Statistics show that candy lovers commonly give in to their weakness at least once every week. Its popularity has made these little sweet confections to be made into many variations. They are enjoyed by people from all ages and bought by individuals from all walks of life. From chocolate coated to fruit flavored, these mouthwatering delights are more than just sweet. It is also not surprising that a maple inspired candy have been given birth to, hence the maple industry has more than enough followers to preempt the birth of another variation called maple candy. This maple confection has been popularly served traditionally with coffee and pickles to counter act the sweetness brought by the mentioned candy when popped and start to melt inside your mouth.
How is maple candy made?
From the maple tree, the sap is harvested through dripping the maple juice by using the traditional container brought straight to the sugar house to be processed or modernly by a channel of pipes connecting the maple orchard to the sugar house where the sugar makers are waiting to proceed with making every maple variations of your heart’s desires. The heating process begins by setting a big pan to accommodate the collected sap and then transferred from one pan to another. The process goes on until the desired thickness or status is achieved. Processing of maple candy happens after the maple syrup has reached its somewhat thick gooey liquid status but not after granules are formed making the mixture eligible to be maple sugar. This sweet something also referred to as bonbon is produced by heating maple syrup to boil up to two hundred and thirty four degrees Fahrenheit. For accurate temperature reading a candy thermometer may be utilized. The concoction must be left untouched in the heat and at the same time must not be stirred as stirring may stimulate granule formation making the end product maple sugar and not the intended candy. After which, the mixture is poured to a cold molding container of choice to promote quickly and rapidly thickening achieving the intended soft candy nature.
A maple candy or any other variation can be a treat to someone. It could lead to a smile, a friendship or it could heal differences. These candies have gone a long, long way and they are made not just for kids but also for people like you who are young at heart. Candy is also a very widespread present for every occasion, for the most part during Valentine’s Day, and heart shaped sweets are everywhere you can almost smell them. This increase of candy in to contemporary society gives you an idea about the scheme it is so essential at this time, and it will, with no hesitation no more than carry on to cultivate as a commerce. Bit of the many stories behind candies, one that is highly amusing is how one sweet bonbon can save a life during an episode of a hypoglycemic crisis, which is very fatal. Truly a smile given back in exchange to a candy present is priceless but what could be sweeter than the gift of saving one’s life?
The History of Maple Candy
Maple candy, or Maple taffy in English-speaking Canadian regions, tire d’érable in French-speaking Canadian regions, sugar on snow in the United States, is one of the popular and best-loved treats made of maple syrup.
Maple-producing regions in the United States and Canada, particularly in Vermont and Quebec, consider maple candy as one of the staple treats during their maple festival.
Native American folklore said that we should thank the red squirrels for making this delectable treat known to man. When a branch of the maple tree breaks under the weight of collected ice during winter, the break creates a natural cut where the sap seeps through in early spring when it starts thaw from inside the tree trunk. The sap runs down the tree and drips onto the snow-covered grown. As each day pass, the spring sun makes the water from the sap evaporate until all was left was the sweet and succulent maple syrup on ice; it’s the squirrels cue to come back and lick the sweet syrup greedily.
The Natives, intrigued by the squirrels’ favorite treat, replicated the process from their gathered maple sap and pouring it over a ball of snow. It became an instant hit and everyone’s favorite delicacy! Native Americans call this maple-covered snow dessert as “wax sugar.”
Maple Candy
It’s very simple to make a maple taffy. Simply pour a boiling maple syrup onto snow. The boiling syrup firms up the snow into a soft toffee. Roll the snow around a wooden stick or a dinner fork, and it’s ready to eat! It is best enjoyed with sour dill pickles, donuts, and coffee.
An All-Natural Sweet Treat Using Maple Candies
Maple is an all-time favorite food product in Northern America and some parts of Canada, particularly the maple-producing cities and provinces of Vermont in the United States and Quebec in Canada. One of the most popular maple product, apart from maple syrup, is maple candy or sometimes called as maple taffy in Canada or sugar on snow in the United States.
Maple taffy is made using maple syrup that is brought to a boil under the temperature of about 234 degrees Fahrenheit. The thick syrup is then poured onto fresh clean snow to create this delectable delicacy. The cold temperature of the snow makes the syrup to thicken fast. Wooden sticks or dinner forks are used to eat this sweet candy and delicious candy. Maple candy is usually served with coffee or tea, donuts, and sour dill pickles.
This candy is a staple food during the Maple Festival of the maple-producing cities and states in North America. This festival is usually celebrated in the spring where the maple producing season begins.
Some sugarhouses or maple factories produce a different type of maple candy from the traditional maple taffy. They make candies formed in different shapes and sizes from pure maple sap or Grade A maple syrup and boiling it to 234 degrees of at least 22 degrees above the boiling point of water. This is considered as the safe boil point for your maple syrup. When the syrup thickens, pour it onto sugar molds, buttered pan, or commercially purchased candy molds. Allow it to cool and harden before removing them from the molds. When they are already cooled, these candies can be stored in a cool and dry place and can be consumed within a month.