Miners Candy Recipes

MINER'S CANDY

Steps:

• Heavily butter a 9" x 13" pan.
• In a large, heavy kettle, add the sugar, dark corn syrup and vinegar.
• Stir just to mix ingredients.
• Place kettle over medium heat.
• DO NOT STIR!
• Boil mixture until it reaches 300 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in the baking soda. Mixture will fizz!
• Mix baking soda in well and pour into the prepared pan.
• DO NOT TRY TO SPREAD MIXTURE.
• Trying to spread it will break the foam, just plop it in the pan.
• Cool and break into pieces.
• Melt chocolate chips in top of double boiler (a bowl placed in a pan of simmering water works fine as does the microwave).
• Dip candy in chocolate sit on wire rack (or if like me, you don't have one, set it on waxed paper).

COAL MINERS PASTIES

Steps:

• Place the flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, and the lard in a bowl. Quickly rub the lard into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles small peas. Pour in the ice water, and form into a ball. Add more water if it feels too dry. Divide the dough into 6 balls, and wrap in plastic. Chill one hour.
• In a bowl, combine the meat, turnips, potatoes, onions, remaining 1 tablespoon salt, and pepper.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
• Roll out one of the balls on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Using a cake pan, trace a 9 inch circle in the dough; cut out the circle. Place about 1 1/2 cups of the meat mixture into the middle of the circle. Fold the edges of the circle up to meet along the top of the meat filling, and crimp the dough along the top to seal. Repeat until all dough is used up. With a spatula, transfer the pasties to an ungreased sheet.
• Bake the pasties for 45 minutes, or until golden. Serve hot or at room temperature.

CORNISH MINERS' PASTIES

Steps:

• Prepare pastry according to Recipe #230316 , set aside; preheat oven to 350.
• Mix meat, vegetables and salt in large bowl; divide into 6-8 portions; set aside.
• Divide pastry into 6 (large) or 8 (medium) equal pieces; roll each into a large circle, about 1/4-inch thick.
• On one half of each circle, place equal amount of meat-veg mixture.
• Carefully lift and fold pastry over filling (half circle); moisten edges of pastry with water & pastry brush; use a fork to crimp the edges to prevent liquid (added later) from oozing out. If there is a thin edge of crust, fold it over on itself to make a nice crust.
• Transfer each pasty to a large baking sheet (I use two).
• With a paring knife, poke a hole straight into JUST the top crust, shaped like an X, each leg should be about a half-inch long, then fold the little corners back (like a flower).
• Melt butter and water in the microwave; pour equal amounts into each pasty (through the little flower-hole you've created in the previous step).
• More butter-water can be added about half-way through the baking, if you didn't use it all at this point.
• Brush tops of pasties with the milk.
• Pop it all into the oven; bake for one hour; tops should be GOLDEN BROWN (you won't be able to let them in there much longer anyway--as the aroma is BEYOND this world!).
• Serve with gravy made from the soup & a bit of milk; add your favorite herbs (thyme & tarragon are our favorites); just heat the soup & milk, sprinkle in the herbs & spoon over the pasty or into the little hole.
• ALSO -- you might want to let these "rest" for a few minutes before eating---the insides will be VERY hot!
• TIPS ON EATING THESE: Miners would've carried these in a lunch pail (wrapped in a dishtowel!) -- we serve 'em on plates and slather on the gravy AFTER cutting them open to release the steam & heat; the crust is especially delish with the gravy!

LORETTA LYNN'S COAL MINER'S DAUGHTERS GOOEY CAKE

Steps:

• 1. bake cake according to direction's. while warm poke holes halfway into cake, about 1"apart pour condensed milk into holes. pour caramel over cake and put in fridge.once cooled top with cool whip and crushed candy bar's. fridge overnight.