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12/19/2011 National Hard Candy Day Butterscotch Hard Candy

Source of Recipe

Taste Of Home


Recipe Introduction

Celebrate National Hard Candy Day! Who doesn't love a piece of hard candy now and again? Its sweet, sugary taste literally causes your mouth to water. Today is a celebration of all types of hard candies—everything from lollipops to candy canes to caramels. It's no wonder that hard candy has remained so popular all these years! Hard candy can be traced back to Ancient Egypt, Arabia, and China. Archaeologists in all of these regions have found traces of “candied” fruits and nuts that had been dipped in honey, which is a preservative. There is also evidence that people stuck sticks into their candy treats to keep their hands from getting sticky as they ate them, just like our modern lollipops! Did you know that the world's largest lollipop weighs 6,514 pounds? Ashrita Furman and members of the Sri Chinmoy Centre made it in August of 2009 to break the Guinness World Record. To celebrate National Hard Candy Day, enjoy a piece (or two) of your favorite hard candies!

List of Ingredients

HOME COOKIN’ 12/19/2011 National Hard Candy Day Butterscotch Hard Candy



Butterscotch Hard Candy


1 teaspoon plus 1 cup butter, divided
2-1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rum extract


Recipe




Butter a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. pan with 1 teaspoon butter; set aside. Cube remaining butter and set aside.

In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat without stirring. Cook, uncovered, until a candy thermometer reads 270° (soft-crack stage). Add the honey, salt and remaining butter; stir constantly until the mixture reaches 300° (hard-crack stage).

Remove from the heat. Stir in the rum extract. Pour into prepared pan without scraping; do not spread. Cool for 1-2 minutes or until the candy is almost set. Score into 1-in. squares; cool completely. Break squares apart. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 1-1/2 pounds.
Editor's Note: We recommend that you test your candy thermometer before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212°. Adjust your recipe temperature up or down based on your test.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 piece equals 144 calories, 6 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 17 mg cholesterol, 109 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, trace protein.