You'll also need some special equipment, to wit:
- One (1) candy thermometer
- Two (2) trays of candy molds, whatever shape you like.
- One (1) human tongue (attached)
- Nine thousand (9000) tastebuds
Okay. Now that you're back from shopping, take some pure maple syrup. Any amount really, although Mr usually uses about two cups.
Put it in a pan, stick the candy thermometer in it, and boil it over medium-high until it reaches 235 degrees Fahrenheit. Stir it occasionally while it boils, but don't scrape down the sides of the pan, and avoid the temptation to stick your finger in it. It will hurt.
In case you forgot, this is what it will tempt you with as it boils:
Once it reaches 235, remove it from the heat (but not the pan) and let it cool until it hits 175 degrees. This takes an agonizingly long time. Or about ten minutes. It all depends on how much you like maple candy, really.
Stir the syrup rapidly with wooden spoon for about five minutes. Mr says this part is tricky (for real this time), because you stir it until "it changes to a lighter colour, and gets thicker and creamier". Vague, right? If you don't stir it long enough it won't set and be a sticky, taffy like mess. But if you stir it too long it will set too fast and never come out of the pan.
Good news, though. It still tastes good no matter how it turns out. Plus, if it doesn't turn out the first time, you have the added bonus of having to make it again, just to get it right.
Once you've done your not too much and not too little stirring, pour the candy in to the molds and let it set. Or eat it right away and burn your tongue off with deliciousness. Whatever. He says you can store it in an airtight container for up to a month, but due to circumstances beyond my control we've never tried it. Let me know if you do and I'll come over and take care of that excess maple candy problem you seem to be suffering through.
Here's Mr, posing at making maple candy because I made him. Can you see the irritation lines coming off of him? Hee hee, so cute.
