From Quebec Pulled Molasses Taffy Recipes

PULLED MOLASSES TAFFY

Steps:

• Butter a 15x10x1-in. pan with 3 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine the water, brown sugar, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 245° (firm-ball stage), stirring occasionally. Add molasses and remaining butter. Cook, uncovered until a candy thermometer reads 260° (hard-ball stage), stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; pour into prepared pan. Cool for 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle., With buttered fingers, quickly pull half of the candy until firm but pliable. Pull and shape into a 1/2-in. rope. Cut into 1-1/4-in. pieces. Repeat with remaining taffy. Wrap pieces individually in foil or waxed paper; twist ends. Store in airtight containers in the refrigerator. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving.

OLD-FASHIONED MOLASSES TAFFY

Steps:

• 1. Mix together all ingredients except baking soda. Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil, without stirring further. When mixture reaches the hard ball stage (265 degrees - when a small piece dropped into cold water forms a hard ball). Remove from heat, stir in soda and pour into buttered baking pan.
• 2. Butter hands and keep hands buttered throughout the pulling process. When taffy is cool enough to handle (but not too cool!)Careful now since even though it is cooled enough to handle it can still bring up blisters, cut in long pieces and pull and fold with a partner until candy becomes satiny, stiff and light in color (about 10 to 15 minutes). Finished strips should be pulled to about 1/2 inch wide. Cut in lengths of 1 12 inches and wrap individual pieces in waxed paper.

MOLASSES TAFFY

Steps:

• Place the molasses in a heavy aluminum saucepan or unlined copper saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Boil until the molasses reaches the hard-ball stage on a candy thermometer (250 to 266 degrees.) Remove it from the stove and add the butter and vanilla, stirring to mix them in. Pour the candy out onto a well greased piece of confectioner's marble or a well-greased heavy platter or baking sheet and allow it to stand until the candy begins to get hard around the edges. Moisten your hands with ice water. Take a 1/2 cup size ball of taffy into both hands and pull it back and forth until the taffy changes color and becomes golden. When the taffy begins to harden, twist it or braid it into sticks, tie it into knots, or shape it as desired.

OLD-TIME TAFFY PULL

Steps:

• Butter one 8 inch square pan; set aside.
• In a 2 quart saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water, butter, cornstarch and salt. Mix together well and bring to a boil. Heat without stirring until a candy thermometer reads 250 degrees F (120 degrees C).
• Remove from heat; stir in vanilla, almond extract, almonds and food color. Pour into pan. Let stand until cool enough to handle. (Taffy should be lukewarm in center as well as at the edges.)
• At this point, fold, double and pull the taffy until it is light in color and stiff. Butter hands lightly if taffy begins to stick. Cut taffy into pieces with scissors and wrap the pieces with plastic wrap to maintain shape.

MOLASSES CANDY (OLE' FASHIONED PULL TAFFY)

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, over medium heat, cook all ingredients stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.
• Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, to the hard ball stage, about 260°F on candy thermometer (or a small amount of mixture dropped into cold water forms a hard ball).
• Pour mixture into a buttered shallow pan and allow to cool.
• When cool enough to handle, rub butter on hands and pull the candy (small portions at a time) until light golden in color and candy has a satin-like finish.
• Pull into long strips 3/4 inch in diameter and cut into 1 inch pieces with a scissors.
• When completely cooled, wrap each piece in waxed paper, twist waxed paper closed at each end.

OLD FASHIONED MOLASSES TAFFY

Steps:

• Lightly grease a baking sheet. Bring the sugar, molasses, water, and vinegar to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until the sugar has reached the hard ball stage, 250 to 265 degrees F (121 to 129 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a rigid ball.
• Remove from the heat, and stir in the butter and baking soda. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, and allow to cool until cool enough to handle, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Once cool enough to handle, fold the taffy in half, then pull to double its original length. Continue folding and pulling until the taffy has turned golden brown, and is too stiff to pull anymore. Cut the taffy into bite sized pieces, and wrap in waxed paper. Store in an airtight container.

FROM QUEBEC - PULLED MOLASSES TAFFY

Steps:

• 1. Butter a jelly roll pan thoroughly.
• 2. In a large pan add brown sugar, molasses, butter, vinegar and 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is melted.
• 3. Continue boiling, without stirring, until a drop in cold water separates into threads (260 F on a candy thermometer).
• 4. Stir in the baking soda.
• 5. Pour the mixture into the buttered pan. With a metal spatula, fold over from edges until cool enough to handle.
• 6. Butter your hands and quickly pull and fold the taffy back on itself.
• 7. Do this until the color starts to lighten, then twist, continuing to pull as long as possible.
• 8. Twist into lengths and cut into pieces. (If the taffy becomes too hard to pull, warm in the oven for a few minutes).
• 9. Wrap the individual candy pieces in wax paper.