The first experiment we did in the lab was to transform granulated sugar into golden caramel. It was an irreversible, chemical reaction that used heat to remove water from sugar. The sugar melted and the longer it was heated, the greater the quantity of water that was driven off and the more brown the liquid became. When all of the water was gone, we were left with a lump of pure, black carbon. When sugar has been changed from white crystals to a transparent, golden solid there’s no going back but there are many delicious ways to go forward.

I amazed my sister who was still in elementary school with my mastery of this chemical reaction when I created a sweet treat of peanuts suspended in sweet amber. Here’s how I did it:

Peanut Brittle

I put one and a half cups of peanuts onto a baking sheet that had been smeared with butter. I combined three cups of sugar with one cup of water in a medium saucepan and put the pot on medium high heat and stirred until the sugar was dissolved. When the mixture began to boil, I reduced the heat to medium and continued cooking the liquid without stirring. When it had turned a light amber color, I poured the caramelized sugar over the peanuts. After the candy had cooled completely, I broke it into pieces and shared it with my sister.

Many years later, I learned that a teaspoon of baking soda, stirred into the caramelized sugar before it is poured over the peanuts, makes it easier to chew but no longer transparent. Cashews, almonds and hazelnuts all make delicious treats.

They are simple to make and look as if they came from an upscale chocolatier. I tuck away a few small gift bags of them, decorated with a ribbon and a gift tag as last minute gifts for unexpected visitors. Here’s how I made them:

Chocolate Covered Almonds

I toasted one and a half cups of un-blanched whole almonds on a baking sheet for fifteen minutes in a 350-degree oven. I combined three quarters of a cup of granulated sugar, two tablespoons of water, half a teaspoon of cinnamon and the toasted almonds in a medium saucepan and cooked the mixture, stirring constantly, until the sugar was golden and granular and the almonds were completely coated and separated.

I poured the sugar-coated nuts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and put them into the freezer for twenty minutes.

I chopped half a pound of best quality, bittersweet chocolate and melted it in a double boiler over simmering water. When it had melted, I transferred the chilled almonds to a bowl, poured the melted chocolate over the nuts and stirred like mad until the almonds were completely coated. I tipped the now chocolate-covered almonds back onto the parchment lined baking sheet, used two forks to separate any clumps and then put them back into the freezer until the chocolate had set.

I added a snowy coating to the almonds by tossing the nuts in plastic bag with a quarter of a cup of sifted confectioners’ sugar.

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Chocolate Covered Almonds List

• 1 1/2 c un-blanched whole almonds
• 3/4 c granulated sugar
• 1/2 t cinnamon
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1/4 c confectioners’ sugar

Last Saturday, I created chocolate turtles consisting of five pecans (the head and four legs), held together with a disc of creamy caramel (the body), and topped with dark chocolate (the shell). Creating chocolate turtles is a three-step process: building each turtle body, making caramel and adding the shell.

Here’s how I made them:

Chocolate Turtles

I arranged the pecans to make the legs and head of thirty turtles on a couple of cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.

Making the caramel is fussy work. I stirred constantly and paid close attention so that the caramel didn’t scorch. I combined one cup of sugar, two thirds of a cup of light corn syrup and half a cup of cream in a heavy bottom three-quart pot. I brought the mixture to a boil, covered the pot and let it boil for two minutes and then removed the lid and used a pastry brush dipped into water to wash away any sugar crystals on the sides of the pot. I continued to boil the mixture, stirred constantly until it reached the soft ball stage – 234 degrees F, and then slowly added another half a cup of cream, cooked and stirred until the mixture reached the softball stage again. Then I added the final half-cup of cream and continued to cook and stir the caramel until it reached 244 degrees F – the firm ball stage. I removed the pan from the heat, stirred in one teaspoon of vanilla and formed the turtles by spooning a tablespoon of hot caramel onto each group of five pecans.

For the chocolate shell, I melted twelve ounces of good quality, dark chocolate in a double boiler with hot but not boiling water in the bottom. If the chocolate gets even a tiny drop of water into it, it will seize and become a grainy un-meltable mass. Do not despair if this happens, just add a teaspoon of vegetable oil and stir the seized chocolate until it melts and is shiny again. Spoon the melted chocolate onto the caramel turtle bodies and leave to cool until the chocolate has set.

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Chocolate Turtle List

• 1 pound whole pecans
• 1 c sugar
• 2/3 cup  light corn syrup
• 1 1/2  c  cream – divided
• 1 t vanilla