Taffy is a chewy candy available in various flavors and colors. It is made by boiling sugar and butter or oil, stretching it, and cutting it into strips. Taffy can be made at home with specialized equipment, but caution is required when handling hot candy.
Taffy is a type of candy characterized by a sweet taste and an infamous chewy texture. This candy is available in many candy shops and supermarkets and can even be made at home, for people who are into candy making. It comes in a variety of flavors and colors, including mixed candies where the candy is shaped into swirls and other designs.
This candy is made by making a syrup of sugar and butter or oil, baking it on the soft stage, pouring and stretching it. Stretching can be done with a machine or manually. As the candy stretches, it acquires a light and fluffy texture. The candies are manipulated into thick strips which are cut into individual pieces. Traditionally, taffy was made with molasses and had a strong molasses flavor. Today, it can be made with sugar or even corn syrup, depending on the manufacturer. It could be lightly starched before wrapping, to prevent sticking to the wrappers if it gets hot.
Plain taffy has a fairly bland flavor, plus natural sweetness. Flavors can be added to candies, including chocolate, vanilla, and various fruit extracts. For molded candy, strips of multi-colored taffy can be worked together and then cut into pieces for a pattern. In a simple example, sheets of two colors could be rolled together to make taffy swirl, and in more complex versions, the patterns could take on floral shapes and other designs.
Taffy is notoriously chewy and can get sticky in hot weather. Some people like to eat cold taffy, which has a very different texture from room temperature or hot taffy. One specialty product, saltwater taffy, has historically been made from salt water. This created an interesting juxtaposition of salty and sweet that some candy fans enjoyed. Today, salt water may not necessarily be used, and some people are actually surprised to taste the traditional salt water version.
People who would like to make these gummies at home will need specialized equipment. A candy thermometer is a must, as is a saucepan for boiling the syrup, and it helps to have a marble slab to work the candy from. It’s also important to be careful when handling taffy, because when the candy is still hot, it can act effectively like napalm, sticking to the skin and causing very severe burns. It’s important to wear protective gloves and work the candy with a scoop until it’s cool enough to stretch by hand.
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