Coconut Crunch Cookie-Candy

** Recipe from blackjack bake house **

* 1 c. shredded sweetened coconut
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 2 Tbl. sweet rice flour (see note)
* 1/4 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 c. butter, cold, cut into small cubes
* 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
* 1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
* 1/3 c. light brown sugar
* 1 Tbl. water
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 1/2 c. chopped pecans
* 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips (or bittersweet, white, vanilla, cherry, etc.)

Preheat oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with foil.  In large bowl, whisk together both flours, baking powder and coconut.  With mixer on low, add butter & beat for about 1 min. Turn mixer on med-low and beat until butter is well blended with dry ingredients & mixture is starting to cream together, about 1-2 min.  Add confectioners' sugar, brown sugar, salt, water & vanilla. Beat just until everything is combined and forms a very soft cookie dough. Stir in chopped pecans.  Drop large spoonfuls of dough evenly across prepared baking sheet. Pat dough out until it forms a 9x13 rectangle.  Bake about 20-22 min, rotating sheet halfway through bake time. Cookie should be golden brown & have just stopped bubbling.  Place pan on cooling rack. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips evenly across surface. Allow to sit about 3 min. With spatula, smooth melted chocolate across surface of cookie.  Allow cookie to cool completely on pan. When cool, peel cookie from foil and break into pieces.

** Note: I'm always looking for a reason to use sweet rice flour, but if you don't have it on hand, I believe cornstarch can be used in its place.

Cinnamon Valentine Caramels

** Recipe from  Tasty Kitchen **

* 2 c. white sugar 
* 1-½ c. light corn syrup 
* 1-½ c. heavy cream 
* 1 c. unsalted butter, plus 1/2 Tbl. for pan 
* 2 tsp. cinnamon oil 
* 1-½ tsp. red food color gel 

(Note: Cinnamon oil is very strong, but necessary for reaching a bold cinnamon flavor. Be careful to not get it on your skin, as it can cause irritation. For a more subtle cinnamon flavor, substitute 3 teaspoons cinnamon extract for the cinnamon oil.)

Butter a 9″ x 13″ pan and set aside.  Place all ingredients except cinnamon oil & red coloring in a heavy medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring quite constantly, until it reaches 240°F. This will take a while, but don’t wander too far away, as the temperature seems to rise quickly right at the end. Take off heat & stir in cinnamon oil and red coloring. Pour into buttered pan. Let cool to room temp, then refrigerate to set. Take out of refrigerator and let sit for about 10 min. before cutting.  If you want to give these caramels as a gift, simply cut them into your desired size and wrap in wax paper.

Homemade Almond Roca

** Recipe from sweet anna's **

* 1 lb. butter
* 2 1/4 c. sugar
* 1/4 c. water
* 2 c. chopped almonds
* 1 c. chocolate chips
* 1/2 c. finely chopped almonds

In a large heavy pot, on high heat, cook together butter, sugar and water, stirring constantly through 3 stages...  1. smooth and runny, 2. cheesy (like melted white cheese), and 3. smooth and golden brown.  Once caramel mixture reaches the 3rd stage (smooth golden brown) remove pot from heat immediately and stir in 2 c. chopped almonds.  Pour mixture out onto a foil-lined & buttered baking sheet.  Let set for a few minutes & then sprinkle chocolate chips on top.  After about 5 min, or when all chocolate chips look shiny and soft, spread them out thinly & evenly all over the top of the caramel mixture in pan.  Sprinkle top with 1/2 c. almonds & let cool completely.
(If your kitchen/house is too warm, you may need to put this into the fridge to finish cooling and setting the chocolate before breaking!)  Once the candy is completely cool and the chocolate has set, break it into pieces and store in an air-tight container in the fridge!

Chocolate Cookie Bark

** Recipe from Kraft **

* 2 Tbl. peanut butter

* 1 pkg. (6 sq.) white baking chocolate, melted

* 10 Oreo cookies, coarsely crushed, divided

* 1 pkg. (8 sq.) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

ADD peanut butter to white chocolate; mix well. Stir half the crushed cookies into each bowl of melted chocolate. DROP spoonfuls of the chocolate mixtures onto waxed paper-covered baking sheet, alternating colors of chocolates. Swirl with knife. REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.