Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable (47 page)

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

General Description:

Not even Ebenezer Scrooge could say “Bah, humbug!” to these minty, pillow-shaped sweets made of pulled sugar
. Humbugs are English candy drops that are typically flavored with peppermint and striped in colors such as black and white, brown and cream, or green, brown, and yellow. Brightly colored fruit-flavored humbugs are a popular variation.

History:

Today, humbugs are one of the most popular hard candies in the United Kingdom. They are also enjoyed in Canada and Australia. It is unclear how
these sweets got their name. The word
humbug
means “deceptive nonsense” and was popularized by Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s
A Christmas Carol
. In 2001, the Sela Confectionery made the largest humbug in the world: a 30-inch long, 70-pound mint humbug, but the giant sweet was stolen days before it was to be auctioned off for charity.

Serving Suggestions:

Humbugs are thought to be cozy, “warming” candies, so they are eaten during the winter months. Wrap prettily striped humbugs in cellophane for a humorous Christmas gift.

Candy-Making Notes:

A marble slab is a good work surface because it helps the candy cool quickly; if you don’t have one, a baking sheet will do. Use extreme caution when working with the hot candy mixture. Wearing latex gloves helps. If the candy becomes too hard to manipulate, place it on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven for a minute.

Recipe:

1.
Coat a marble slab or large baking sheet with cooking spray. Lightly spray a pair of kitchen shears.

2.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Continue cooking without stirring until the candy reaches 300°F, hard crack stage.

3.
Remove from heat and stir in peppermint extract and food coloring.

4.
Pour candy onto the marble slab or baking sheet. Let it cool for about 5 minutes, using a bench scraper or metal spatula to occasionally turn the mass in on itself so that it cools evenly.

5.
When the candy has cooled enough to handle but is still hot, begin pulling it with your hands, stretching and gathering it until it is opaque and satiny.

6.
Pull the candy into a long rope about ½ inch thick. Cut it into bite-size pieces using the shears. Place pieces on a baking sheet to cool.

7.
Wrap the cooled candies in cellophane.

Yield:

About 60 humbugs

Storage:

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 2 months.