Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable (55 page)

Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 1 week.

General Description:

Buttermilk candy is a soft, chewy, fudgy candy with the distinctive tang of buttermilk
. This confection typically comes in irregularly shaped mounds and is studded with nuts. It is very similar to
fudge
; in cookbooks from the 1940s and 1950s the terms
buttermilk candy
and
buttermilk fudge
were often used interchangeably. When buttermilk candy is made with sour cream, it is appropriately called
sour cream candy
.

History:

Buttermilk candy is an old-fashioned American candy developed by experimentation and passed from generation to generation. The first recipes were published in the 1940s.

Serving Suggestions:

You can vary the nuts used in the recipe; pecans will give it a praline-like flavor. Serve buttermilk candy alongside
fudge
during the holidays.

Candy-Making Notes:

This recipe makes individual candy patties; turn this into a fudge by letting the mixture cool to 100°F after cooking and then beating vigorously until it loses its sheen.

Recipe:

1.
Line a few baking sheets with parchment or wax paper and set aside.

2.
Combine buttermilk, sugar, butter, corn syrup, and salt in a saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat.

3.
Continue cooking until it reaches 248°F, soft ball stage.

4.
Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract and walnuts.

5.
Stir in the baking soda. The mixture will foam up slightly.

6.
Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the baking sheets. Let cool 30 minutes before serving.

Yield:

About 30 candies

Storage:

Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

General Description:

Chocolatey, fudgy, and chewy, Tootsie Rolls are iconic American candies that defy easy categorization
. These Halloween perennials have a taste similar to chocolate and a firm, chewy consistency similar to caramels. The exact recipe for Tootsie Rolls is a secret, but chocolate-flavored candy rolls can be easily made at home.

History:

Tootsie Rolls were created in 1896 by Leo Hirshfield, who gave the candy his daughter’s nickname, Tootsie. The Tootsie Roll became the centerpiece of Hirshfield’s candy company, the Sweets Factory of America. In 1966 the name of the company was changed to Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. Today, it is still one of the best-known and best-selling candies in America. Tootsie Rolls have an equally famous cousin, the Tootsie Pop, a spherical lollipop with a chewy Tootsie Roll center.

Serving Suggestions:

These candies are a classic Halloween treat. Wrap them in decorative wax papers and mix them in the candy bowl with lollipops and caramels.