Children of all ages enjoy making their own taffy! This is a fun activity for an entire family. It's a blend of chemistry and physics, resulting in a stretchy, sweet treat.
What You Will Need:
- 1 cup Sugar
- 3/4 cup Light Corn Syrup
- 2/3 cup Water
- 1 tablespoon Cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons Butter
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- Food Coloring (optional)
- Candy Thermometer (optional)
- Medium-sized Saucepan
- Wooden Spoon
- Buttered Cookie Sheet
- Wax Paper
What You Do:
- Mix all the ingredients, except vanilla, in a medium-sized saucepan.
- Stir the mixture over medium heat until it begins to boil.
- Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture, and stir occasionally until the taffy reaches 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
NOTE: If you do not have a candy thermometer, continue heating the taffy until a small amount dropped into cold water forms a hard ball - this typically takes about 20 minutes of cooking. - Remove taffy from heat and stir in vanilla.
- If you want to make different colored taffy, stir in a drop or two of food coloring.
- Butter a cookie sheet to prevent the taffy from sticking to it.
- Pour the prepared taffy onto the cookie sheet, turning the edges of the taffy in toward the center as it cools.
- When the taffy is cool enough to safely handle, butter your hands and pull off pieces of the taffy to pull and twist. Pull the taffy until it changes color and becomes satiny. Pulling taffy typically takes about 10 minutes - get those muscles in shape!
NOTE: Do not allow the taffy to cool completely before pulling, or it will harden and become very difficult to pull. - When the taffy is ready, form the taffy into strips and cut with a buttered scissors to form one-inch pieces.
- Wrap the taffy in waxed paper.
Variations:
- Experiment with different flavoring extracts - vanilla, lemon, raspberry, spearmint, etc.
- Make it a party! Invite friends over and make taffy together. Fun for kids!
- Twist two different colored ropes of taffy together to form colorful candies.
- Flatten a small piece of taffy, then place another different colored/flavored piece on taffy on top. Roll together and cut into pieces. Experiment with different patterns, colors, and flavors for unique candy pieces.
The Science:
The ingredients play a specific role in making the perfect taffy. The sugar provides the sweetness and structure, while the corn syrup prevents the sugar from crystalizing - ensuring the taffy has a smooth texture. The water dissolves the sugar and helps control the cooking temperature. The butter adds flavor and richness that gives that delightful mouthfeel. The flavorings change the taste of the taffy.
Pulling and twisting the taffy is where the magic happens! Pulling and twisting allows the taffy to become more airy - giving it a lighter, chewier consistency. It also helps distribute the sugar molecules evenly to prevent large crystals from forming - makin the taffy smooth rather than gritty. And the mechanical action of pulling also aligns the sugar molecules in a way that enhances the taffy's stretchiness.
