cherry vanilla nougat

cherry vanilla nougat~ think of it as chewy ice cream

This is a new addition to my cookie/candy platters & boxes this year…every year I give out an assortment of sugar cookies, gingerbread men, fudge, rum balls… and the new additions this year are butter mints, eggnog truffles and these.

Yum.

Anyway… can you believe how quickly the holidays happen? It was just Halloween.

What happened to Thanksgiving? !

I remember being a kid, and it was forever to Christmas. I also remember one year when I had nothing to open up on Christmas morning- because my mom gave in to letting me open my presents early. I think that explains why I don’t even like to open presents… I like prolonging it as long as possible. I also think the tree looks prettier with wrapped packages underneath. It always looks naked at 11am on December 25th. Am I weird? I guess so…

This year, my hubby and I have a tiny tree out in our family room, it’s got white lights and crimson velvet bows and strategically places strands of shiny tinsel- it’s “our” tree- where we place our girts to each other. You can bet I’ll be making excused to not open gifts up until at least noon.

There is a bigger family tree. The little tree we got for practically nothing a few days ago, and “practically nothing” is just my price! 🙂 I need to get a pic of that tree.

Now, I need to share another thing with y’all. You guys have watched my little one grow up with me, and she just had her first Christmas program.

She’s the one in the flamenco dress. I swear, she could be Carmen Miranda with some fruit on her head with that dress. It wasn’t my first choice dress… the first one was ITCHYYYYYYY according to her. Anyway, she was soooo good. (I know I’m partial.) They all said The Lord’s Prayer, and told a story about Jesus. AND, she remembered her line. 🙂

I’m a proud mama.

Okay.. you’re hear for nougat. I know.

Okay… you guys are also going to love the fact that there is no cooking here.

And, chances are you have most of the ingredients. Candied cherries are everywhere this time of year… even my dollar store had some. I’m not a fan of all the red dye, but once a year won’t kill you. It might make your kids hyper- but they’re probably hyper anyway. It’s that time of year.

warning: don not make this on a humid day, and it needs 24 hours to “set”.

Other than that, you’re good to go.

cherry vanilla nougat

Prep time: 15 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Ingredients

1/2 cup candied cherries, chopped
1/3 cup butter, softened
4 cups powdered sugar
up to 1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
optional) 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Instructions

Mix together the butter, sugar, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Add the flour, a small amount at a time until a dough is formed and no longer sticky.
Knead in the cherries.and the nuts (optional)
Place in a 8×8 pan that has been lined with plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator 24 hours.
Slice into squares and wrap in wax paper.
Store in the fridge.