One word comes to mind when I think of Halloween-CANDY! I honestly could not live without it. Who doesn't enjoy a piece of chewy, fruity, gummy, chocolaty, crunchy, or gooey candy every once in awhile? Candy plays a huge part of the American way of life. We can't even watch a movie without something sweet to munch on.
The first candy dates back to the cavemen days. The early humans made sweet snacks from honey and fruit. Then came the discovering of chocolate, made from the cocoa bean. America's first candy factories were introduced as early as the 1800s. The box of chocolates became quite popular by Whitman's. Each century since then, there have been many delightful and fun candy inventions. Just look at the hundreds of different kinds of candy you will find in your child's trick-or-treat bag!
A candy factory can be found right here in Boise. Owyhee Idaho Candy Co. is known for the Idaho Spud candy. This candy is in the shape of a potato and is made from dark chocolate, marshmallow, and coconut.
It is simple, and tasty, to make homemade candies. One of my favorite candy combinations is chocolate and caramel. I love rich and buttery caramel made from scratch jazzed up with chocolate. If you have a candy thermometer then you are ready to turn your kitchen into your own candy factory.
Chocolate Caramels
1 Cup Butter
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Light Corn Syrup
1 Can (14 oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Bar (2 oz.) Unsweetened Baking Chocolate
1 tsp. Vanilla
Line an 8 inch baking pan with foil and grease. Combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and corn syrup in a sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the butter has melted and the mixture is boiling. Add condensed milk and chocolate and keep stirring until the chocolate has melted. Cook until the mixture has reached 245 degrees F. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Immediately pour into prepared pan. Cool. Lift from pan and remove foil. Cut into 1 inch squares and wrap individually with plastic wrap, twisting the ends closed.
Candy makes life a little sweeter with every bite!
For more information or questions contact me.
Comments