Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable (44 page)

5.
Remove from heat, and stir in salt and vanilla.

6.
Pour mixture into pan to cool and harden.

7.
Remove the caramel block from the pan and cut into squares using a sharp, well-oiled knife.

8.
Sprinkle a few grains of fleur de sel on top of the cut caramels before wrapping.

Yield:

About 60 caramels

Storage:

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week.

Variation:

Fleur de Sel Caramels Dipped in Dark Chocolate

One of U.S. president Barack Obama’s favorite candies is a salted caramel covered in dark chocolate from Fran’s Chocolates in Seattle, Washington. To make your own, dip the cut caramels in
tempered dark chocolate
. Top with a few grains of fleur de sel.

General Description:

Hard candy is one of the oldest and simplest forms of sugar candy: It comes in a variety of beautiful forms, from
lemon drops
to
candy canes
. In confectioner’s terms,
hard candy
refers to a hot sugar syrup with no fats added, which is pulled and stretched like taffy until it becomes opaque. The pulling action aerates and lightens the candy and gives it a glossy, satinlike finish. The British are masters of hard candy, and their
sweet shops contain a dizzying array of these treats.

History:

Middle Easterners invented pulled hard candy and introduced this candy-making method to Europe, along with sugar itself, in the 7th and 8th centuries. The British took a fancy to hard candies. Today, some of the most common British hard candies are
humbugs
—pillow-shaped drops flavored with peppermint and striped black, brown, and yellow.

Serving Suggestions:

With their vibrant colors and shiny finish, hard candies are some of the prettiest sweets around. Experiment with different colors and flavors.

Candy-Making Notes:

A marble slab is a good surface for working candy because it helps the candy cool quickly. Be extremely careful when working with the hot candy mixture. Wearing latex gloves helps. If the candy becomes too hard to manipulate, place it on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven for a minute. If you don’t want to pull the candy, pour it into molds after step 3.

Recipe:

1.
Coat a marble slab or baking sheet with cooking spray. Lightly spray a pair of kitchen shears.

2.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and ¼ cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue cooking to 300°F, hard crack stage, without stirring.

3.
Remove from heat and stir in peppermint extract and food coloring.

4.
Pour candy onto the marble slab or baking sheet. Let it cool for 5 minutes, using a metal spatula to flip it so that it cools evenly.