, then forget about posting it, only to remember when the holidays are long past. I am seeing different versions of it popping up on dried cranberry packages but this is the original. Ignore her remarks written on the recipe and follow it as per the actual recipe. I'm going to post a photo of the page, it will save time in writing everything out for me. If anything is not clear, just leave a question in the comments section or email me at the email address on my profile. When buying ingredients for the cookies, don't cut corners, just get good products, I once bought dried cranberries that were inexpensive from a discount company and they ruined my batches with an odd taste.


7 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Always buying quality, name-brand ingredients when cooking or baking is excellent advice! It applies to candy canes too. The stores are full of cheap crap made gawd-knows-where.

Mistress Maddie said...

I like candy canes, but can thing of better things to suck on.

Old Lurker said...

Cranberry Oat Cookies

Crisp or chewy -- whichever you prefer (like your men)

- 3/4 cup LACTANTIA(r) Butter, softened (175mL)
("butter" is crossed out and replaced with "sunflower oil"; quantity appears to be reduced to 1/4 cup)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (250mL)
- 1 egg (1)
- 2 tbsp water (30mL)
- 2 tsp vanilla (10mL)
- 3/4 cup ROBIN HOOD All Purpose Flour (175 mL)
- 3/4 tsp baking soda (3 mL)
- 1 tsp cinnamon (5 mL)
- 3 cups ROBIN HOOD or OLD MILL (r) Oats (750 mL)
- 1 cup dried cranberries (250 mL)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional (125 mL)

CREAM butter, sugars, egg, water and vanilla together on medium speed
of electric mixer until light and creamy.

COMBINE flower, baking soda and cinnamon. Add to creamed mixture,
beating on low speed until blended. Stir in oats, cranberries and
nuts.

DROP dough by heaping spoonfuls onto greased baking sheets.

PRESS flat for crisp cookies; leave mounded for chewy cookies.

BAKE at 350 degrees F (180 deg C) for 12-15 minutes, or until edges
are golden brown. Don't overbake.

TIP: Replace cranberries with raisins. Add 1/3 cup (75 mL) sunflower
seeds for a more granola-like taste. Sign up for your gym membership
now because you're going to need it after eating these. Throw out all
your candy canes because they are disgusting.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 15 minutes
Makes: about 4 dozen cookies (as if)
Freezing: excellent

Sixpence Notthewiser said...

Yeah, candy canes. I think I prefer peppermint. Yesterday I tried oreo cookies candy canes and it was NOT the same...

anne marie in philly said...

I don't like candy canes, so I don't buy them. but yeah, I've seen watermelon flavor...WATERMELON? FOR XMESS? WTF?

Bob said...

We just attended my work Christmas party last night, which explains my fuzzy head this morning and I made a batch of Oatmeal-Cranberry Cookies that were quite the hit!

And I second what Old Lurker said about the recipe making 4 dozen cookies. In what tiny universe does that happen????

Michael said...

Thanks for sharing the recipe! I have a snow-holiday tomorrow after our foot of snow, so I may just try these!