How to prepare candy perfect for gifting to friends and family

Times might’ve changed, but not that much that kids don’t want to share candy or toffees with their friends and classmates for their birthday in school. There are other occasions too, when you might want to make 100 candies at one go, such as Halloween or mass making them to keep as emergency sweet treats to have during craving season. Here’s how to prepare candy, it’s quite easy, trust us!

1. Homemade Caramels

(Makes 80 candies)

Ingredients

• 225 gm butter
• 800 gm granulated sugar
• 680 gm light corn syrup
• 680 gm heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Line a 9×13-inch baking pan or jelly roll pan with parchment paper or grease it. This baking pan will produce thicker caramel, as compared to a jelly roll pan, so pick whichever you like.
2. Add butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan, over medium heat. Stir until it comes to a boil.
3. Pour the heavy cream in potions, into the pan, while stirring. Take 12-15 minutes per portion to add the cream.
4. Keep stirring frequently, and scrape the sides of the pan occasionally, until the mixture reaches the firm ball stage. To test, drop a spoonful of the hot caramel into a cup of ice water and try molding it with your fingers. It should form a firm, pliable ball with a slight stickiness.
5. Remove the pan from heat immediately and incorporate the vanilla extract.
6. Pour the caramel mixture into the prepared pan. Transfer to the refrigerator until hard, ideally overnight for around six plus hours.
7. Once set, cut into 80 pieces pieces and wrap each piece individually in wax paper, twisting the ends like a toffee.

2. Homemade Gummy Candy

(Makes 120 pieces)

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp + 1 tsp unflavored gelatin powder
• 70 gm granulated sugar
• 160 ml fruit juice or water, divided into 80 ml portions
• Pinch of salt
• A little lemon or orange zest
• Optional: Food coloring

Instructions

1. Brush the silicone molds or flat containers with a light layer of melted butter. Then take a clean paper towel and dab carefully to soak any excess at the bottom. Set aside.
2. Take half of the fruit juice and add the gelatin to it. Stir quickly but thoroughly until mixed. Let it sit undisturbed for five minutes to bloom.
3. Add the remaining fruit juice to a small saucepan, along with the granulated sugar. Place on the stove over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Keep stirring until the sugar dissolves.
4. Add your bloomed gelatin to the saucepan and keep stirring until the gelatin has completely dissolved into the hot liquid.
5. Remove from heat after five minutes. Skim off any foam from the top of the mixture.
6. Using a spoon or small ladle, carefully spoon the hot liquid into the prepared molds or pans.
7. Let the filled molds rest until the mixture begins to firm up, about five minutes.
8. Once a bit firm, transfer the molds to the refrigerator and chill for at least one hour to fully set.
9. After an hour, test the gummy mixture – it should be firm to the touch. Unmold and serve.
10. For those using a flat container, run a sharp knife between the edges of the container and the gummy sheet. Carefully lift the sheet out and cut it into different shapes and sizes.

3. Saltwater Taffy

(Makes 50 candies)

Ingredients

• 200 gm sugar
• 1 ½ tsp cornstarch
• 160 ml light corn syrup
• 1 tsp glycerin
• 1 tbsp butter
• 120 ml water
• ½ tsp salt

Flavoring: ½ tsp for concentrated flavors, 1 tsp for regular flavors

Instructions

1. Generously grease a cookie sheet, and set aside.
2. Add sugar and cornstarch to a saucepan, mixing thoroughly. Once mixed, add the corn syrup, glycerin, butter, water, and salt, and mix again.
3. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir continuously until it begins to boil. Continue cooking while monitoring the temperature carefully – you need the mixture to reach exactly 125°C or the hard ball stage. Test the mixture in cold water to see if it forms a hard ball. Make sure to keep stirring throughout.
4. Once done, remove from the heat and add your chosen flavoring. Immediately pour the entire mixture onto your prepared cookie sheet. Let the taffy cool on the sheet until you can touch it.
5. Start pulling the taffy and folding it. You need to keep doing this for about 10 minutes, continuously. Check when the taffy develops a sheen and becomes opaque.
6. Pull the taffy into a long rope and cut it into individual serving-sized pieces. Let these pieces be at room temperature for 30 minutes before wrapping.
7. Wrap each piece individually in wax paper to prevent sticking.