salt water taffy

 

If you spend any time near the beach, you have probably had salt water taffy. It seems it is the one must have item in every beach town souvenir shop. No matter how much I try to avoid it, I probably end up eating dozens of flavors of taffy by summer's end!

Having eaten so much of it, I know it is all mostly sugar, but I was still curious about how the taffy is made. Might be a fun project to try with older kids....

 Ingredients

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon flavoring (your choice)
• a couple of drops of food coloring (your choice)

Instructions

1. Mix sugar and cornstarch in 1-1/2 quart saucepan.
   
2. Stir in corn syrup, water, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and sugar is completely dissolved. Continue cooking then, without stirring, until candy thermometer reaches 260 degrees or between firm and hard ball candy stage (mixture will form a flexible ball when drizzled in cold water).
   
3. After boiling has ceased, stir in flavoring and coloring.
   
4. Pour onto lightly greased pan. Let stand until cool enough to handle.
   
5. Pull the taffy with greased hands. Cut into 1-inch pieces and wrap the candy pieces in waxed paper.

Recipe: recipelion  , Image: troyerscountrymarket