CANDIES
Reading edition
MOLASSES LOLLIPOPS
1 cup sugar ½ cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES 3 tablespoons butter or margarine ½ teaspoon salt ½ cup water
Combine all ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir until sugar is dissolved. 31 Cook slowly to hard-crack stage (290° F.) or until syrup, when dropped in cold water, forms a hard, stiff ball. Drop from tablespoon onto end of wooden skewers arranged on buttered pan. Remove from pan when cold.
YIELD: About 20 lollipops.
LADS AND LASSES TAFFY
1 cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Combine all ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Cook over medium heat until syrup, when dropped in very cold water, separates into threads which are hard but not brittle (270° F.). Stir constantly. Pour onto greased cooky pan or platter. As edges cool, fold toward center or they will harden before center is ready to pull. (DO NOT DISTURB THAT PART OF TAFFY WHICH HAS NOT COOLED OR CANDY WILL STICK TO PAN). Fold into ball when candy is cool enough to handle. Pull with lightly buttered fingers until candy is light in color. Stretch into a long rope, ½ inch wide. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Wrap each piece of taffy in waxed paper.
YIELD: 1¼ lbs.
MOLASSES POPCORN BALLS
1½ cups GRANDMA’S MOLASSES ¾ cup sugar 1 tablespoon butter or margarine 4 quarts popped corn
Mix first three ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cook over medium heat until syrup, when dropped in very cold water, separates into threads which are hard but not brittle (270° F.). Stir constantly. Pour syrup over popped corn, stirring to coat each kernel with syrup. Shape into balls with lightly buttered hands when cool enough to handle. Wrap each ball in waxed paper.
YIELD: 12 to 16 popcorn balls.
Cracker Jack: Add 2 cups roasted peanuts to popcorn before adding syrup.
Puff Balls: Replace popcorn with 1 large box rice krispies, puffed wheat, or puffed rice.
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SURPRISE CARAMELS
1 cup sugar ¾ cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES ⅛ teaspoon salt ⅓ cup butter ½ cup light cream 1 teaspoon vanilla Blanched, salted almonds
Mix first five ingredients in a saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cook over medium heat to 250° F. in winter or 255° F. in summer, or until syrup, when dropped in very cold water, forms a firm ball. Remove from heat. Add vanilla. Pour into a buttered cooky pan. Cool until candy can be handled. Cut into 1-inch squares. Place a whole almond in center of each square. Roll into balls between palms of hands, keeping almond in center. Wrap each piece in waxed paper.
YIELD: 1¼ pounds.
PEANUT BRITTLE
2 tablespoons butter 1 cup sugar ½ cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES ¾ teaspoon soda 2 cups roasted peanuts
Melt butter in a saucepan. Add sugar and molasses. Mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, to 300° F. or until syrup, when dropped in very cold water, becomes brittle. Remove from heat. Stir in soda. Quickly add peanuts. Pour into 2 large, greased cooky pans. Lift edges and stretch candy as thin as possible when cool enough to handle. Break into pieces. Store in tightly closed jar or tin box.
YIELD: 1¼ pounds.
SPICED NUTS
1½ cups sugar ½ cup GRANDMA’S MOLASSES ¼ cup water 1 tablespoon butter 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon ginger ½ teaspoon allspice ⅛ teaspoon cloves ¾ pound pecan or walnut meats
Mix first four ingredients in a saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cook over medium heat to 245° F. or until syrup, when dropped in cold water, forms a firm ball. Remove from heat. Add spices. Stir until syrup begins to grain. Add nuts and stir until all nuts are coated with syrup and well grained. Before coating hardens, separate each nut; place on waxed paper to cool. Store in tightly closed jar or tin box.
YIELD: 1¼ pounds.
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