TAFFY AND MOLASSES CANDY FOR CANDY PULLS Taffy is a simple candy, which may be made of either granulated, light or dark-brown sugar or molasses. Or both sugar and molasses, with the addition of butter and vinegar, lemon juice or other flavoring sub stance, as desired.
The ingredients may be boiled to gether, or the butter may be added when the sirup is nearly done. Lemon juice or other flavoring matter should not be added until the boiling is nearly finished, as otherwise the fla vor will be partly lost. Taffy is a good candy for children to make,' as it is simple and easily handled. It may also be worked into various de signs, twisted, braided, formed into horseshoes, baskets, and the like. -Two or more strands of different col ors may be braided together. Bas kets in different shapes may be formed by winding strands around the bottom or outside of cups or other dishes, which should be but tered on the outside, adding a suit able handle and setting the whole away to cool. When cold it may be easily removed.
Candy canes may be rolled and twisted on a sheet of waxed paper; or strips of party-colored taffy may be twisted or braided and cut into sticks with scissors. The work must be done quickly as soon as the candy is cool enough to bear the hands, as after it sets it cannot be worked to advantage. When taffy is poured from the kettle use only the quantity that will run freely. Keep the scrap ings by themselves, as if they are added to the candy they may cause it to harden and grain.
Molasses Taffy.—Boil in a buttered kettle for 3 hours over slow fire, or until the sirup ceases to boil, 1 quart of Porto Rico molasses and pound of light-brown sugar. Stir frequently to prevent burning or boiling over. When nearly done stir in the juice of a large lemon. When it hardens in water pour into but tered pans.
Or boil over a slow fire to the ball 1 quart of Porto Rico molasses and 1 gill of cold water. Now stir in 1 tablespoonful of butter, 1 teaspoon ful of brown sugar. Boil until it hardens in water and pour in a but tered pan to cool.
Or boil together 1 cupful of mo lasses, 1 cupful of sugar, butter the size of an egg, until it will harden in cold water. Cool in a buttered pan.
Everton Taffy.—To make this cele brated taffy extract the juice of a large lemon and grate the rind. Mix 1 pounds of coffee sugar, 3i ounces of butter, 1 cupfuls of water, and the grated lemon rind. Boil together over a quick fire, stirring constantly until it becomes hard and brittle in cold water. Remove from the fire, stir in the lemon juice and pour in buttered tins to cool.
Buttercups. — Make any desired quantity of taffy and pour out about inch deep to cool on a smooth but tered surface. Warm a similar quan tity of stiff fondant, and work it near the fire until it is creamy and soft. Pull the taffy as soon as it will bear the hands until it is white, stretch it out in broad, flat strips, lay a roll of fondant in the center of each strip, roll the fondant in the taffy and cut the strips crosswise with a sharp scissors to any desired lcnFth.
To Pull Candy.—The best way to pull candy is to grease the hands thoroughly with butter to prevent sticking, or they may be covered with flour. The work should commence as soon as the candy is cool enough to bear the hands. Work with the tips of the ,fingers until it grows cool.
Continue to pull until it is of a light golden color, or white, according to the recipe. Pull smartly, either by the help of another person or over a hook. Finally, draw out in sticks on waxed paper, or other smooth sur face, which may be dusted with flour and cut with shears into sticks.
Pulled Taffy for a Taffy Pull.— Either sugar or molasses taffy may be pulled. For sugar taffy, boil to gether to the soft ball 3 cupfuls of granulated sugar, cupful of vine gar, cupful of water; now add 1 tablespoonful of butter stirred in quickly, and boil until it hardens and becomes brittle in cold water. Add any flavoring extract desired just before removing from the fire. Pour on a buttered platter to cool, turn in the edges as fast as it cools, and when cold enough to handle pull un til white and brittle.