Now, well, now it’s a different story, as I tremble at the mere mention of hot, boiling sugar. I figured salt water taffy would be a perfect challenge for this month. I mean October is all about candy, right? Candy and fear. Because October is about scary things too. I say it’s time we conquer those fears with candy. Saltwater taffy to be exact. Here’s the thing about saltwater taffy: the name is kind of misleading. While many of us associate it with charming seaside candy shops, apparently the best saltwater taffy comes from Salt Lake City (or so I’ve heard). It does not contain actual salt water, though salt and water are both components.
Boiling Sugar. One of my greatest fears. Let’s see if we can conquer this once and for all. Temperature. Get a good candy thermometer, and be sure it is accurate, as you’ll be cooking your sugar to a very precise temperature. Flavoring. Flavoring oils (Like LorAnn) are going to be your best bet: they are very concentrated, so a tiny bit will flavor your entire batch without affecting the consistency. And they come in just about every flavor you can imagine (Champagne taffy, anyone?) Most extracts should work as well. As far as mixing in actual ‘stuff’ for flavoring, I can’t say. Stretching. Taffy has to be pulled; that’s what makes it light and airy. So flex your biceps and stretch until you can’t feel your arms (just kidding, it probably won’t take THAT long… I hope). The Weather. Like the Macaron challenge, this is another one that can be susceptible to heat and humidity. Best to wait for a cool(ish), dry day, if possible.
I’ll probably use the recipe from my mom’s candy-making book, Candy (The Good Cook Techniques & Recipes Series), which I happen to have in my possession (thanks, Mom!) This one does contain cornstarch, but no glycerine. Some recipes seem to call for cornstarch, others don’t. Otherwise, they are all fairly similar. For example, here’s one from The Science of Cooking that seems pretty legit. Note it also calls for optionally adding glycerine, to help give the taffy a smoother texture. LorAnn also sells glycerine, if you were planning on purchasing flavorings anyway! This recipe from ABCnews is almost identical but without the glycerine and cornstarch. Hmm. Experimentation may be in order!
Join me!
Whip up a batch of saltwater taffy by Monday, October 28th and send me a photo of your results! I’ll post about my experience later that week along with a roundup of everyone who was brave enough to tackle this challenge with me. Submit Your Results » The Kitchen Challenge series is simply about getting in the kitchen and challenging yourself to make something new; you aren’t required to have a blog to participate, nor are you required to post about it if you do. However, if you do have a blog and post about the challenge, you are more than welcome to use the above graphic. Seriously, I’m not pulling your leg, let’s pull some taffy!
