Honey Taffy

Serves 50

| Confections This recipe entails a good workout with the reward of unmistakably honey-flavored candies. This recipe can be completed by a single chef, but is much more fun with the help of friends and family.

Suits: Vegetarian, Pescatarian. Allergens named in the ingredients: Milk. Flags come from what shops, restaurants and cooks list and from the ingredient names. Always check the label. This is not medical advice.

Ingredients

2 cups (450 g / 16 oz) white granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup (325 g / 11.5 oz) liquid honey (any variety)
¾ cup (185 ml / 6.3 oz) water
2 tablespoons butter

Method

In a 3–4-quart (2.8–3.8 L) heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, salt, and cornstarch until uniform.
Using a wooden or metal spoon, stir in the honey and the water. Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and continually stir until all the sugar dissolves.
Continue to stir the mixture until the mixture begins to boil. Once boiling begins, let the solution cook undisturbed until it reaches 270°F/132°C also known as the soft crack stage. Add the butter.
Remove the hot mixture from heat and pour onto a greased, lipped cookie sheet, a greased marble slab, or a silicone mat, such as a Silpat.
When taffy is cool enough to handle with greased cleaned hands, gather the taffy and continually stretch, fold and recombine it until it lightens in color and gains a satiny gloss. This step is best accomplished with a friend and requires 10–15 minutes of continuous pulling.
Once taffy has been properly pulled, roll into ½-inch ropes and cut into long pieces with a knife or greased scissors. Once all the taffy is cut, wrap in small squares of waxed paper and twist the ends.