Photo: Thinkstock

When I think of the famous verse from Clement C. Moore's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas--"The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads"--the first image that comes to mind is of plums with little arms and legs, two-stepping to Jingle Bell Rock. Once I really start to think about it, though, I imagine a very sweet variety of the stone fruit.... Alas, sugar plums aren't even plums at all.

As this article explains, these treats with such lovely names are made of sugar hardened around a central seed in successive layers using a process called "panning" (think Jawbreakers). In Moore's time, they were often made with caraway or cardamom seeds, or almonds at the center; their shape resembled plums, hence the name. The essay also offers a very sweet reason for why Moore would have them dancing in children's heads.

These days, sugar plums aren't so popular, but recipes abound. Most don't even involve any cooking; they simply advise you to mix ingredients ranging from dates, walnuts, cranberries, prunes, hazelnuts, jam, sugar and spices; to almonds, honey, orange zest and apricots, roll them into a ball and coat them in sugar. Alton Brown's recipe comes with a helpful video (it's worth watching, if only for the drill sargeant fairy dancing above the food processor).


Keep Reading
7 out-of-this-world candy recipes
25 Christmas cookies to try