Maple Leaf Candy Food

MAPLE SUGAR CANDY

Steps:

• Place maple in a small saucepan and bring up to 280 degrees F. Dip a spoon into the syrup and drizzle desired shapes onto a sheet pan sprayed with vegetable oil or lined with a silpat. Let cool completely so "candies" come off the sheet pan easily. Eat as is or use as a garnish.

MAPLE CANDY

Steps:

• Line the bottom and sides of a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper; brush the parchment with vegetable oil. Bring the maple syrup to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then reduce the heat to medium low. Dip the back of a spoon in vegetable oil and run it over the top of the foam to help it subside. Increase the heat to medium and continue cooking until a candy thermometer registers 246 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes. Pour the syrup into a heatproof bowl and let cool, 5 minutes.
• Beat the syrup with a mixer on medium-low speed until it starts to lighten in color and turn opaque, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Pour into the prepared pan and spread with an offset spatula; let cool completely, about 1 hour. Lift out of the pan and cut into pieces.

MAPLE SYRUP CANDY

Steps:

• Cook syrup in a saucepan over medium heat until it reaches 240 degrees on a candy thermometer.
• Remove from heat and allow to cool to 200 degrees.
• Stir constantly until syrup becomes sugary.
• Pour into molds (something about the size of a caramel candy).
• When candy is cool, you can remove from molds.

MAPLE CREAM CANDY

Steps:

• Lightly oil a 9- by 9-inch square pan, or a baking sheet.
• In a small heavy-duty saucepan (about 2 quarts) mix together the maple syrup, sugar, cream, and corn syrup.
• Fit a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and heat until the temperature reaches 236 degrees, tilting the pan to submerge the bulb, if necessary, to gauge the correct temperature.
• Remove the pan from the heat and transfer the mixture into the metal bowl of a standing electric mixer.
• Submerge the thermometer in the candy mixture until it has cooled to 110 degrees, which will take a while.
• (tip: you can put the bottom of the bowl in ice water to speed up the process; but don’t stir the mixture to cool it down).
• When the temperature is 110 degrees, add the vanilla and beat the mixture until it just begins to thicken and loose its gloss.
• Overmixing will make it grainy, so keep an eye on it.
• Stir in the nuts and spread the mixture into the square pan or onto the baking sheet, forming it into a 9-inch square with your (clean) hands.
• Allow to cool completely, then remove from the pan and cut into squares.
• To remove it from a square pan, run a sharp knife around the inside of the pan to loosen it, then cut it in half.
• Use a metal spatula to pry the candy loose a bit (it will be flexible).
• Invert the pan a shake it to coax the maple cream candy out.