Candy-Making Tips

On the same page as the Buttery Cashew Brittle, Better Homes and Gardens Magazine from December 1997, the author offered some candy-making tips that would be helpful to all of us. Candy usually has expensive ingredients and is more time-consuming to make than cookies or cakes. It would be better to make sure that our thermometers and supplies are in working order before starting a batch of candy - than find out after the fact that the candy failed to set up because the thermometer was broken!



Here are the tips:



1. Candy mixtures should be cooked to the exact temperatures the recipe calls for. A good candy thermometer is a worthwhile investment. Before you start to make candy, test your thermometer with boiling water.



2. Use only wooden spoons for stirring candy mixtures.



3. Make homemade candy on a dry day. Candy mixtures react to the humidity in the air. If the humidity goes above 60 percent, your candy may not set properly.



4. Only butter should be used in candy recipes unless the recipe specifically allows for margarine to be used instead. If using margarine, make sure it is not a reduced-fat variety.



Here are a few additional tips from me!



5. Always set out all the ingredients. I cannot tell you how many times I've forgotten to add the vanilla or almond extract to my Divinity! We still eat it, but that extra flavor is missing. If all the ingredients are set out, you can SEE what has or has not been added, especially if you are in the habit of putting away or moving used items to a 'used ingredient' spot.



6. Don't overdo it. Being able to spread the baking out over November and December, then freezing the goodies is my favorite way to lessen the stress. Most goodies can be frozen for a month or two without any difference in taste, especially if they are well packaged.



7. Save those tins! From Boy Scout popcorn tins to Schwans ice cream tins to Sams cookie tins . . . they will all be useful for storing your goodies or providing a showy, pre-decorated package for your goodie gifts to friends, neighbors or relatives. An additional bonus is that they hold up well in the freezer and protect your goodies from freezer burn when lined with wax paper, foil, or saran wrap.



If I think of more tips, I'll add them later.