in colors such as black and white, brown and cream, or green, brown, and yellow. Brightly colored fruit-flavored humbugs are a popular variation.
History:
Today, humbugs are one of the most popular hard candies in the United Kingdom. They are also enjoyed in Canada and Australia. It is unclear howthese sweets got their name. The word humbug means “deceptive nonsense” and was popularized by Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol . In 2001, the Sela Confectionery made the largest humbug in the world: a 30-inch long, 70-pound mint humbug, but the giant sweet was stolen days before it was to be auctioned off for charity.
Serving Suggestions:
Humbugs are thought to be cozy, “warming” candies, so they are eaten during the winter months. Wrap prettily striped humbugs in cellophane for a humorous Christmas gift.
Candy-Making Notes:
A marble slab is a good work surface because it helps the candy cool quickly; if you don’t have one, a baking sheet will do. Use extreme caution when working with the hot candy mixture. Wearing latex gloves helps. If the candy becomes too hard to manipulate, place it on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven for a minute.
Recipe:
3 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Food coloring, if desired
1.
Coat a marble slab or large baking sheet with cooking spray. Lightly spray a pair of kitchen shears.
2.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking without stirring until the candy reaches 300°F, hard crack stage.
3.
Remove from heat and stir in peppermint extract and food coloring.
4.
Pour candy onto the marble slab or baking sheet. Let it cool for about 5 minutes, using a bench scraper or metal spatula to occasionally turn the mass in on itself so that it cools evenly.
5.
When the candy has cooled enough to handle but is still hot, begin pulling it with your hands, stretching and gathering it until it is opaque and satiny.
6.
Pull the candy into a long rope about ½ inch thick. Cut it into bite-size pieces using the shears. Place pieces on a baking sheet to cool.
7.
Wrap the cooled candies in cellophane.
Yield:
About 60 humbugs
Storage:
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 months.
46b. round pops
LOLLIPOPS
General Description:
What easier way to enjoy candy on the go than with a lollipop, the round, sugary hard candy on a stick? Lollipops are made of hot sugar syrup that is colored, flavored, and poured into molds lined with lollipop sticks. Novelty forms include spherical pops with chewy or liquid centers and those cast into unusual shapes, such as teddy bears or fruits.
History:
People have been using sticks to eat honey and other sweet concoctions since medieval times. The term lollipop originated in London in the 1780s, and at first it referred to any sweet; today some stickless sweets are still called lollies in Britain. The term did not travel to America until 1908, when George Smith patented the word for his line of hard candies on sticks. He claimed to have taken the name from his favorite racing horse, Lolly Pop. However, the word returned to public domain in 1931 and can be used to refer to any candy on a stick. Many candy companies claim to have invented the machine that automated the lollipop-making process; ironically, lollipops are one of the simplest candies to make at home.
Serving Suggestions:
Many beautiful and creatively shaped plastic molds can be used to make lollipops. If you don’t have molds, simply pour or spoon the syrup onto a pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone bakingmat, and place a stick into each drop of candy. Be sure to eat a lollipop on July 20, Lollipop Day in the United States.
Candy-Making Notes:
Candy-flavoring extracts or oils are the best agents for flavoring hard candy. If you cannot find them, use regular extracts from your supermarket. Be careful when working with the hot candy
History:
Today, humbugs are one of the most popular hard candies in the United Kingdom. They are also enjoyed in Canada and Australia. It is unclear howthese sweets got their name. The word humbug means “deceptive nonsense” and was popularized by Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol . In 2001, the Sela Confectionery made the largest humbug in the world: a 30-inch long, 70-pound mint humbug, but the giant sweet was stolen days before it was to be auctioned off for charity.
Serving Suggestions:
Humbugs are thought to be cozy, “warming” candies, so they are eaten during the winter months. Wrap prettily striped humbugs in cellophane for a humorous Christmas gift.
Candy-Making Notes:
A marble slab is a good work surface because it helps the candy cool quickly; if you don’t have one, a baking sheet will do. Use extreme caution when working with the hot candy mixture. Wearing latex gloves helps. If the candy becomes too hard to manipulate, place it on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven for a minute.
Recipe:
3 cups sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
¼ cup water
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Food coloring, if desired
1.
Coat a marble slab or large baking sheet with cooking spray. Lightly spray a pair of kitchen shears.
2.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking without stirring until the candy reaches 300°F, hard crack stage.
3.
Remove from heat and stir in peppermint extract and food coloring.
4.
Pour candy onto the marble slab or baking sheet. Let it cool for about 5 minutes, using a bench scraper or metal spatula to occasionally turn the mass in on itself so that it cools evenly.
5.
When the candy has cooled enough to handle but is still hot, begin pulling it with your hands, stretching and gathering it until it is opaque and satiny.
6.
Pull the candy into a long rope about ½ inch thick. Cut it into bite-size pieces using the shears. Place pieces on a baking sheet to cool.
7.
Wrap the cooled candies in cellophane.
Yield:
About 60 humbugs
Storage:
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 months.
46b. round pops
LOLLIPOPS
General Description:
What easier way to enjoy candy on the go than with a lollipop, the round, sugary hard candy on a stick? Lollipops are made of hot sugar syrup that is colored, flavored, and poured into molds lined with lollipop sticks. Novelty forms include spherical pops with chewy or liquid centers and those cast into unusual shapes, such as teddy bears or fruits.
History:
People have been using sticks to eat honey and other sweet concoctions since medieval times. The term lollipop originated in London in the 1780s, and at first it referred to any sweet; today some stickless sweets are still called lollies in Britain. The term did not travel to America until 1908, when George Smith patented the word for his line of hard candies on sticks. He claimed to have taken the name from his favorite racing horse, Lolly Pop. However, the word returned to public domain in 1931 and can be used to refer to any candy on a stick. Many candy companies claim to have invented the machine that automated the lollipop-making process; ironically, lollipops are one of the simplest candies to make at home.
Serving Suggestions:
Many beautiful and creatively shaped plastic molds can be used to make lollipops. If you don’t have molds, simply pour or spoon the syrup onto a pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone bakingmat, and place a stick into each drop of candy. Be sure to eat a lollipop on July 20, Lollipop Day in the United States.
Candy-Making Notes:
Candy-flavoring extracts or oils are the best agents for flavoring hard candy. If you cannot find them, use regular extracts from your supermarket. Be careful when working with the hot candy
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