Foodie Friday- Salt Water Taffy

Salt Water Taffy

Did You Know- Salt water taffy got its name from a popular story about a candy store owner, David Bradley. David Bradley had a candy shop on the Atlantic city boardwalk. A big storm in 1883 caused the ocean water to wash out David Bradley's candy store and soaked his taffy supply. After the storm, a young girl came into his store and asked for some taffy. David jokingly offered her some "salt water taffy" and the name stuck ever since. 

Salt Water Taffy

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup white corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 tsp. edible glycerin
• 1 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp. essential oil flavouring
• paste food colouring 
• icing sugar

Instructions:

1. In a large heavy saucepan, stir together sugar, corn syrup, water, cornstarch, glycerin and salt. Bring to boil over medium heat; cook, without stirring but brushing down the side of the pan with a pastry brush dipped in cold water, until candy thermometer reaches hard- ball stage of 260 F or when 1 tsp. hot syrup dropped into cold water forms hard ball, about 8 minutes. 
2. Remove from heat. Stir in butter until melted; stir in flavouring and colouring. Without scraping bottom, carefully pour onto rimmed nonstick or greased baking sheet. 
3. Let cool enough to hold indentation when pressed with finger, about 7 minutes. Using greased scraper fold taffy over itself, turning and folding until cool enough to handle.
4. Using buttered hands, pull, fold and twist taffy until very pale (almost white), opaque, firm and more difficult to pull, about 15 minutes. 
5. On icing-sugar- dusted surface, pull and twist into 1 inch thick rope. Using greased scissors, cut into 1 inch pieces. Wrap each piece in waxed paper, twisting ends. 

Kelsey Conway

Backus Page House Museum