Maple Sugar Candy Recipes

MAPLE LEAF CANDY

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• If you are using candy molds, prepare by spraying them lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
• Take a paper towel and wipe off most of the spray; you want just a very thin coating of nonstick spray on the inside.
• Pour the syrup into a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan and place it over medium heat. (The syrup will bubble up quite a bit, so make sure that the saucepan is large enough so that it will not easily boil over the top.)
• Bring the syrup to a boil; this can take about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Insert a candy thermometer and add the butter.
• Stir until the butter is fully melted and incorporated.
• Continue to cook the mixture until it reaches 240 F on the candy thermometer ( soft-ball stage ), about 35 to 40 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and allow it to cool for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir the candy vigorously with a wooden spoon until it thickens, lightens in color, and turns opaque, which should take about 3 to 5 minutes. Stop stirring once it reaches this point because if you continue to stir, it will start to set in the pan and become difficult to pour into the molds.
• Working quickly, spoon the candy into the candy molds.
• Smooth the tops with a small offset spatula.
• Once the candy is poured, it will start to set quickly. Let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes.
• Pop them out of the molds.

MAPLE SUGAR CANDY

Steps:

• Place maple in a small saucepan and bring up to 280 degrees F. Dip a spoon into the syrup and drizzle desired shapes onto a sheet pan sprayed with vegetable oil or lined with a silpat. Let cool completely so "candies" come off the sheet pan easily. Eat as is or use as a garnish.

MAPLE CANDY

Steps:

• Line the bottom and sides of a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper; brush the parchment with vegetable oil. Bring the maple syrup to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium low. Dip the back of a spoon in vegetable oil and run it over the top of the foam to help it subside. Increase the heat to medium and continue cooking until a candy thermometer registers 246 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes. Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and let cool, 5 minutes.
• Beat the syrup with a mixer on medium-low speed until it starts to lighten in color and turn opaque, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour into the prepared pan and spread with an offset spatula; let cool completely, about 1 hour. Lift out of the pan and cut into pieces.

PURE MAPLE CANDY

Steps:

• In a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil over medium-high heat stirring occasionally. Boil until syrup reaches 235 degrees F (110 degrees C) on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat and cool to 175 degrees F (80 degrees C) without stirring, about 10 minutes.
• Stir mixture rapidly with a wooden spoon for about 5 minutes until the color turns lighter and mixture becomes thick and creamy. Stir in chopped nuts, if desired.
• Pour into molds. Set aside to cool. Once cool, unmold candy. Store in airtight containers up to 1 month.

SOFT MAPLE SUGAR CANDY

Steps:

• heat maple syrup to a temperature of approximately 32-34oF above the boiling temperature of pure water (212 degrees F at sea level).
• pour the syrup into a flat pan or trough and allow it to cool undisturbed to at least 200F but not less than 160°F.
• stir until the syrup is soft and plastic.
• pour or pack it into molds. Molded candies commonly set up in 10 to 30 minutes. Candies formed by pouring rather than packing will have an attractive glazed surface.