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If you hate baking, try candy making. I started making candy a few years back. Before then I spent many hours in the kitchen making dozens of cookies for Christmas. I never enjoyed baking because many times you have to chill the dough, then you have to wait for the cookies to bake, and if you're not careful the cookies might burn. Then I ran across a recipe for bon bons and decided to give it a try. Now I continue to collect candy recipes and try new ones every year. As for the cookies, I may make one batch for Christmas, and I usually put out about 30lbs of candy.

I found a recipe for basic fondant in an old cook book they were discarding from a library. This fondant has become the base of almost all my bon bons. After flavoring the fondant, I just dip the balls or squares in melted chocolate and place on waxed paper to harden.

Anyway, here is the versatile recipe:

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup melted butter or margarine
3 lbs powdered sugar
Assorted flavorings, nuts, coconut

Sift 2lbs. of powdered sugar into large mixing bowl. Add butter and sweetened condensed milk, mixing well. Knead in remaining 1lb powdered sugar. Divide the mixture into fourths. Flavor each fourth with desired flavoring, add food coloring if desired. Shape mixture into 1/2" balls or press into square pan then cut into squares. Dip balls or squares in melted chocolate and let dry on waxed paper. You can also wrap the unflavored fondant around maraschino cherries and dip into the chocolate coating.

You can get creative with your flavorings. Lorann carries many unusual flavorings such as cheesecake and creme de menthe which can make some awesome bon bons. Warning, if you choose to give these as gifts, chances are you'll be required to make them for the rest of your life.

Learn more about this author, Jeannie Trudell.
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