12 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces or bittersweet chocolate

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

Place the raisins in a large bowl. Add rum and cover with plastic wrap.

Let the raisins soak for 3 hours.

Drain raisins by putting them in a strainer, but don't press on them ! Drain the liquid into a bowl to use later. It's terrific for fruit compote or over ice cream.

Combine the chocolate pieces and corn syrup in the top of a double boiler. Place over hot simmering water until the chocolate melts and is smooth, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat.

Fold raisins into melted chocolate, making sure they're coated well. Drop by teaspoonsful onto waxed or parchment paper.

Chill until firm, and store in the refrigerator.

(When packing for gift giving, layer the mounds between two pieces of waxed paper to prevent sticking. Alternately, you can place them into mini paper liners.)

Old-Fashioned Mola.s.ses Candy

Yields 12 servings 3 tablespoons b.u.t.ter (do not use margarine or other subst.i.tute),

softened and divided

1 cup sugar

cup light corn syrup

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

cup mola.s.ses

teaspoon baking soda

Grease a 15 10 1 inch pan with 1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter. Set aside.

Combine sugar, corn syrup, and vinegar in a heavy saucepan and cook over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Stir frequently.

Increase heat to medium and cook until a candy thermometer reaches 245F (firm-ball stage). Stir occasionally while cooking.

Add mola.s.ses and the remaining b.u.t.ter, and cook uncovered, until a candy thermometer reaches 260F (hard-ball stage). Stir occasionally.

Remove from the heat and add baking soda. Beat well.

Pour into the prepared pan. Let stand for 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle. b.u.t.ter your fingers well and quickly pull the candy until firm but pliable (the color will change to a light tan).

When the candy is ready for cutting, pull it into a -inch rope and cut into 1-inch pieces.

Wrap each piece in waxed paper or colored candy wrappers.

Candy Bar-Stuffed Baked Apples

Serves 4 4 medium apples

cup toffee candy bar, chopped into medium-sized pieces

cup chocolate-covered nougat nut candy bar, cut into medium-

sized pieces

2 tablespoons unsalted b.u.t.ter

cup toffee candy bar, chopped into fine pieces.

cup chocolate-covered nougat candy bar, chopped into fine

pieces

cup soft apple cider

1 tablespoon sugar

Vanilla ice cream

Preheat oven to 350F.

Scoop out the stems, cores, and seeds from the apples. Use an apple corer and small melon baller to make the job easier. Leave the apple bottoms intact.

Cut off the top inch of each apple, then stand the hollow apples in a baking dish.

Stuff the apples with the medium-sized pieces of chopped candy bars. You'll use about 2 tablespoons total for each apple.

Place 1 teaspoons b.u.t.ter in each apple on top of the candy.

Stuff the apples with the finely chopped candy. You'll use about 2 total tablespoons of candy per apple.

Whisk together the cider and sugar in a bowl and pour over the apples. Bake uncovered until the apples are tender, about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes.

Place the apples on plates and top each with a scoop of ice cream. Spoon the pan juices over the ice cream and serve immediately.

Candy Corn Suckers