mixture.
Recipe:
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon cherry or other flavor extract
Few drops food coloring, if desired
Lollipop sticks
1.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and ½ cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2.
Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 300°F, hard crack stage. Remove from heat and cool to about 275°F.
3.
Stir in the cherry flavoring and food coloring.
4.
Pour the mixture into the lollipop molds. Insert the sticks into the slots on the molds. Allow to cool and harden for 15 minutes before unmolding.
Yield:
About 10 lollipops
Storage:
Wrap lollipops in cellophane that is twist-tied shut, and store them in a cool dry place for up to 1 month.
MAPLE CANDY
General Description:
Maple candy in the shape of falling leaves is a tasty reminder of autumn . Little more than maple syrup cooked down to its sugary essence, this candy has been made since the colonial days in North America. It is still a popular holiday gift from maple-producing areas in North America, such as Vermont, Wisconsin, and Quebec.
History:
When British and French colonists settled the eastern coast of North America, Native Americans introduced them to a sweet syrup derived from the sap of the maple trees native to the region. It is not surprising that they soon used this cheap, local substitute for sugar to make a version of sugar candy. A common wintertime activity is making Jack wax or sugar on snow : pouring hot maple syrup on snow and eating the instantly frozen pieces.
Serving Suggestions:
This is the perfect recipe for candy molds in the shape of leaves, acorns, or other fall-themed objects. Boxes of homemade maple candy are a fitting autumn gift.
Candy-Making Notes:
Be sure to use real maple syrup, not imitation “maple- flavored” syrup. Maple syrup comes in several grades. In the United States, it comes in grades A and B, whereas in Canada it comes in grades #1 to #3. Grades A and #1 are the mildest and work best for a light, delicate candy. Use a higher grade if you want a stronger maple flavor.
Recipe:
2 cups maple syrup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1.
Combine maple syrup and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Watch carefully so the mixture does not boil over.
2.
Continue cooking until it reaches 240°F, soft ball stage. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
3.
Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon until it becomes very thick and creamy and loses its glossy sheen. Do not let the mixture set.
4.
Immediately pour the mixture into candy molds to set, about 20 minutes.
Yield:
About 24 maple candies
Storage:
Store in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper for up to 1 month.
PASTELI
General Description:
Perhaps one of the first candies ever made, these Greek honey candies are thin, chewy bars of honey mixed with sesame seeds . The most traditional version of this ancient Greek specialty uses just these two ingredients and is sweet and nutty, sticky, and crunchy. Other versions contain sugar or corn syrup, which create a firmer, crunchier bar. Sometimes nuts and dried fruit are added; pistachios are popular. With nutritious ingredients and no refined sugar, pasteli is one of the most healthful candies.
History:
Honey is the world’s first sweetener. The Greek islands, famed for their varieties of flowers, were early producers of honey. Ancient Greeks valued bees and the honey they produced. It is possible that ambrosia, the food of the Greek gods, was in fact honey. Homer’s epic Iliad includes a reference to a sesame and honey pie, perhaps a forebearer of pasteli. Different varieties of pasteli exist throughout Greece, each using local honeys and ingredients to create a unique version of this ancient candy.
Serving Suggestions:
Because both honey and sesame seeds are nutritious, these candies are a healthful alternative to other traditional candies. Serve pasteli as a light dessert or take them along as
Recipe:
1 cup sugar
⅓ cup light corn syrup
½ teaspoon cherry or other flavor extract
Few drops food coloring, if desired
Lollipop sticks
1.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and ½ cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2.
Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 300°F, hard crack stage. Remove from heat and cool to about 275°F.
3.
Stir in the cherry flavoring and food coloring.
4.
Pour the mixture into the lollipop molds. Insert the sticks into the slots on the molds. Allow to cool and harden for 15 minutes before unmolding.
Yield:
About 10 lollipops
Storage:
Wrap lollipops in cellophane that is twist-tied shut, and store them in a cool dry place for up to 1 month.
MAPLE CANDY
General Description:
Maple candy in the shape of falling leaves is a tasty reminder of autumn . Little more than maple syrup cooked down to its sugary essence, this candy has been made since the colonial days in North America. It is still a popular holiday gift from maple-producing areas in North America, such as Vermont, Wisconsin, and Quebec.
History:
When British and French colonists settled the eastern coast of North America, Native Americans introduced them to a sweet syrup derived from the sap of the maple trees native to the region. It is not surprising that they soon used this cheap, local substitute for sugar to make a version of sugar candy. A common wintertime activity is making Jack wax or sugar on snow : pouring hot maple syrup on snow and eating the instantly frozen pieces.
Serving Suggestions:
This is the perfect recipe for candy molds in the shape of leaves, acorns, or other fall-themed objects. Boxes of homemade maple candy are a fitting autumn gift.
Candy-Making Notes:
Be sure to use real maple syrup, not imitation “maple- flavored” syrup. Maple syrup comes in several grades. In the United States, it comes in grades A and B, whereas in Canada it comes in grades #1 to #3. Grades A and #1 are the mildest and work best for a light, delicate candy. Use a higher grade if you want a stronger maple flavor.
Recipe:
2 cups maple syrup
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1.
Combine maple syrup and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Watch carefully so the mixture does not boil over.
2.
Continue cooking until it reaches 240°F, soft ball stage. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
3.
Beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon until it becomes very thick and creamy and loses its glossy sheen. Do not let the mixture set.
4.
Immediately pour the mixture into candy molds to set, about 20 minutes.
Yield:
About 24 maple candies
Storage:
Store in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper for up to 1 month.
PASTELI
General Description:
Perhaps one of the first candies ever made, these Greek honey candies are thin, chewy bars of honey mixed with sesame seeds . The most traditional version of this ancient Greek specialty uses just these two ingredients and is sweet and nutty, sticky, and crunchy. Other versions contain sugar or corn syrup, which create a firmer, crunchier bar. Sometimes nuts and dried fruit are added; pistachios are popular. With nutritious ingredients and no refined sugar, pasteli is one of the most healthful candies.
History:
Honey is the world’s first sweetener. The Greek islands, famed for their varieties of flowers, were early producers of honey. Ancient Greeks valued bees and the honey they produced. It is possible that ambrosia, the food of the Greek gods, was in fact honey. Homer’s epic Iliad includes a reference to a sesame and honey pie, perhaps a forebearer of pasteli. Different varieties of pasteli exist throughout Greece, each using local honeys and ingredients to create a unique version of this ancient candy.
Serving Suggestions:
Because both honey and sesame seeds are nutritious, these candies are a healthful alternative to other traditional candies. Serve pasteli as a light dessert or take them along as
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