Old Fashioned Sorghum Taffy Recipes

PINE-MOUNTAIN SORGHUM TAFFY

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients, except soda.
• Cook s-l-o-w-l-y until syrup forms into a hard ball in water .
• Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Just before removing from heat, stir in the soda.
• Pour into buttered pans.
• When cool enough to handle, butter hands slightly & pull until light & firm.
• Draw into sticks & cut into pieces with kitchen shears dipped in corn starch.
• Wrap individualy in wax paper.

OLD FASHIONED SORGHUM TAFFY

Steps:

• Place butter, water, corn syrup, sorghum and sugar in 3 quart saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until mixture spins a thread-soft crack stage. Add soda, stirring to blend thoroughly. Turn out onto buttered platters. Cool until candy can be handled. Butter hands and pull taffy until light colored and too stiff to continue pulling. Pull into long, twisted ropes. Cut or break into pieces; wrap in wax paper or transparent wrap.

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.

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.

VINTAGE SALTWATER TAFFY

Steps:

• 1. Liberally grease a large baking sheet with butter and set aside.
• 2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch. Add the corn syrup, water, butter, and salt and stir over medium heat until the butter melts and the mixture comes to a boil.
• 3. Cook, without stirring, until the mixture just reaches 250° on a candy thermometer, or until a small piece dropped into a cup of cold water forms a firm, but not sticky, ball. Immediately remove from heat and stir in the flavor, vanilla, and several drops of food coloring.
• 4. Pour the mixture onto the greased cookie sheet and let it cool until you're able to handle it, about 15 minutes.
• 5. Grease your hands with butter, then pull and stretch the taffy until it lightens in color, about 15 minutes total. Form into ropes and cut into pieces with buttered scissors. Wrap the pieces in squares of parchment or wax paper
• 6. How to Pull Taffy Make your taffy Let the taffy stand until it is cool enough throughout to touch with your fingers Wash your hands thoroughly, then butter them. Pick up the taffy with 2 hands. Form the taffy into a ball. Pull your right and left hands away from each other sideways in front of your body. (You will be pulling taffy for quite a while, so find a comfortable position or friends to help). Double the taffy on itself by bringing the ends together on the left side and pulling the middle with your right hand. If you plan on making a lot of taffy, invest in a taffy hook. They are available through online kitchen stores. Install this large metal hook on your wall, clean it, and then hook the taffy around the middle, and pull. Double the taffy on the hook. Pull and repeat. This allows you to pull back and use momentum to help you, making it less exhausting. Regrease your hands with butter as needed throughout the process of pulling.
• 7. Pull the taffy until it is light in color and stiff. This will indicate there are enough air bubbles inside to make it fluffy. Pulling taffy can take 15 to 60 minutes, depending upon the number of people you have pulling and the amount of taffy you are working with.
• 8. Pull hard on 1 end of the taffy so that it is stretched into a thin rope. You may need to take it between your 2 palms and rotate your hands back and forth to keep the round rope shape. Cut the taffy with clean, greased scissors and wrap the taffy in wax paper. Twist together ropes of different colors and flavors to form a striped candy. Cut with greased scissors and wrap in wax paper squares.

GRANDMA'S TAFFY

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Add the butter, salt, corn syrup and water; mix well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to mix in butter. Heat to 275 degrees F (134 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped from a spoon forms hard but pliable threads.
• Remove from heat, and stir in the vanilla, flavored extract and food coloring. Pour into a greased 8x8 inch baking dish. When cooled enough to handle, remove candy from the pan, and pull until it loses its shine and becomes stiff. Pull into ropes, and use scissors to cut into 1 inch pieces. Wrap each piece in waxed paper.

OLD FASHIONED MOLASSES TAFFY

Steps:

• Cook sugars, molasses and water together until brittle over low heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning. Remove from heat, add butter, soda and salt, stirring just enough to mix. Pour into large greased pan and allow to stand until cool enough to handle. Butter fingers and pull until firm and light yellow. Stretch into a rope, twist and cut into 1" lengths.