Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable (98 page)

2.
Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 236°F, soft ball stage.

3.
Remove from heat. Beat mixture with a wooden spoon until it becomes thick and creamy.

4.
Stir in the dates, nuts, and vanilla extract.

5.
Dampen a small, clean, cotton towel and spread it on the counter. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, put it on the towel and form it into a log.

6.
Wrap the log in the towel and refrigerate overnight to let it firm up.

Yield:

About 30 slices

Storage:

Date-nut rolls are traditionally rolled in a tea towel and refrigerated. They can be stored for up to 1 week wrapped in the towel, or 2 weeks rolled in plastic wrap.

General Description:

These charming little nests look so close to the real thing that a bird might mistake one for his home
. However, the materials for these nests—dry chow mein noodles and melted chocolate—are far more tasty than twigs and grass. Crispy chow mein noodles are an unconventional candy-making ingredient, but mixed with chocolate they provide a crunchy, salty-sweet taste like
chocolate-dipped pretzels
. These nests are the perfect container for other Easter treats, such as chocolate eggs or jelly beans.

History:

Chow mein is a traditional dish in China. In North America, inventive home cooks have found other
uses for these packages of dried noodles. Chow mein noodles can also be mixed with chocolate chips or marshmallows and used to make
cereal candy
.

Serving Suggestions:

Fill the nests with jellybeans, chocolates, candy eggs, or gumdrops. You can even perch marshmallow chicks inside or sprinkle the nests with colored sprinkles.

Candy-Making Notes:

The kind of chow mein noodles that works best in this recipe is the La Choy brand that comes in a can. The pieces are pre-cooked, short, and slightly curled, which increases the candy’s resemblance to a real bird’s nest. If you can’t find them, any pre-cooked chow mein noodles will work.

Recipe:

1.
Line a baking sheet with wax paper or a silicone baking mat.

2.
Melt the chocolate in a metal bowl over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.

3.
Fold in the chow mein noodles with a rubber spatula.

4.
Spoon out 5-inch mounds of noodles onto the
baking sheet. Use your hands to form the mounds into a nest shape, with an indentation in the center.

5.
Let set for about 1 hour.