How To Make Taffy!

Are you a fan of Taffy?  Ever wondered how to make it?  Ever watched a candy shoppe make it?  I certainly have so many times! 

I never really considered making it at home until I saw a video recently of a Chef trying to copy Skittles.  The first way she tried was by making Taffy.  I was like, WHAT?! You can make that at home?! You don't need a machine?! I'm in!!!! I love to experiment. Especially with cooking.  It is surprisingly similar to making caramel!

Here are a couple different takes on making it from home.  Each video also includes their recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon glycerine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon butter
• 1/2 teaspoon extract or flavoring of your choice
• Food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, water, glycerine and salt.
2. Stir constantly over medium high heat so sugar dissolves thoroughly and mixture comes to a boil.
3. Stop stirring and reduce heat to medium low. Allow mixture to cook to 248-252F, or firm to hard ball stage. You can also drop a small amount of the mixture into a glass of ice water. The ball that forms at the bottom should be fairly hard, but firm enough that it can be pinched. This should take 10-13 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in butter.
5. Pour hot mixture into a very lightly oiled cookie sheet or 9"x13" pan underneath which a rack has been place to protect surface below.
6. Allow candy to cool. Add flavoring, fold candy over and begin pulling into a long sausage shape, doubling then pulling again.
7. Keep pulling taffy until soft and opaque, about 5-10 minutes.
8. Roll taffy into a long rope and using oiled kitchen scissors, cut taffy into desired size pieces.
9. Wrap each piece in a square of waxed paper.

INGREDIENTS

• 2/3 cup white corn syrup
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/ teaspoon sea salt 
• 1 dram bubble gum flavouring (http://amzn.to/2e7ugHx)
• pink gel paste  (http://amzn.to/2dWNU5Q)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium sized saucepan, over medium-high temperature, mix all ingredients together and stir until incorporated. 
2. Once butter has melted, insert candy thermometer and heat mixture until 255F. Remove from heat and pour hot liquid into a buttered pan. Allow to cool to touch. 
3. Once cooled, remove taffy from the pan and start to "pull" it with buttered hands. Stretch taffy piece over and over until the colour changes from translucent to opaque. This will take about 15 minutes. 
4. Pull taffy into a long rope. Butter the blades of a pair of kitchen scissors and cut rope into bite sized pieces. Wrap taffy in wax paper for serving. 

COTTON CANDY SALT WATER TAFFY RECIPE

INGREDIENTS 

• 2/3 cup white corn syrup
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/ teaspoon sea salt
• 1-2 cups cotton candy (https://youtu.be/MQPEyfWErm4) 
• 1 dram cotton candy flavouring  (http://amzn.to/2e7BhrH)
• blue gel paste (http://amzn.to/2e7DWBX)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium sized saucepan, over medium-high temperature, mix all ingredients together and stir until incorporated. 
2. Once butter has melted, insert candy thermometer and heat mixture until 255F. Remove from heat and pour hot liquid into a buttered pan. Allow to cool to touch. 
3. Once cooled, remove taffy from the pan and start to "pull" it with buttered hands. Stretch taffy piece over and over until the colour changes from translucent to opaque. This will take about 15 minutes. 
4. Pull taffy into a long rope. Butter the blades of a pair of kitchen scissors and cut rope into bite sized pieces. Wrap taffy in wax paper for serving.

FUNFETTI  SALT WATER TAFFY RECIPE

INGREDIENTS 

• 2/3 cup white corn syrup
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/ teaspoon sea salt 
• 1 tablespoon clear vanilla extract  (http://amzn.to/2fgEtUT)
• Rainbow jimmies/sprinkles  (http://amzn.to/2fgFtbd)

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium sized saucepan, over medium-high temperature, mix all ingredients-except the jimmies- together and stir until incorporated. 
2. Once butter has melted, insert candy thermometer and heat mixture until 255F. Remove from heat and pour hot liquid into a buttered pan. Sprinkle the top with the rainbow jimmies. Allow to cool to touch. 
3. Once cooled, remove taffy from the pan and start to "pull" it with buttered hands. Stretch taffy piece over and over until the colour changes from translucent to opaque. This will take about 15 minutes. 
4. Pull taffy into a long rope. Butter the blades of a pair of kitchen scissors and cut rope into bite sized pieces. Wrap taffy in wax paper for serving.

* DRAM - small amount.  To taste.