Homemade Salt Water Taffy
A mouth-watering flavor with every bite. Taffy that tastes better than any other.
Thank you for landing on the candy page. Welcome all! Saltwater taffy has been a favorite of my family for many years, so I knew I had to learn about how to make this. A couple of important equipment you must have when making candy. A heat gun or candy thermometer to check the temperature and a non-stick surface mat, also known as a Silpat. Once you have your equipment, it’s all about what flavor candy you’d like to make. Joann’s or Michaels carries a slew of candy flavors. You’d be surprised at what kinds of flavors you can create.
Step one into being a candy maker master is to set up your station. Candy is a hot, sticky mess, and thus, it always counts to be prepared. It might even be worth investing in a pair of rubber heat-resistant gloves to handle the stretching.
Step two to being a candy maker master is to get your timing right. Candy-making is all about staying present and not leaving your station. The process of heating up sugar to the proper point, in this case, hard ball stage, will determine how your candy comes out. One degree over or under can result in a tough chewy candy or a very soft shapeless blob.
Last step is to STRETCH! Use those arms and pull that taffy over and over and over. BUT! Before you stretch, either use gloves or use vegetable oil to keep your hands lubricated. This is hot sugar that is slowly cooling as we stretch. The sugar can very easily stick to your skin and give you blisters without this proper precaution. Once the taffy is opaque and holding shape you can roll it into a log, cut, and wrap all of your handwork.
Store your candy in an air-tight container for future enjoyment. This will not only keep the air from drying out the taffy, but it can also make an excellent gift packaged this way, which will stay moist for weeks. I love to make my family’s favorite flavors and gift them with a jar for the holidays. Homemade is always better than store-bought after all.
Homemade Salt Water Taffy
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2/3 cup white corn syrup
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Preparation
- Prepare a Silpat-lined sheet tray and a candy thermometer or temperature gun.
- In a pot, combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and corn starch with a wooden spoon. Turn the heat to high and bring to a boil.
- Check the temperature of the heat often, stirring often to ensure the temperature is even and reaches exactly 254º F or hard ball stage for candy. Turn off the heat and stir in butter, salt, and vanilla.
- Remove immediately from heat and pour onto the Silpat-lined sheet tray. Let cool until cool enough to stretch.
- Stretch candy when cool enough by pulling the candy away from itself and folding itself over. Use vegetable oil to keep the taffy from sticking to your hands. Stretch for 5 - 6 minutes or until the candy has turned opaque and has set up.
- Roll the taffy into a rope and cut it into bite-size pieces using a bench scraper. Wrap in wax paper squares and store in an air-tight container. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from Tasty.