Good microwave cooking recipes for Christmas candies, jams, etc

December 10, 2007 4:59 AM

Surprisingly good microwave recipes anyone? I'm looking for microwave recipes for jams, candy, etc. that you've actually made and turned out surprisingly well for being cooked in a microwave. I'm particularly interested in any recipe that can be made and put in containers for Christmas gifts.
posted by GlowWyrm to Food & Drink (8 answers total)

Is there anything easier than microwave fudge?
posted by adiabat at 5:04 AM on December 10, 2007

Melt white or dark chocolate, pour over (preferably roasted) whole almonds on waxed paper: really easy almond bark.
posted by fish tick at 5:17 AM on December 10, 2007

We made this fudge last week and it set up beautifully. Also, every year my mother makes tiger butter, using the microwave instead of a double boiler. If you do this one, melt the almond bark and peanut butter together -- it's much easier. Also, we use smooth peanut butter, and this year added crushed pretzels. It's a good alternative to fudge.
posted by sugarfish at 6:09 AM on December 10, 2007

I clicked through to recommend microwave fudge too! I have an old Hershey's cookbook from 1972 that is covered in chocolate on page with the fudge recipe. There's actually a whole section on microwave treats. I can't seem to find them all online, but me know if any of these interest you and I'll post the recipe:

Light Chocolate Pound Cake
Microwave Chocolate Pudding
Cocoa Fudge Frosting
Cocoa Upside-Down Cake
Cocoa Muffins
Autumn Mini Chip Ring
Cream Cheese Glaze
Fresh Peach Coffee Cake
Chocolate Cheese Pie
Cocoa Brownies
Hershey Bar Swirl Cake
Hershey Bar Pie
Chocolate Cookie Crust
Rocky Road Squares
Frozen Peanut Butter Chip Dessert
Black Magic Cake
posted by kidsleepy at 6:44 AM on December 10, 2007

Along the lines of the aforementioned "tiger butter," I've made peppermint bark with a microwave with great success. You just put waxed paper on a cookie sheet and then:

-carefully melt chocolate, spread it on the sheet, put it in fridge to cool.
-carefully melt white chocolate, spread it on the now solid regular chocolate layer.
-throw some peppermint candies in the blender to smash 'em up
-sprinkle said candies over the (still soft) white chocolate, push 'em in a little.
-put in fridge to cool
-break into pieces, box nicely, and voila! Seasonally appropriate deliciousness.

The microwave is great for stuff like this -- if you're mindful of only zapping it for short periods of time and checking on it, it's actually much easier to melt the chocolate w/out tears than with a double-boiler.
posted by tigerbelly at 7:31 AM on December 10, 2007

Damn... i've been waiting for metafilter to come back so I could recommend microwave fudge as well, but apparently i'm not the only one who had that brilliant idea. My much-raved about recipe came from a Hershey's recipie book long ago, and is long since missing (i've just been winging it since then then). Seems I'm not the only one with that book! Anyway, googling found this recipe, which looks correct. (The first recipe on the page, "Microwave Fudge", is the one I'm referring to.)
posted by cgg at 10:52 AM on December 10, 2007

slacker truffles:
2 bags chocolate chips (approx 24oz total, I recommend dark)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2cup crushed nuts or candy canes or cocoa (for rolling)
optional:
1oz of flavored liqueur
pinch of salt

place chocolate in bowl.
boil cream in microwave, pour over chocolate.
mix mixture until chocolate is melted. add liqueur and salt, if using.

allow to cool until firm, form into balls, roll in cocoa or whatever.
enjoy.
posted by heeeraldo at 2:16 PM on December 10, 2007 [2 favorites]

Microwave peanut brittle. Easy, quick, tasty, inexpensive.
posted by cali at 10:01 PM on December 10, 2007