Christmas and candy always seem to go hand in hand. All those homemade Christmas goodies coming from neighbor and friends, great music and the lights on the Christmas tree, seem to bring holiday cheer even to the biggest Grinch at Christmas.Candy doesn't need to be something only for the "ultimate chef" in your life. There's always one of those; The friend or acquaintance that seems to make everything perfectly. Everything always seems to taste good, look good and the presentation is charming and always just right.
Well, let me clue you in. The only reason that everything always tastes good, looks good and the presentation is perfect is because you don't see the flops that end up left in the kitchen. We all have those moments when nothing seems to turn out right. When "Paula Dean's Taffy" turns into a mass of burned, goo because someone was on the phone and not paying attention. (Remember - NO MULTITASKING!).
There are some simple rules to follow to make sure that your Christmas candy turns out right. Follow these and you'll be the one that friends refer to as the "ultimate chef".
1. Use a digital thermometer. If you don't have one, it's time to invest in one, if you're serious about making candy. Find one that's easy to read and, preferably, that's multifunctional. One that will test meats as well as candy. You'll also need to use wooden spoons (I prefer bamboo, as it's a hard wood, is less porous, doesn't splinter or sliver and I put them in my dishwasher). Metal spoons draw heat from the candy and may cause re-crystallization of the sugar.
2. Test your candy thermometer EVERY time you make candy. Fill a pot with water and attach your candy thermometer, making sure that it doesn't touch the bottom of the pan. Bring the water to a boil (212 degrees F). When the water comes to a rolling boil, check to see what your thermometer is reading and adjust your recipe up or down depending on your thermometers accuracy. If your thermometer reads 210 at a full roiling boil, then you'll need to adjust your "finished" temperature down by 2 degrees.
3. Remember that weather and, especially, moisture greatly effect the outcome of some candies; for example, Peanut Brittle, English Toffee, Divinity..... When there's a great deal of moisture in the air, you're less likely to have a great finished product. Wait for a clear, dry day. One reason, is that sugar attracts water. This will cause your brittle and toffee to be less crisp and your divinity less light and fluffy.
4. Never, never, never make candy when little children are around! Many candies require an extended period of time for cooking and stirring. You cannot neglect your candy. Once your candy comes to a rolling boil, it may pop and sputter as you stir. Little children and candy making are a recipe for disaster and possible injury.
5. NO MULTITASKING! It's important that you pay attention to your candy. It may take a while to go from a rolling boil to 230, and then quickly to 236. Pay attention. Candy making requires patience and attention. If you have a problem with either of these, I suggest you make candy that will give you more "instant gratification" and is easily completed in a short period of time, like candy bark, or chocolate covered nuts.
6. Choose one thing that's your favorite and then fill in with some candies or confections that aren't too over the top. This will keep your Christmas preparations down to a minimum and much less stressful.
7. Make a list of your family, friends and neighbors that you want to share a "homemade" goodie with. This really helps when you're trying to determine how much you need to prepare. Determine what your "gift" size is going to be and what kind of packaging you're going to use. A little preparation goes a long way in making your life a lot easier.
8. Shaving your chocolate will help it melt faster and mix more completely (as with truffles). Shaved chocolate will all melt at the same time, instead of smaller pieces melting and larger pieces needing more time.
9. When dipping centers in chocolate coating, your centers should be well chilled, and for really soft centers, perhaps frozen for 10-15 minutes. This will prevent your centers from melting in the hot coating. Dip centers quickly and place on a parchment lined baking sheet to cool. When chocolate is set, place in candy cups and store in the refrigerator. Remove dipped chocolates from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.
10. To prevent chocolate dipped candy from melting quickly at room temperature, add 1 Tbl. of shortening for every 6-8 oz. of chocolate, for your coating.
11. Weigh your ingredients - you'll get a better end result and remember that volume and weight are not equal. One cup, which is 8 oz, liquid measure is not the same as 8 oz. in weight.
Some tips for storing and cooking chocolate:
- Your work area should be between 70-75 degrees.
- Your candy molds should be between 83-87 degrees.
- Store your candy at 65 degrees with relative humidity of 50 or less, in a well-ventilated area free from strong odors.
- If you're not tempering your chocolate, it can be melted in either a microwave or double boiler.
- To microwave: use full power for 1 min. 30 sec. Stir. Return to microwave for 15-30 second intervals.
- Stove top: Place in a double boiler over hot, not boiling water. Stir until melted. Keep water away from the chocolate to prevent "seizing".
- Shaved coating method: place coating in a saucepan in a warm oven, not above 125 degrees; stir frequently. Cool coating to about 92 degrees. Using a knife or spatula, slice thin pieces from the block of coating. Ratio of shavings should be 1 part shavings to 9 parts melted coating. Stir shavings into melted chocolate until completely melted and thoroughly mixed. Adjust temperature of coating to appropriate temperature and use room temperature to cool coating. Heat coating very gradually if too cold. The coating can now be used for either dipping or molding.
Enjoy your candy making and have a GREAT holiday with your family and friends. Below is a temperature chart for your convenience. Till next month -
Candy Temperature Chart
| Name | Temp | Description | Usage |
| Thread | 223-235* F | The syrup drips from a spoon, forms thin threads in water | Glacé and candied fruits |
| Soft ball | 235-245* F | The syrup easily forms a ball while in the cold water, but flattens once removed | |
| Firm ball | 245-250* F | The syrup is formed into a stable ball, but loses its round shape once pressed | |
| Hard ball | 250-266* F | The syrup holds its ball shape, but remains sticky | Divinity and marshmallows |
| Soft crack | 270-290* F | The syrup will form firm but pliable threads | Nougat and taffy. |
| Hard crack | 300-310* F | The syrup will crack if you try to mold it | Brittles and lollipops |
| Caramel | 320-350* F | The sugar syrup will turn golden at this stage |
