Recipes from Joanne Flukes "Candy Murder"

a.  Merry Berry Cookies (chill before baking)

11/2 cups melted butter
2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup melted berries, or any berry ja
2 beaten eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
4 cups flour
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup berry jam

Melt the butter, and mix in the white sugar.   Melt the jam, and mix with butter and sugar

Add the eggs, baking soda and salt, stirring after each addition.  Add flour and mix thoroughly.  Cool for 2  hours. 

Preheat to 350 deg.  Make walnut sized balls, and roll balls in 1/3 cup white sugar.  Place on cookie sheet, 12 cookies per sheet, and flatten balls.  Make somall indendation at center and fill with jam. 

Bake for 10-12 mins, and freeze if you wish

8-10 dozen

b.  Chocolate Pecan Roll

14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
2 one-oz square of unsweetened choco
21/2 cups semi-sweet choco chips
1 tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt
8 oz dried fruit
1 1/2 cups pecans

Chop dried fruits and pecans.  Chop squares of unsweetened choco into chip-sized pieces.  Empty the can of sweetened condensed milk into a 2 quart saucepan.  Add the choco pieces and semi-swet chips

Stir the mixture over low heat until choco has melted.  Mix in the butter, vanilla and dried fruit.  Put saucepan in the refrigerator for 30-40 mins. 

Tak the pan out of the refrigerator and divide candy in half.  Place each half of candy on 2'' long piece of waxed paper.  Shape each half into a roll that;s about a foot and a ahalf, and about 11/2 inchesin diameter.  Roll candy in the chopped nuts, and press lightly to coat evenly

Twist the ends close, and twist for 2 hours.  Cut candy into half inch slices

48 candies

c.  Chocolate Mint Softies

2 one-ounce squares of unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egee
1 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 tsp choco extract
3/4 cup sour creamm
2 cups flour
2/3 cup pecans

Break choco and melt in MW-safe bowl for 90 sconds on HIGH.  Sit and cool

Combine butter and sugars.  Add baking soda, salt, adn resume mixing.   Add ggs and beat until batter is smooth.  Add extracts, and mix for 30 seconds.  Add melted choco and mix for another minute

Mix in half of flour and sour cream.  Add rest of flour and pecans.

Bake at 350 deg for 10-12 mins. 

Choco Butter Frosting

2 one-oz unsweetened choco, melted
1/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
11/2 tsps vanilla extract
2 tbps cream

Unwrap squares of chocolate and break them appart.  Melt for 90 seconds, and cool.  Mix butter, sugar, VE and cream 

Frost and harden.

6 dozen cookies

d.  Fudge-Aroons  (dough must chill)

1 cup choco chips
1 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
11/2 cups whitee sugar
2 tsps vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 beaten eggs
31/2 cups flour

MW choco chips and butter for 2 mins.  Stir until smooth, and cook. 

Combine brown sugar and white sugar.  Add vanilla, salt and baking soda.  Mix in eggs.  Add sugar to cooled choco chips mixture

Add flour in half cup increments, stirring after each addition.  Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour

Coconut Filling (also chill)

2 cups coco flakes
1 cup white sugar
1 cup flour
1/2 stick cold butter
2 beaten eggs

Mix sugar, coco and flour.  Cut butter into four pieces, and mix until coarse.  Add beaten eggs.  Cover and chill for at least an hour. 

Preheat oven to 350 deg.  Form balls of choco dough, 1 inch in diameter, with hands, and place around 12 per sheet. 

Form balls of coco just a bit smaller than choco dough, and squish them down.  Put 12 more coco doughs on this to form sandwich. 

Bake at 30 deg for 10 mins, and cool

6-8 dozen

e.  Three-way Fudge

1 cup semiswet choco chips
1 cup white choco chips
1 cup milk choco chips
14 oz of sweetened condensed milk (divide into almost 3 equal parts)
6 tbps butter

Line 8'' pan with waxed paper or greased foil.

For the MW, combine ingredients in a 2-cup Pyrex, and process for 70 secs on HIGH.

Melt the following together:  1 cup semisweet choco chips, less than 1/2 cup condensed mulk, 2 tbps butter.  Stir to make sure everything's melted, and then spread it out on the bottom.  Let it sit on the counter until it's cool and slightly harden. 

Melt the following together: 1 cup white choco chips, less than 1/2 cup condensed mulk, 2 tbps butter. Stir to make sure everything's melted, and then spread it as second layer. Let it sit on the counter until it's cool and slightly harden.

Melt the following together: 1 cup white choco chips, less than 1/2 cup condensed mulk, 2 tbps butter. Stir to make sure everything's melted, and then spread it out on the bottom. Let it sit on the counter until it's cool and slightly harden.

Cool for at least 2 hours.