Easy Candy
Sweet, simple recipes for making candies to give away or to enjoy at home.
I first heard the calling in sixth-grade science class. Rocket scientist? No, chef. The assignment was to transform sugar into carbon using a Bunsen burner, but I devised my own experiment: candy making. Instead of charring my sugar, I cooked it to an amber color and poured out portions on some foil hidden in my desk. Sure, I probably failed that lab, but I did discover how much science there to is candy making.
The concentration of sugar in water is tied to the temperature that the syrup reaches. Typically, the more water left in the syrup - that is, the lower the cooking temperature - the softer the resulting candy. Taffy is an example. When syrup is cooked to a higher temperature, the results are much harder - brittle, for instance. The purity of the syrup is important, too, because a single grain of unmelted sugar can cause the growth of unwanted crystals. Sometimes crystals are desirable, as with pralined nuts, and are formed after the syrup has cooled slightly.
PEPPERMINT TAFFY
MAKES ABOUT 3/4 POUND
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
Few drops red food coloring
Few drops peppermint oil
Have on hand an oiled pair of kitchen shears; an 18-by-13-inch baking sheet lined with a heat-proof nonstick liner, or a similarly sized oiled stone slab; and 60 pieces of wax paper cut into 3 1/2-by-4inch rectangles.
Whisk together the cornstarch and water in a medium saucepan. Whisk in the sugar. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, clean the sides of the pan above the syrup to prevent crystal formation. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the corn syrup and the butter. Stir to incorporate, bring to a boil, and cease stirring. Clean the pan sides again with water. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan.
Once the mixture reaches 244 degrees, remove from the heat. Add the salt and stir. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet or stone. Allow the taffy to come nearly to room temperature, occasionally flipping and folding it to help it cool uniformly. This can take between 5 and 15 minutes (shorter on a cool stone, longer in a hot kitchen); the taffy must become cool enough to handle and to incorporate air during pulling.
Split the taffy into equal-sized halves. Reserve one, and add a few drops of food coloring and peppermint oil to the other. Lightly grease your hands and fold the taffy around the coloring and oil, kneading to incorporate. Repeat until desired flavor and even color are reached.
To pull the taffy, use greased fingertips to lift, then pull the colored taffy into a 1-foot strip. Fold in half and repeat, making sure to rotate taffy and to work all sections. After a few minutes, the taffy will become more opaque and satiny in appearance. Once the first half of the taffy is uniformly opaque and satiny, pull it into a rope 2 feet long and about 1/2 inch in diameter and repeat pulling with the second half.
Squeeze the 2 ropes together tightly. Cut the combined rope into equal halves, and twist 1 piece, from both ends, to form a red-and-white rope slightly less than 2 feet long. Repeat with the other half. Using the oiled kitchen shears, snip off 3/4-inch pieces from each half ( you should have about 60 pieces total) and wrap in pre-cut rectangles. Be sure to wrap the candies quickly, twisting the paper, as the candy may run if exposed to air for too long.
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
CASHEW BRITTLE
MAKES ABOUT 2 1/4 POUNDS
Be sure to use raw nuts in this recipe; nuts that have been preroasted could scorch.
2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tablespoon molasses
1 pound (about 3 1/2 cups) raw cashews
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
Have on hand an 18-by-13-inch baking sheet lined with a heat-proof nonstick liner or aluminum foil, or a similarly sized stone slab. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Bring to a boil to dissolve the sugar. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, clean the sides of the pan above the syrup to prevent crystal formation. Add the corn syrup and molasses. Clean pan sides again. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan. Over medium-high heat, cook without stirring until the syrup reaches 239 degrees on a candy thermometer. Add the cashews and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture reaches 300 degrees, about 10 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the butter, salt, and vanilla extract. Stir well to incorporate. Add the baking soda. The baking soda will foam; stir well until it subsides.
Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet or stone. Smooth with the back of an offset spatula, spreading the brittle so it is only as thick as the cashews. When it has cooled completely, after 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the temperature of the surface and room, break the brittle into one- or two-bite pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
BOURBON CANDIED PECANS
MAKES ABOUT 2 POUNDS
For spicy pecans, add 1 or 2 teaspoons cayenne with the bourbon.
1 pound (about 4 cups) raw pecan halves
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tablespoon bourbon whiskey (or pure vanilla extract)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place the pecans on an 18-by-13-inch baking sheet and roast until lightly colored and fragrant, 8 to 10 minutes. While still hot, transfer the pecans to a 3-quart saucepan and mix with 2 tablespoons of the butter, then toss with the salt. Line the baking sheet with a nonstick liner or greased aluminum foil and set aside. Also have on hand two forks.
In the same saucepan, add the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and evaporated milk. Stir to combine. Over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, bring the mixture to 240 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes.
Remove the mixture from the heat and allow it to sit untouched for 6 minutes. Add the bourbon or vanilla extract and stir gently and continuously, using a wooden spoon. After a few minutes, the mixture will begin to thicken slightly and will appear grainy. Pour onto the prepared baking sheet and separate pecans using forks. Allow to cool, and store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Denise Drower Swidey is owner of Cook to Order, a cookie and cooking-school business. E-mail her at denise@cook2order.com.
