Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable (39 page)

Serving Suggestions:

Candy canes are the quintessential Christmas decoration, especially when they are handmade. Crushed candy canes can be used like
peppermints
in other desserts: Sprinkle them over ice cream or on top of cakes and cookies. Along with
gumdrops
and
chocolate bars
, candy canes commonly decorate gingerbread houses.

Candy-Making Notes:

Twisting hot sugar is something best left to commercial candy makers. This recipe for old-fashioned
candy canes is easily made at home since the dough is easy to twist at room temperature.

Candy Cane Twists

1.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream until smooth.

3.
Add confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, and beat until it forms a smooth dough. Add the peppermint extract and beat to combine.

4.
Divide the dough into two portions. Add red food coloring to one portion.

5.
If the dough seems too firm, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of corn syrup to keep it pliable.

6.
Pinch off pieces of dough from each portion and roll them into long ropes about ½-inch thick. Layer a red piece on top of a white piece and twist together a few times to create a striped effect.

7.
Trim the ropes to desired length. Place on the baking sheet to set overnight before serving.

Yield:

About 20 candy cane twists

Storage:

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week.

General Description:

These little triangular-shaped candies are colored in bands of yellow, orange, and white to mimic a ripe kernel of corn
. Candy corn is associated with Halloween in North America and makes its appearance in large quantities as the holiday approaches.

History:

Candy corn was invented in the 1880s by George Renninger of the now defunct Wunderlee Candy Company. It was handmade from sugar syrup, fondant, and
marshmallows
. The manufacturing was taken over in 1900 by the Goelitz Candy Company, today known as the Jelly Belly Candy Company. In the United States, October 30 is National Candy Corn Day.

Serving Suggestions:

Halloween wouldn’t be complete without pumpkins and candy
corn. Vary the colors for other holidays. You can make
Indian corn (brown, orange, and white),
reindeer corn (red, green, and white), and cupid corn (red, pink, and white). Candy corn traditionalists eat each stripe of color one nibble at a time.

Candy-Making Notes:

When forming the ropes of dough into one piece, lightly running a rolling pin over the top will help press the colors together.

Recipe:

1.
Combine confectioners’ sugar, powdered milk, and salt in a bowl and set aside.

2.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.