Candy

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  • Cinnamon Candy Apples
  • Taffy
  • Molasses Taffy

Cinnamon Candy Apples

Ingredients

  • 8  McIntosh or Jonathan apples
  • 8  craft sticks
  • 2  cups sugar
  • 1/2  cup light-colored corn syrup
  • 3/4  cup water
  • 1/8  tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 10  drops red food coloring

Directions

1. Cover a baking sheet with waxed paper; set aside. Wash and dry apples; remove stems. Press a craft stick into the bottom of each apple; set aside.

2. In a heavy medium saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat stirring to dissolve sugar. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook, without stirring, until thermometer registers 295 degrees F to 300 degrees F (hard crack stage*), about 30 minutes.

3. Remove from heat; stir in cinnamon and red food coloring. Dip each apple in mixture and coat well; let excess drain off. Transfer to waxed paper lined baking sheet to cool.** Best served same day they are prepared. Makes 8.

4.*If you don't have a candy thermometer, spoon a few drops of the hot candy mixture into a cup of cold (but not icy) water. At hard crack stage, the candy separates into hard, brittle threads that snap easily and cannot be formed into a ball.

5. ** If desired, arrange a few lollipop sticks 4 inches apart on buttered baking sheet. Drop left over candy syrup onto tops of sticks to make 2-inch rounds. (Do not spread; mixture will flow out.) Cool completely. Wrap each lollipop in plastic wrap and store at room temperature up to 2 weeks. Makes 6 to 10 lollipops.

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Taffy

The higher the remperature to which a taffy is cooked, the harder it is. the addition of butter or fat makes it less likely to stick to the teeth.

Pulling Taffy: Handle and knead into a mass suitable for pulling, adding colouring and flavouring. If taffy is sticky, dust the hands with powderd sugar and work slowly until cool enough to handle easily. Taffy whick becomes too hard to pull may be held over heat to soften. Several changes occur during the pullng: it becomes lighter in colour, more elastic and very glossy with tiny bubbles or air pockets all through it.

A candy hook is desirable if you plan to make a reat deal of taffy. It makes the pulling much easier.

Cutting Taffy: Pull into cylinders of desired thickness; roll under the palms of the hands until smooth and cut into suitable lengths with scissors.

Molasses Taffy

Molasses 1 1/2 cups
Sugar 1 1/2 cups
Vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons
Water 1/2 cup
Salt 1/4 teaspoon
Butter 3 tablespoons

Combine molasses, sugar, vinegar, water and salt in a large heavy saucepan. Place over low heat and stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Boil moderately to 240F (soft ball).    

Add the butter; boil slowly to 265F. (hard ball). Stir frequently during the lat part of the cooking.

Remove from the heat; wipe the pouring surface of the pan and pour the raffy at once onto an oiled surface - a shallow pan, a platter or a marble slab.

Cool until comfortable to handle. Pull and cut into pieces as directed above. Makes about 1 pound.