Handmade Candies Page 4
8. Store the marshmallow in a closed container at room temperature.
47
MARSHMALLOW CLOUDS
Ingredients for 20 oz (550 grams) For the Foam: of marshmallow:
2 egg whites from 2 large eggs at
3 tbsp. gelatin
room temperature
½ cup cold water
For Greasing:
For the Syrup:
Canola oil spray
½ cup water (at room temperature)
2 cups sugar
For Finishing:
¼ cup glucose
½ cup cornstarch
A pinch of salt
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
48 | Marshmallows
MARSHMALLOW CLOUDS
Preparation:
Preliminary preparations:
1. Line a medium square baking pan with a well-greased sheet of baking paper.
2. Place gelatin and cold water in a small bowl and gently stir. Set aside.
Preparing the syrup:
1. Place water, sugar, glucose and salt in a double-bottom pot and stir gently with a wooden spoon.
2. Very Important: Prior to boiling, if any sugar accumulates on the sides of the pot, lower all of the grains into the mixture using a wet pastry brush (see explanation on page 10). From this moment onward, do not continue to stir!
3. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium heat and continue to cook (remember, do not stir!) until you reach a temperature of 124°C (255.2°F) (measure using a sugar thermometer). Turn off the heat.
Preparing egg foam and melting the gelatin:
1. While the syrup is boiling (at approximately 110 C/230 F) whip the egg whites in a mixing bowl until fluffy.
2. Place the bowl with gelatin in the microwave for about 20 seconds to dissolve.
Preparing the marshmallow mixture and decorate clouds: 1. Pour the boiling syrup and melted gelatin into a mixing bowl. Mix together with the egg foam for 2 minutes on medium speed and eight more minutes on high speed.
2. Lower the whipping speed to low, add vanilla extract and whip for a minute until fully mixed.
3. Place large chunks of marshmallow over the baking paper/surface using a wet spoon, with 1 cm gaps between the "clouds".
4. Wait at least 6 hours for stabilizing.
5. Mix the finishing ingredients and spread over the marshmallow.
6. Store the marshmallow clouds in a closed container at room temperature for up to a week.
49
} 4 {
CARAMEL
CANDIES
The candies in this chapter
contain additions of various
nuts, some of which are salty,
but the caramel flavor is
preserved in all.
Some of the sweets are dairy-
based and some water-based;
some have a harder texture and
some softer.
SALTED CARAMEL LOLLIPOPS
Ingredients for 20 candies:
Special Equipment:
1 cup of white sugar
Lollipop molds
1 cup of brown sugar
Plastic or wooden lollipop sticks
¼ cup glucose
Cellophane bags and a ribbon
3½ oz (100 grams) soft salted butter
1 tsp salt
Preparation:
1. Prepare the lollipop molds and place the sticks accordingly.
2. Place white and brown sugar, glucose, butter and salt in a double-bottom pot and gently stir with a wooden spoon.
3. Very Important: Prior to boiling, if any sugar accumulates on the sides of the pot, lower all of the grains into the mixture using a wet pastry brush (see explanation on page 10). From this moment onward, do not continue to stir!
4. Bring the mixture to a boil and continue to cook (remember, do not stir!) until you reach a temperature of 154°C (309.2°F)(measure using a sugar thermometer).
5. Pour the syrup into the lollipop molds, making sure that the part of the stick that is to be inside the lollipop is also covered in syrup.
Let cool.
6. Remove the lollipops from the molds. Wrap each lollipop in cellophane and tie tightly with a ribbon. It is important that the wrapper will be sealed to avoid moisture.
7. Store the lollipops in a sealed container at room temperature.
51 | Caramel Candies
Salted Caramel Lollipops
52
ENGLISH TOFFEE
Ingredients for 14 oz (400 grams) of toffee:
¼ cup water
2 cups sugar
¼ cup glucose
1 tsp baking soda
Preparation:
1. Cover a square baking pan with a sheet of baking paper.
2. Put water, sugar and glucose in a double bottom pot and stir gently with a wooden spoon.
3. Very Important: Prior to boiling, if any sugar accumulates on the sides of the pot, lower all of the grains into the mixture using a wet pastry brush (see explanation on page 10). From this moment onward, do not continue to stir!
4. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium heat and continue to cook (remember, do not stir!) until you reach a temperature of 158°C
(316.4°F) (measure using a sugar thermometer).
5. Remove the pot from the stove, immediately add the baking soda and stir quickly with a clean dry wooden spoon until the powder dissolves in the syrup.
6. Pour the boiling syrup into the baking pan. Important: do not flatten or smooth – the soda continues to operate even after cooking has finished.
7. Cool and break the surface into uneven pieces using a wooden hammer.
8. Store the toffee in a sealed container at room temperature.
This is the Honeycomb, also called Cinder Toffee or a sponge candy due to its appearance. A crunchy candy, which becomes chewy and sticky at the end of chewing. It is thanks to this candy that I began to prepare candies and have been searching for its recipe for a long time. I was even willing to settle for only the list of ingredients… eventually, as with most of the recipes in this book – I found the desired result by myself using the trial and error.
53 | Caramel Candies
English Toffee
54
CRUNCHY PEANUT CANDY
My youngest son, who is very fond of peanut butter, suggest I upgrade the English toffee by adding peanut butter. Here is the result!
Ingredientsfor for 9 oz (250 grams) of candies:
¼ cup water
1 cup sugar
¼ cup glucose
A pinch of salt
1 tbsp. peanut butter
½ tsp baking soda
1¾ oz (50 grams) peeled or coated peanuts
Preparation:
1. Cover a square baking pan with a sheet of baking paper.
2. Put water, sugar, glucose and salt in a double bottom pot and stir gently with a wooden spoon.
3. Very Important: Prior to boiling, if any sugar accumulates on the sides of the pot, lower all of the grains into the mixture using a wet pastry brush (see explanation on page 10). From this moment onward, do not continue to stir!
4. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium heat and continue to cook (remember, do not stir!) until you reach a temperature of 154°C
(309.2°F) (measure using a sugar thermometer).
5. Remove the pot from the stove, immediately add peanut butter, peanuts and baking soda and quickly stir with a dry clean wooden spoon until everything dissolves in the syrup.
6. Pour the boiling caramel into the baking pan and let cool.
7. Break the cool caramel into uneven pieces using a wooden hammer.
8. Store the candies in a sealed container at room temperature.
55 | Caramel Candies
Crunchy Peanut Candy
56
SESAME CANDY
Ingredients for 10 oz (300 grams) For Greasing: of candies:
Canola oil s
pray
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. honey
1 cup sesame seeds
Preparation:
1. Grease one sheet of baking paper with the oil spray. Cover it with another sheet so that the paper on top will be greased on its underside, and separate the papers. Prepare a rolling pin as well.
2. If you wish you may toast the sesame seeds for a few minutes on an ungreased pan.
3. Place the sugar and honey in a double bottom pot and heat over a medium heat. Stir gently with a wooden spoon until all the sugar dissolves, begins to boil and obtains a caramel color. Note: since this is a dry caramel, without the addition of water, make sure to watch that the sugar will not burn.
4. Turn off the heat, add sesame seeds and stir well.
5. Flatten the mixture over one of the greased baking sheets and cover with the other sheet. Flatten with the rolling pin to create a very thin surface. Remove the top baking sheet and let cool.
6. Break the surface into uneven pieces with your hands.
7. Store the candies in a sealed container at room temperature.
When I was in junior high, it was customary that the girls would learn home economics once a week for an entire year, while the boys learned - carpentry.
During our first home economics lesson we had prepared a sesame candy with our teacher.
Her recipe was this: "Melt 1 cup of sugar and add 1 cup of sesame. Pour on a wet marble surface and cut after cooling". I remember wetting the counter at home and together with my father trying to cut this sweet casting of sesame - we were hitting the knife with a hammer so the sesame would cut. As a result, I updated the recipe – in order to make it easier for preparing, cutting and chewing.
57 | Caramel Candies
Sesame Candy
58
SEED CANDY
Ingredients for 11½ oz
For Greasing:
(325 grams) of candies:
Canola oil spray
1 tbsp. water
1 cup sugar
¼ cup glucose
A pinch of salt
2.65 oz (75 grams) sunflower seeds
1¾ oz (50 grams) pumpkin seeds
59 | Caramel Candies
Preparation:
1. Grease one sheet of baking paper with the oil spray. Cover it with another sheet, so that the top sheet will be greased on its underside, and separate the papers. Prepare a rolling pin as well.
2. If you wish, you may toast the seeds for a few minutes on an ungreased pan.
3. Place water, sugar, glucose and salt in a double bottom pot and gently stir with a wooden spoon.
4. Very Important: Prior to boiling, if any sugar accumulates on the sides of the pot, lower all of the grains into the mixture using a wet pastry brush (see explanation on page 10). From this moment onward, do not continue to stir!
5. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium heat and continue to cook (remember, do not stir!) until you reach a temperature of 154°C
(309.2°F)(measure using a sugar thermometer).
6. Remove the pot from the stove. Immediately add the two types of seeds and stir quickly with a dry clean wooden spoon until the seeds are covered with the syrup.
7. Flatten the mixture over one of the greased baking sheets and cover with the other sheet. Flatten with the rolling pin to create a very thin surface, and remove the top level sheet.
8. Break the surface into uneven pieces with your hands.
9. Store the candies in a sealed container at room temperature.
60
SWEET POPCORN
An upgrade to regular popcorn. Do not forget the baking part - it contributes to the drying and crispness of the popcorn.
Ingredients:
3½ oz (100 grams) popcorn kernels
½ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup white sugar
1¾ oz (50 grams) salted butter at room temperature sliced into cubes + 1 tbsp. for greasing
2 tbsp. glucose
Preparation:
1. Preheat the oven to 150°C (302°F)and grease a pan with butter.
2. Prepare the popcorn according to the instructions on the package.
3. Place the two types of sugar, butter and glucose in a double bottom pot and gently stir with a wooden spoon.
4. Very Important: Prior to boiling, if any sugar accumulates on the sides of the pot, lower all of the grains into the mixture using a wet pastry brush (see explanation on page 10). From this moment onward, do not continue to stir!
5. Bring the mixture to a boil over a medium heat and continue to cook (remember, do not stir!) until you reach a temperature of 116°C
(240.8°F) (measure using a sugar thermometer).
6. Remove the pot from the stove, immediately add the prepared popcorn and stir until most popcorn is covered with the caramel.
Spread in a pan.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes. Occasionally (every 3-4 minutes) mix the popcorn with a wooden spoon for an even coating.
8. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool completely.
9. Separate the popcorn and store in a sealed container at room temperature.
Variations: Popcorn Balls
Preheat the oven to 100 degrees. Before the baking step, when the caramelized popcorn has cooled and you can already touch it with your hands, create compressed balls from the popcorn using your hands and place the popcorn balls in the pan in even increments. Bake for 10
minutes (any longer in the oven will cause the popcorn balls to break apart). Cool and store in a sealed container at room temperature.
61 | Caramel Candies
Sweet Popcorn
62
} 5 {
FUDGE
Fudge is a soft and creamy
gourmet candy that melts in
your mouth, which is based on
sweet cream and sugar.
Anyone who visits the United
States, England ,Australia or
the Netherlands can see fudge,
which is displayed on candy
store shelves in large chunks
cut into squares.
FUDGE - INTRODUCTION
The key to soft and creamy fudge lies strictly on a few rules:
• Working Environment – Working with the window closed, so no wind or dust would enter and spoil the fudge.
• Boiling Point – The boiling point for fudge is 114°C - 116°C (237.2-240.8°F).
• Cooling – The fudge mixture should be cooled to a temperature of 46°C (114.8°F) without intervention; in other words, without mixing or adding flavors.
• Mixing – The fudge should be mixed only when the mixture reaches 46°C (114.8°F), stirring non-stop with a wooden spoon until it is no longer shiny (this can take about 10 minutes!). At this stage the stirring prevents the sugar particles from further growing and contributes to the creaminess of the fudge.
• Is the fudge is too creamy? Let it stabilize in an uncovered pan at room temperature. The sides of the fudge should harden while the inside part remains soft and creamy.
The fudge may be kept in a closed container at room temperature for about 3 weeks and in the freezer for about 3 months.
For several months of repeated attempts I did not manage to make winning fudge. I read articles about the chemistry of the candy in order to understand where I went wrong.
I went on a journey across England, watched the work of boutique confectioners and received many tips from them. In one of the towns where there were some such fudge confectioners, I asked one of them where I could find a precise recipe for vanilla fudge.
She immediately pulled out a booklet of recipes which had become yellow from its old age and stained from constant use, and contained no pictures like we have become accustomed to in today’s cookbooks. I wanted to buy such book, but it turned out that it could not be purchased (nor could any other candy recipe books) since it used to belong to the confectioner’s grandmother and it was the only one she used to prepare ca
ndies. With no other choice, I copied several of the recipes.
Dairy products are used in the UK that are not available in my country and thus I brought some back with me. However it was clear to me that this was not a solution and I had to find a way to use the raw materials that we have in my country. Many trials lead to great recipes.
64 | Fudge
Fudge
65
BASIC FUDGE
Ingredients for 26 oz (750 grams) fudge:
1 container (250 ml) heavy whipping cream
38%
3 cups sugar
½ cup glucose
A pinch of salt
1 tsp flavor extract
A few drops of food coloring
66 | Fudge
Preparation:
1. Cover a small square baking pan or an English cake pan with a sheet of baking paper.
2. Place heavy whipping cream, sugar, glucose and salt in a double bottom pot and stir gently with a wooden spoon.
3. Very Important: Prior to boiling, if any sugar accumulates on the sides of the pot, lower all of the grains into the mixture using a wet pastry brush (see explanation on page 10). From this moment onward, do not continue to stir!
4. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and continue to cook (remember, do not stir!) until you reach a temperature of 116°C
(240.8°F)(measure using a sugar thermometer).
5. Remove the pot from the stove and cool. When the mixture reaches the temperature of 46°C add the flavor extract and color and stir with a clean dry wooden spoon until the mixture is firm and not shiny. This can take at least 10 minutes.
6. Pour the mixture into the baking pan and leave in room temperature for 10 hours for stabilizing.
7. Slice the fudge into cubes of the desired size.
8. Store the fudge in a closed container at room temperature.
Note: sometimes the fudge becomes too soft after it remains in the container. Allow to sit in fresh air for a few hours before serving and it will solidify.
67
CACAO FUDGE
Ingredients for 26 oz (750 grams) fudge: