Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable (38 page)

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Variation:

Sour Lemon Drops

For extra sour lemon candy, roll the drops in
sherbet powder
instead of confectioners’ sugar.

General Description:

Golden, soft butterscotch drops are a cross between caramels and toffee drops
. They are made with nearly the same ingredients as
English toffee
, but the mixture is cooked to 270°F, or soft crack, which results in a softer, chewier candy. Butterscotch has become known as a flavor, similar to caramel. The two flavors
are commonly confused, but butterscotch, unlike caramel, derives its rich, deep flavor from brown sugar.

History:

It is likely that the name
butterscotch
comes from the word
scotch
, which meant “to cut or score” in the early 1800s, when butterscotch was invented. Butterscotch candy was scored while it was still cooling so that it could be broken into pieces when hard. Early butterscotch recipes called for white granulated sugar, but today most use brown sugar to achieve the desired flavor.

Serving Suggestions:

Wrap butterscotch candies in foil or wax paper and place in the candy dish along with other old-fashioned favorites, such as
English toffee
.

Candy-Making Notes:

Instead of pouring the whole mixture into a pan and scoring it into pieces, you can pour it into molds or drop spoonfuls of the hot butterscotch onto sheets; they will form flat, round drops.

Recipe:

1.
Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet with foil and
grease well, or line with a silicone baking mat.

2.
Combine the sugars, ½ cup water, vinegar, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

3.
When the temperature of the mixture reaches 230°F, add the butter and carefully stir to combine.

4.
Continue cooking mixture until it reaches 270°F.

5.
Remove from heat immediately and stir in vanilla.

6.
Pour mixture onto the baking sheet. Let it cool slightly before using a sharp knife to score into squares.

7.
Let cool completely before breaking into pieces.

Yield:

About 60 pieces

Storage:

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

General Description:

These peppermint-flavored, brilliantly striped candies are hung on Christmas trees, tucked into stockings, and tied to presents
. Candy canes are made of layers
of variously colored hard candy rolled together and formed into a curved shape. They are usually red and white, although other color combinations can be found. Candy canes are most prevalent in North America and Europe during the holiday season.

History:

Several interesting stories surround the creation of candy canes. The most plausible say that in 1670 a choirmaster of the Cologne Cathedral in Germany handed out sugar candy to the children in his choir to keep them quiet during the Christmas service. He curved the sugar sticks into the shape of a shepherd’s crook in honor of the holiday; the practice then spread throughout Europe and to colonial America. Originally, candy canes were pure white. The distinctive red and white striping and peppermint flavor were added in the early 1900s.