Get tips for making candy
CANDY RECIPES
Chocolate Candy Corn Truffles
Dark chocolate and bitter orange offset the sweetness of candy corn in these fun but fancy truffles.
Cinnamon Pumpkin Seed Brittle
This warmly spiced brittle also makes a crunchy garnish for a holiday pumpkin pie.
Bite-Size Honey Popcorn Balls
The only quibble we have with popcorn balls is that they're usually too big and unwieldy to bite into. These miniature clusters, held together with caramelized honey, are just the right size.
Chocolate-Pistachio Marshmallows
Kids will love to help dip the marshmallows into the melted chocolate and chopped nuts. Chocolate-Pistachio Apricots
For a more grown-up treat, follow the preceding recipe and substitute 24 dried large apricots for the marshmallows.
Peanut-Raisin Bark
Chocolate-covered peanuts meet chocolate-coated raisins in this easy and addictive candy.
Butterscotch Caramels
It's hard to stop at just one when you try these silky brown-sugar candies.
Coconut Haystacks
The flaky texture of these clusters reminds us of Butterfinger candy bars.
CANDYMAKING TIPS
Follow these suggestions to get the best results.
Melting chocolate: Be gentle. Fill a saucepan with 2 to 3 in. of water. Put finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl that will fit over pan (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water); set bowl aside. Bring water to a boil, turn off heat, then set bowl over pan. Use a heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to stir the chocolate frequently and encourage even melting. Once the chocolate is melted, stir well and use immediately. Caramelizing sugar: Watch closely. Sugar cooks quickly once it begins to brown, so have your ingredients measured and your tools assembled before you start. Before bringing your sugar mixture to a boil, make sure you completely dissolve the sugar and melt the butter: Stir the mixture with a flexible heatproof spatula over medium-low heat, running the spatula around the inside of the saucepan a few times to thoroughly mix everything together.
Using a candy thermometer: It can be tricky to know when a sugar mixture has reached the temperature that will yield the texture you're after. Thankfully, candy thermometers eliminate the guesswork. You'll find them at supermarkets and some hardware stores; make sure to choose one that measures temperatures up to 400°.
Test it first: If you have an old thermometer in the back of your gadget drawer, test its accuracy by immersing it in boiling water; it should read 212°. (If it doesn't, get a new thermometer.) Our favorite in the test kitchen is the Taylor Classic Candy and Deep-Fry Analog Thermometer ($13; available at housewares and home improvement stores), an inexpensive model that's easy to read and attaches securely to the pan's side.
Read it accurately: Attach the thermometer to the side of the pan after the sugar mixture has come to a boil. The placement of the heat sensor varies among brands, but generally the bottom of the thermometer must be completely submerged in the sugar mixture to get an accurate reading. If the mixture is too shallow, carefully tilt the pan until liquid completely covers the bottom of the thermometer when you want to check the temperature.
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