COOK'S CORNER SWEETS FOR EVERY SEASON.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

'Tis the season for lots of visions of sugarplums - and you'll find plenty of creations to tickle sweet taste buds in ``A Baker's Field Guide to Holiday Candy & Confections,'' by Dede Wilson (Harvard Common Press; $16.95). It's filled with 75 recipes from around the world and covers holidays, arranged in chronological order, throughout the year, not just Christmas. ``The holiday candy tradition spans the globe,'' writes Wilson, adding that you'll find ideas for New Year's, Easter, Valentine's Day, Fourth of July, Halloween and more.

Styled like a field guide, a clever way to package the material, each recipe includes a close-up color photo of the candy along with the specific holiday it's associated with, type of candy, habitat (country of origin), description (taste expectation), field notes (tips and background info) and life span (storage and freshness info). This is the author's third cookbook in the field guide series.

The biggest turnoff is that many of the recipes featuring chocolate call for tempering it (a precise melting procedure that yields professional-looking results), which can be tricky and time-consuming and is not really designed for holiday cooks who want to turn out something in a jiffy.

However, we did find some candies and sweets, like the trio here, that can be whipped up without much effort or any special techniques. The fruit and nut bark is a classic and is easily executed without tempering. Feel free to vary the type of chocolate used as well as the kinds of fruits and nuts. If you're planning on giving the bark for a gift, pick and choose the ingredients to suit the recipient. For instance, I'd like it made with dried apricots, dried cherries and pecans.

Also allowing for lots of individual interpretation are the rum balls - which many cooks have been turning out for years. Use vanilla or chocolate cookie crumbs, a variety of liquors or liqueurs and other ingredients that strike your fancy. Last in the lineup is a sweet, chewy confection that is somewhat reminiscent of a candy - and popular in Italy this time of year - panforte.

HARVEST FRUIT 'N' NUT BARK

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped apricots (1/4-inch size)

1/2 cup whole toasted, skinned hazelnuts

1/2 cup chopped, toasted Brazil nuts (1/2-inch size)

1 pound bittersweet OR semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Line a jelly-roll pan with foil, shiny side up, smoothing out any wrinkles.

In a medium bowl, toss fruits and nuts together and divide in half. Melt chocolate over low heat in a double boiler or in a large bowl in microwave oven. Gently stir in 1/2 of fruit and nut mixture, then spread in an even layer over foil using a spatula. It doesn't have to be perfectly rectangular like the pan, as the candy will be broken up into random pieces.

While chocolate mixture is wet, sprinkle remaining fruit and nut mixture over top and press in gently with your fingers to help it adhere. Place bark in refrigerator until completely firm, about 30 minutes or longer.

Peel off foil. Break bark into irregular pieces. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container. Makes about 2 pounds.

NOTE: Substitute an equal amount of milk or white chocolate for bittersweet or semisweet and vary the fruits and nuts. Some others to consider: macadamias, pistachios, walnuts, dried cherries or golden raisins.

CHOCOLATE WALNUT RUM BALLS

2 1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs (such as Nabisco Nilla wafers)

1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 cup toasted walnut halves, finely ground

6 ounces semisweet OR bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1/2 cup gold rum

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Granulated sugar

50 small fluted paper cups (optional)

Stir together cookie crumbs, powdered sugar and nuts in a large bowl.

Melt chocolate in a double boiler or in a medium glass bowl in microwave oven. Stir in rum and corn syrup. Add chocolate mixture to cookie-crumb mixture and stir well to combine. Let mixture stand 30 minutes.

Place some granulated sugar in a small bowl. Roll cookie mixture between your palms into 1-inch balls, then roll in sugar. Place balls in small paper cups in airtight container and allow flavors to develop by sitting at room temperature at least overnight. Makes 50 balls.

NOTE: Substitute walnuts for pecans and bourbon, Grand Marnier or Kahlua orange for rum. For a decadent chocolate confection, use chocolate cookie crumbs.

PANFORTE DI SIENA

2 cups toasted, skinned, coarsely chopped hazelnuts

2 cups toasted, skinned, coarsely chopped whole almonds

2/3 cup finely chopped Calimyrna figs

2/3 cup finely chopped dried cherries

1/2 cup finely chopped apricots

1/2 cup diced candied orange peel

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2/3 cup honey

Powdered sugar OR unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder for dusting

Line a 10x2-inch round cake pan with a parchment circle and coat parchment and pan sides with nonstick cooking spray.

Toss together nuts, fruits, orange peel, flour, cocoa powder and spices in a large bowl. Stir granulated sugar and honey together in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil gently 2 minutes. Remove from heat and pour over dry ingredients. Mix well; mixture will be very thick and heavy. Using your hands is easiest; just make sure everything is evenly combined. Scrape into prepared pan, patting top smooth with your hands.

Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven about 32 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out just clean. The top might begin to color, but it is hard to see because it is so dark to begin with. Cool on rack 5 minutes, then unmold, peel off parchment, and cool completely.

To store, double wrap in plastic wrap, then wrap in foil and place in an airtight container. Will keep 1 week at room temperature, 1 month refrigerated. Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder just before serving. Makes 12 slices.

CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) no caption (book: ``A Baker's Field Guide to Holiday Candy & Confections'')

(2 -- color) PANFORTE DI SIENA