One of my favorite fall memories as a child was my mom making old fashioned candy apples. They were made with a tart apple (like Granny Smith, Honey Crisp or your favorite) and covered with a cinnamon flavored hard candy shell. I loved them! Making them at home now brings back warm memories of times with my mom. It's a tradition that hopefully is passed on with my own kids.
I also remember using that same candy recipe to make popcorn balls with one of my sisters. We didn't a lot together as kids, but I do remember her letting me help make candy popcorn balls. We'd flavor them and tint them the colors that went along with whatever holiday. I especially remember really buttering up my hands and making balls as fast as you could. 1. So you didn't burn your hands to bad. 2. So the candy didn't cool before you were finished.
I don't really remember who taught me how to make hard candy suckers and other treats. It could have been either of my sisters, my mom or grandma. I just know I love to make them! It's a matter of doing something different. Not many people make hard candy at home any more.
I don't recommend making this with younger children. The sugar mixture is very hot and will burn you badly. Take great care when working with it.
You will need a good heavy sauce pan. Medium size will do. When starting out do not try to double recipe. Best to work with one batch at a time till you get the hang of it. You will also need a candy thermometer. Calibrate your thermometer each time you use it. Bring a pan of water to a boil. Note temperature on thermometer when the water comes to a boil. If it is not at 212 degrees Fahrenheit, adjust recipe temperatures up or down to compensate for difference. At first it will seem to take for ever for the temperature to start rising. Watch it closely because it rises quickly once it hit 250 degrees. From there a matter of seconds can ruin your candy once it needs to be taken off the heat.
If you'd like to try any of these at home, they are all basically the same recipe:
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup water
1 dram of concentrated flavoring (abt 1 teaspoon)
or up to 1 tablespoon of regular extract
1+ drops of food coloring
(Powdered sugar for dusting finished suckers/candy only)
In a heavy sauce pan about medium sizes combine sugar, water and corn syrup. Stir till sugar dissolves. On medium heat bring to a boil. Once boiling do not stir. Add your candy thermometer. When temperature reaches 260 degrees Fahrenheit add coloring. Do not stir, the boiling will incorporate it. Let cook to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Take off heat immediately, remove thermometer and add flavoring. Stir. Either pour or dip depending on what your making. Let cool.
For apples:
You'll need anywhere from 6 to 10 apples per recipe depending on the size of the apple.
Wash and dry your apples. Make sure they are dry or your candy will weep. Especially around any openings. Remove stems. Insert ticks where the stem use to be. Set aside. Spray a cookie pan with non-stick spray or use a silpat liner (personally, I love my silpat liners for hard candy). Set next to where you will be dipping your apples.
When your candy mixture is done cooking, use the stick to hold the apple and dip them into the hot mixture. Gently shake off any excess (don't get it on you). Place on prepared cookie sheet to cool and set. Repeat with rest of apples.
For hard candy:
Place candy molds on a cookie sheet. Spray with not stick spray. Spray an extra for any left over candy. If you have a Silpat they work good for this also. Remember candy is really hot and will burn you and leave blisters if not careful.
Follow cooking directions as above. Pour hot candy into molds. If there is extra pour on to extra prepared sheet. As this cools I use mine to practice free form candy shapes :).
For Candy Coated Popcorn:
Pop 5 quarts of popcorn. I like to salt it for contrast in flavors. Put it in a roasting pan or spread it out on cookie sheets. Keep it warm in a 200 degree Fahrenheit oven till ready to pour candy on it.
To the above recipe you'll also need:
2 1/2 tablespoons of butter
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of cream of tarter
1 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
Add everything except baking soda, flavoring and coloring to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Once boiling leave it alone and cook to 25o degree's Fahrenheit. Take off heat and add flavoring, coloring and baking soda stirring it in quickly but well. While it is till foamy pour onto warm pop corn stirring it gently with a sprayed spoon to coat all over.
Spread out on oiled cookies sheets to cool. Break apart when cool to eating size pieces. Or butter up hands and work quickly to make them into balls. Place on to oiled cookie sheets to cool. Wrap up in festive wrap to give away.
No comments:
Post a Comment