Maple taffy
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10 Lollipops
30 Minutes
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Inspiration
“I made this sweet treat as a Valentine's gift to my girlfriend, who until we met, had never heard of taffy being made this way. The very cool method was invented by First-Nations people in what is now called Quebec."
Shared by Market employee and chef extraordinaire, Steve Ali.'
Ingredients
16 oz amber or dark maple syrup
neutral flavored oil
10 popsicle sticks
a thermometer
any toppings you may like
Method
Pack a sheet pan or a wide dish with clean snow, and store it in the freezer.
Grease the inside walls of a sauce pot just below the lip, using oil or nonstick spray. This will discourage the syrup from boiling over.
Pour the maple syrup into the pot. On medium heat, bring the temperature up to 237°F.
Hold between 237°F and 240°F for 20 minutes, or until globs of syrup turn to soft balls when dropped into a glass of cold water. To keep the sugars from crystallizing, avoid stirring. (If you're using a candy thermometer, at the start of cooking, clip it to the pot so that the bulb is just below the surface of the syrup. If you're using another thermometer, check the syrup's temperature minute to minute. Aim for the middle layer of the liquid.)
Once the taffy is ready, remove the snow from the freezer. Pour the hot syrup onto the snow in 10 separate pools, wait a few seconds, then twist with popsicle sticks to form lollipops. Sprinkle with any toppings you may like (chopped nuts, crushed potato chips or pretzels, or just finishing salt will do) and serve immediately.