Does anyone love Laffy Taffy as much as I do?! I LOVE Laffy Taffy, it's one of those foods where I say "Oh i just want one...", and then I end up eating every single one, minus banana. Anyone want my leftover untouched banana Taffys?! Gross.
Maribeth seems to like taffy as well and she decided to try a recipe she saw on Pinterest (Famous last words... "I saw this on Pinterest!").
Here is her Pinstrosity!
The Original
http://www.dvo.com/newsletter/monthly/2012/august/funtimes.html?CID=aug_news12
That looks sooooo good right now! Of course I don't have any on hand, so I will just have to salivate over virtual taffy instead. Bahumbug.
Here is Maribeth's version:
The Pinstrosity
Here is how it started, so far so good...
Then this...
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Then this...
Here is her bleeding heart Taffy. :(
It really does kind of look like a heart!
So no it didn't work...and why not? Let's break it down.
According to the directions, you are to use a candy thermometer, however Maribeth didn't have one, so she used a meat thermometer instead. This would definitely have something to do with her sad taffy. She also said because it was a meat thermometer, she feels that she was unable to read the temperature as accurately.
She then explains that it also cooked too long, and ended up looking like glass.
as soon as she touched it it turned to gunk, (the second picture), and she was unable to pull it.
Let's start at the thermometer. There is a difference between a meat thermometer and a candy thermometer. One intended for meat is metal, and will range from 0-220 degrees (Farenheit). Whereas a candy thermometer is glass and will range from 40-440 degrees, quite a difference huh?!
The boiling point of candies is usually higher than 220 degrees (Fahrenheit), therefore a meat thermometer really won't do the job, especially for this recipe where if you cook the Taffy too long it ruins it.
There is always a chance also that even if you are using a candy thermometer it could be inaccurate. To test this follow the directions seen here. It might be good to test your candy thermometers every once in while so you don't ruin Grandmas famous divinity right before a big family event...yes let's avoid that please!
One thing to remember when making candies, or fudges caramels anything like that is that the temperature is key. Any deviation at all will almost always end in a mess, I think that is exactly what happened here.
Based on the comments from the original site, it looks like this is a really hard one to get just right. A lot of people had trouble with this.
Growing up on the side of a mountain had its drawbacks with candy making, where we lived we had an elevation of 7,300 feet. The elevation has some weird effects on candy making, like divinity or caramels. The weather can also play a part, which sounds strange but is true!
If the air is too dry, or too humid is can really take a toll on your foods, so that is another thing to consider in this Pinstrosity.
Has anyone had success with this recipe?! Or have any ideas for Maribeth?! I think it was a valiant attempt but I would suggest next time, watching that timer, and the candy thermometer closely for better results!
Happy Friday Pinstrosipeeps!
I will eat your banana taffy! I'm one of the weird ones that like it. No suggestions on making taffy better except that for the price you can get it at the store, it's not worth the effort, IMO.
ReplyDeleteMmmmm...banana is my very favorite flavor. We can definitely start a Laffy Taffy exchange :)
ReplyDeleteMy son's Grandma works at Nestle...we always have bags and bags of Laffy Taffy...I LOVE the banana ones.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE banana too! It's my favorite by far. :) And I've never been very good at making candy, I'd rather just buy it. :)
ReplyDeleteNot all candy thermometers are glass. I have a nice metal one that I got after breaking my glass one.
ReplyDeleteWhere did you get it? And for how much? I always seem to be breaking mine! Thanks!
DeleteI have a metal, digital meat thermometer that, thankfully, went up high enough for me to make fudge with. I am not sure exactly how high it will go. So just in case I am wanting to add a candy thermometer to my stash of kitchen tools...
ReplyDeleteI have never tasted taffy but don't eat lollies or sweets much but I do love chocolates and nuts.
ReplyDeleteMerle....
Want the banana :D
ReplyDeleteMy sister and I made this shortly before Christmas and it seemed to work just fine when the directions are followed to the letter. The only drawback I'd have to say is that it gets hard within the first couple of days so only make enough to eat within 1-2 days max.
ReplyDeleteI want in on the banana taffy as well! ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou can make candy without a candy thermometer. YOu just need a cup with cold water, drop some of the mixture into the water...if you can roll into a ball that flattens when removed from the water it is at the soft ball stage...if it forms a firm ball that does not flatten when removed from the water it is firm ball stage...if it froms a hard ball that is pliable, that is hard ball stage.
ReplyDeleteSoft crack is when it separates into threads in the water that are not brittle....hard crack is when it separates into brittle threads....When you make candy with or without a thermometer you have to keep a close eye on it.
I (ok mom) made taffy all the time when I was little. It is hard to tell without touching it, but it really looks to me like what she has could be pulled. We always did it without a thermometer just a glass of water.
ReplyDeleteHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA OMG!!!
ReplyDelete