Old Fashioned Sea Foam Candy Food

SEA FOAM

Steps:

• Place egg whites in the clean, grease-free bowl of stand mixer (you may use a large bowl and an electric mixer instead, but there is a lot of mixing required and even using a hand mixer will be an arm workout). Set aside.
• In a medium-sized, heavy bottomed saucepan, combine sugars, corn syrup, and water.
• Cook mixture over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves. Use a damp pastry brush to wipe down sides to keep sugar crystals from forming.
• Once your sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to come to a boil, stop stirring and attach your candy thermometer.
• Continue to cook to 255F (124C) but once your mixture reaches about 240F (115C), keep an eye on your temperature but return to your egg whites in your stand mixer. Add the salt and use a whisk attachment to beat your egg whites and stiff peaks form** -- this can take several minutes even on the highest speed. Be sure to pay attention to your syrup on the stovetop, and let your stiff peak mixture sit while you wait for that to reach 255F.
• Once syrup reaches temperature, remove from heat and drizzle in a slow, thin stream into the bowl with your stiff peaks while beating on high speed Be careful, go slowly or there will be some splatter! You can start on low speed and gradually increase the speed to high as you are adding the syrup.
• Continue beating the mixture until it holds its shape. the mixture will become glossy and very thick, and this will take several minutes. Beat until it is stiff enough to hold is shape when the whisk is raised from the mixture.
• Use a spatula or a wooden spoon to stir in your vanilla and chopped nuts.
• Use a pair of lightly buttered spoons to drop the mixture by 1 ½ Tablespoon-sized portions onto a wax or parchment paper lined tray, swirling each drop into a peak.
• Let the tray of Sea Foam stand until it is completely dry, this could take several hours or it may even need to sit overnight.

SPONGE CANDY

Steps:

• Line a 9×9 baking dish with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a medium heavy-bottomed, tall sided saucepan over medium heat, stir together the corn syrup, brown sugar, and vinegar. Stir frequently, bringing mixture to a boil.
• Once the mixture is boiling, attach a candy thermometer to the side of the saucepan, making sure the tip of the thermometer is in the boiling liquid, but not touching the bottom of the pan.
• Continue to cook on medium without stirring the candy until it reaches 300°F on your candy thermometer.
• Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the baking soda. Mixture will bubble up creating the bubbles and texture in the candy. Mix only until the baking soda is evenly combined, careful not to over-stir as this will deflate the bubbles.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan as evenly as you can. Tilt the pan around to help the candy spread, but don't hit the pan or use a spatula to spread, as this will deflate the bubbles. It's ok if it's not perfectly even.
• Sprinkle with flaked sea salt if desired, and allow the candy to cool in the pan for at least an hour.
• Remove candy from the pan using the parchment paper to lift it out and break the candy into pieces using a mallet or a knife. I don't worry too much about the pieces being perfectly shaped.

OLD-FASHIONED SEA FOAM CANDY

Steps:

• Butter or oil an 8 inch square baking pan; set aside.
• Put sugar, vinegar, syrup, and water in a heavy 4 quart saucepan (cast iron if you have it). Gently heat the mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon, until sugar has dissolved and syrup has melted. Bring to a boil, cover and boil for 3 minutes, then remove lid and boil until temperature reaches 285 degrees F (140 degrees C) on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat and stir in the baking soda, mixing well to allow bubbles to subside a little.
• Pour hot mixture into prepared pan and leave until just beginning to set. Mark into squares with a lightly oiled knife. Leave to set completely. Cut or break into pieces.
• Combine chocolate chips, shortening, and baking chocolate in a 2-quart glass bowl. Microwave on High for 2 minutes to melt. Stir with a wooden spoon. Dip candy pieces into chocolate, covering completely. Let cool on waxed paper.
• Wrap individually in waxed paper, twisting the ends together, and store in an airtight container.

SEA FOAM CANDY

Steps:

• Combine light brown and white sugars, water, corn syrup, and salt in a heavy 2 quart saucepan. Cook covered until mixture boils rapidly. Remove lid, place candy thermometer in pan, and cook without stirring to 260 degrees F (127 degrees C). Remove from heat.
• Beat egg whites until stiff. Pour hot syrup in thin stream over egg whites, beating constantly with electric mixer on high speed. Add vanilla and pecan flavoring.
• Continue beating until soft peaks form and candy starts to lose its gloss. Stir in pecans and drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. When candy has set, store in airtight container.

OLD FASHIONED SPONGE CANDY (SEAFOAM)

Steps:

• 1. Combine sugar,syrup and vinegar in a large deep saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Then continue cooking WITHOUT stirring until 300^ on candy thermometer. Remove quickly and stir in soda(it will foam up high), mix well and pour right away into a buttered 9x13-inch baking pan. DO NOT SPREAD OUT, AIR WILL BE DEFLATED and candy will stick to teeth...When cool; break into pieces. --- Note: If you desire you can spread 1 cup of chocolate chips, white chips, butterscotch chips or mint chips on the hot candy in the pan and spread to coat the top and sprinkle with nuts before it cools.