Sunday, December 09, 2007
Candy makin' fiend...
Yesterday I vended my Watkins wares at a Vendor showcase in Winston-Salem. During the week, I decided in order to show off a couple of the holiday special Watkins extracts, I'd make some candies from scratch.
Honestly, its not as hard as I thought it would be, however I did learn one thing. Do Not Use a Rubber Spatula To Stir The Hot Candy mixture! You end up with bits of rubber in your caramels! I had to make another batch. And stir it with a wooden spoon. *snarf*
I made some Irish Cream flavoured caramels, and Anise flavoured hard candies. They both took about half an hour to mix and stir to reach the correct temperature (very important to have a candy thermometer!) and then about an hour and a half or so each to wrap all the candies in waxed paper. Very time consuming that bit. But well worth it IMO. They're very yummy :-)
The vendor showcase unfortunately was not all that well attended, but the other vendors were good folks, and we all exchanged information and catalogues, and in some cases money for goods. I got a nice smelly bar of soap from the Body Works lady, a bag of home made dog cookies from another, an activity book for my nephew from the Discovery Toys lady, and a few wee Smidges from the Tupperware lady. Oh, and a half case of energy drink from the Vemma folks. Very tasty that stuff, not like what you get in convenience stores at all.
A few people purchased some of my Watkins items, but I still came home with more than I would have liked. I guess I'll be well stocked in a few items for this year. Still. bleah...there's really only so many bottles of extract a household of 2 needs yanno! ;-) And I've no idea what I'll do with 2 containers of Country Gravy mix. Neither James or I like it. hmmm...maybe I will donate it to the local food bank.
Anyhoo, here's the recipes for the candies. I'm quite certain they can both be altered for whatever flavours you have on hand. I've thought of making honey lemon candies and cinnamon candies, and chocolate caramels, and and and...one has lots of time to ponder new recipes when one is standing stirring the pot for half an hour at a time. ;-)
Crystal Cut Candy
Ingredients
2 cups/500 mL sugar
1/2 cup/125 mL light corn syrup
1/2 cup/125 mL water
2–3 tsp/10–15 mL Anise Extract
Dash salt
Few drops red food color
Directions
Combine sugar, syrup, water and salt. Bring to a boil over mudium heat. Cook to hard crack stage or 290°F/145°C on candy thermometer. Add food color and extract and allow to set for a few seconds before stirring. Mix well and pour into 8x8x2-inch/20x20x5-cm pan that has been sprayed with Watkins Cooking Spray. Let stand a few minutes until slightly cooled and a film forms over the top. Score candy into “puffs” 3/4 inch/20 mm square using a metal spatula or pancake turner (because candy is cooler at edges, start scoring at the outside and work toward the center). Press a line across pan 3/4 inch/20 mm from edge. Be careful not to break the film. Repeat around pan, intersecting lines at corners to form squares.If lines do not hold shape, candy is not cool enough. Retrace lines, pressing spatula deeper but not breaking film, until spatula can be pressed to bottom of pan on all sides. Cool thoroughly and break into squares. Store loosely covered in a cool, dry place. Makes approximately 100 candies.
Irish Cream Caramels
Ingredients
2 cups/500 mL whipping cream
1 cup/250 mL granulated sugar
1/2 cup/125 mL light corn syrup
2 tsp/10 mL butter or margarine
1 tsp/5 mL Irish Cream Extract
1 tsp/5 mL Vanilla
1/3 cup/80 mL chopped walnuts (I didn't put walnuts in mine. I don't like walnuts and can't figure out why anyone would want to ruin a perfectly good caramel by putting a nut in it!)
Directions
Combine cream, sugar, syrup and butter in large heavy saucepan. Using a candy thermometer, heat to 245°F/125°C, stirring constantly. Remove from heat at once. Stir in extracts; pour into buttered 8 x 8 x 2-inch/20 x 20 x 5-cm pan. Cool just until firm. Loosen candy around edges with a knife; invert on cutting surface. Cut into 1-inch/25-mm squares with a sharp knife. Cool completely and wrap each in waxed paper. Store in a cool place.
Note: These caramels keep well, and may be made several weeks in advance. ¶ 11:47 AM
Honestly, its not as hard as I thought it would be, however I did learn one thing. Do Not Use a Rubber Spatula To Stir The Hot Candy mixture! You end up with bits of rubber in your caramels! I had to make another batch. And stir it with a wooden spoon. *snarf*
I made some Irish Cream flavoured caramels, and Anise flavoured hard candies. They both took about half an hour to mix and stir to reach the correct temperature (very important to have a candy thermometer!) and then about an hour and a half or so each to wrap all the candies in waxed paper. Very time consuming that bit. But well worth it IMO. They're very yummy :-)
The vendor showcase unfortunately was not all that well attended, but the other vendors were good folks, and we all exchanged information and catalogues, and in some cases money for goods. I got a nice smelly bar of soap from the Body Works lady, a bag of home made dog cookies from another, an activity book for my nephew from the Discovery Toys lady, and a few wee Smidges from the Tupperware lady. Oh, and a half case of energy drink from the Vemma folks. Very tasty that stuff, not like what you get in convenience stores at all.
A few people purchased some of my Watkins items, but I still came home with more than I would have liked. I guess I'll be well stocked in a few items for this year. Still. bleah...there's really only so many bottles of extract a household of 2 needs yanno! ;-) And I've no idea what I'll do with 2 containers of Country Gravy mix. Neither James or I like it. hmmm...maybe I will donate it to the local food bank.
Anyhoo, here's the recipes for the candies. I'm quite certain they can both be altered for whatever flavours you have on hand. I've thought of making honey lemon candies and cinnamon candies, and chocolate caramels, and and and...one has lots of time to ponder new recipes when one is standing stirring the pot for half an hour at a time. ;-)
Crystal Cut Candy
Ingredients
2 cups/500 mL sugar
1/2 cup/125 mL light corn syrup
1/2 cup/125 mL water
2–3 tsp/10–15 mL Anise Extract
Dash salt
Few drops red food color
Directions
Combine sugar, syrup, water and salt. Bring to a boil over mudium heat. Cook to hard crack stage or 290°F/145°C on candy thermometer. Add food color and extract and allow to set for a few seconds before stirring. Mix well and pour into 8x8x2-inch/20x20x5-cm pan that has been sprayed with Watkins Cooking Spray. Let stand a few minutes until slightly cooled and a film forms over the top. Score candy into “puffs” 3/4 inch/20 mm square using a metal spatula or pancake turner (because candy is cooler at edges, start scoring at the outside and work toward the center). Press a line across pan 3/4 inch/20 mm from edge. Be careful not to break the film. Repeat around pan, intersecting lines at corners to form squares.If lines do not hold shape, candy is not cool enough. Retrace lines, pressing spatula deeper but not breaking film, until spatula can be pressed to bottom of pan on all sides. Cool thoroughly and break into squares. Store loosely covered in a cool, dry place. Makes approximately 100 candies.
Irish Cream Caramels
Ingredients
2 cups/500 mL whipping cream
1 cup/250 mL granulated sugar
1/2 cup/125 mL light corn syrup
2 tsp/10 mL butter or margarine
1 tsp/5 mL Irish Cream Extract
1 tsp/5 mL Vanilla
1/3 cup/80 mL chopped walnuts (I didn't put walnuts in mine. I don't like walnuts and can't figure out why anyone would want to ruin a perfectly good caramel by putting a nut in it!)
Directions
Combine cream, sugar, syrup and butter in large heavy saucepan. Using a candy thermometer, heat to 245°F/125°C, stirring constantly. Remove from heat at once. Stir in extracts; pour into buttered 8 x 8 x 2-inch/20 x 20 x 5-cm pan. Cool just until firm. Loosen candy around edges with a knife; invert on cutting surface. Cut into 1-inch/25-mm squares with a sharp knife. Cool completely and wrap each in waxed paper. Store in a cool place.
Note: These caramels keep well, and may be made several weeks in advance. ¶ 11:47 AM
