Candy making is not my forte!

I've tried and it just doesn't work. I never know when to stir, when not to stir, when it's too hot, or when it's done. Grrr!!!
I tried to make toffee this morning and it ended in a grainy-greasy-brown disaster.

Any candy makers out there? Any tips?

oohhh goodness I am not a candy maker but it sure sounds like a lot of FUN !

Best of luck and I hope that the girls here can help you out !

xoxo

Becki, do you have a candy thermometer? I found that one little tool really helped me know when sugar combusts making it into candy. Also, unless the recipe says not to, I generally stir slowly continuously with a spatula once I know it is warm. Candy too easily scorches, so I try to keep mine moving constantly.

Hope it helps and best of luck. I had a particularly gruesome fudge disaster that almost put me off candy forever. It was pre-thermometer and I didn't get it hot enough so the sugar never combusted. It was like eating chocolate sand.

Thanks for the tip Lora, I do have a candy thermometer. I didn't use it on this particular recipe...that was probably my mistake. The recipe I used this morning just said to boil for 7 minutes so I did and well, I think I burned it, who knows!?!?
What temperature would you normally cook toffee to?

ooh, no tips from me either but I can guarantee you that mine would be worse than a brown greasy mess - I would probably burn my house down!!

Best of luck! HOpe you get it to turn out!

Each thing is so different, but I agree the thermometer seems to be key for most candy. If all else fails, visit the candy store. LOL

I havent made candy since I was a kid. I always remember it being such a disaster when my Mom and I would try. The candy thermometer helped a bit but we still had more disasters than successes--kind of scared me away from trying it as an adult lol!

Becki, the recipe I have says 285 degrees. Hope that helps.

Thanks Lora, maybe I'll try it again tomorrow. I may chicken out and have my MIL make it for me, LOL. We'll see what tomorrow brings Thanks ladies

I made some toffee the other week and it turned out pretty good. When it says to boil it for so many minutes... you don't necessarily need to have it up real high for it to boil... I usually set my dial at around medium heat and that is hot enough for candy making. You may have had the heat up too high.

I'm no help, I'm sort of a disaster in the kitchen sometimes! I follow a blog that just had something about calibrating your candy thermometer, I'll see if I can find it and post the link.

Here you go:
http://www.ourbestbites.com/2010/12/kitchen-tip-calibrate-your-candy.html

Lots of wonderful recipes here too. Good luck!

I make toffee each year for my brother and sisters.

Here is the recipe I use (from a Gooseberry Patch holiday book)

Chocolate Topped Toffee
1/2 cup butter
1/2 t salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
12 oz. chocolate chips
chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts

Combine butter, salt, sugar and water in a 2 qt. saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Cook without stirring until mixture reaches 28 degrees Fahrenheit (light crack stage). Pour onto greased cookie sheet and cool until set. Melt half of the chocolate chips and spread over toffee. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the nuts. Chill until set and then loosen toffee w/knife and gently flip over. Melt the remaining chocolate chips and spread onto toffee. Top w/nuts. Chill again until set. Break into bite-size pieces and store in an airtight container.

I love this recipe! I always use a candy thermometer.
It only takes a couple of minutes to set in the fridge before you can flip it and finish.

I tried this recipe for the first time...and it's a huge hit here!
So freakin' good, you will need to hide it to make sure you have some for Christmas Eve!!



5 Ingredients is all you need to make this Chex Sweet Mix.

1) Rice Chex
2) White morsels
3) m&ms
4) dry roasted peanuts
5) peanut butter/chocolate morsels

Start w/3 cups rice chex in large bowl
add 1/2 cup m&ms and
1/2 cup dry roasted peanuts
Melt 1 cup white morsels for 1 min on high in the microwave.
Stir until smooth and creamy.
Pour over cereal mix and toss gently to coat.
Pour out onto wax paper to cool.

Repeat the process with peanut butter/chocolate morsels and
then toss it all together.
I like this almost as much as fudge.

Oh, Patti... that looks heavenly! I will be whipping some of that up for sure, thanks for sharing your recipes!

You're welcome, Lori!!

Thank you!! Mmmm....those recipes look delish!!! I'm going to try the toffee again this week with my MIL.

Today was chocolate dipping day. We dipped over 650 chocolates today. So fun but so tiring and MESSY! (FYI, I didn't make anything I was just the "helper" LOL)

I have an amazing toffee recipe if you want it

AmyTeets wrote:

I have an amazing toffee recipe if you want it

That would be fantastic!! Thanks Amy!

AmyTeets wrote:

I have an amazing toffee recipe if you want it

Yes, yes, yes... I would love it too, Amy! Thank you!

Patti, i'm going to try that yummy mix!! Thanks for the recipe!!

I made fudge for the first time last year and it took me 3 batches before i got it right.

Here it is!!!
The key REAL butter and add just a smidge of water before it starts to boil. Maybe a TBLS And stir occasionally, not constantly.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Best-Toffee-Ever---Super-Easy/Detail.aspx

AND This fudge is AMAZING as well

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Creamy-Peanut-Butter-Fudge/Detail.aspx