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.