Genevieve is reading the Little House books (to herself: a milestone), and she begged to make snow candy like Laura and Mary did.
I did a little research and heated up maple syrup with butter to 220 F and let the children pour it over clean snow in pans. I expected the snow to harden it into caramels, but instead, we got sweet watery stuff. I was disgusted, but the children enjoyed it with spoons.
An informal survey of some other moms revealed the same results. I'm not tempted to try snow candy again! And Genevieve is already braiding strips of cloth to make a rug. . .
11 comments:
I wonder if you have to have snow that is extremely cold...like well below zero?
At least I know now not to waste my time. I've always wanted to try that, too!
Can't wait to see pics of the rug! Jada made a doll blanket yesterday. I love seeing projects done by young hands.
I'm not sure that 220F is high enough to make the syrup set. I've never tried maple candy, but soft ball is generally 240 and hard ball 250 F.
We have The Little House Cookbook which unfortunately only references maple-on-snow candy, but does give instructions for the molasses snow-candy Laura and Mary made for Christmas in Little House in the Big Woods. They suggest boiling 1 cup molasses and 1/2 cup brown sugar together to 245 F, so omitting the butter might make a difference?
Sounds like the children were happy with their Maple Slushpuppie anyway!
Margo - I've had good success making maple candy in snow using only maple syrup (no butter). I heated it to 250 and poured it over the snow. It hardened so quickly I had to act fast at putting sticks into the candy to make lollipops before it hardened. Not toffee, but good fun and the kids loved it.
Wendy
I remember making something as a child that hardened and got chewy like caramel, but my Mom doesn't remember how we made it! I thought it was so good, and am disappointed that I wasn't able to make it for my kids!
Ha! What fun! Cool mama to let them try - too bad it bombed. My kids have heard those stories from Little House and would LOVE to try something like that! But, alas, no snow - we are having harsh winter here 20 degrees this am - but I guess that's your high temp up there, haha!
My girls have wanted to try this too! I wonder what the secret is. Very sweet of you to let the kids try it out.
I'd say just make a batch of toffee and then drizzle it out in the snow to make fun shapes when it hardened : ) I think that's what I'll try!
I love Little house on the prarie.. Wonderful show and books..
How fun that G is making the rug.. Can't wait to see it..
SO fun..
That is SO awesome. All around. I love the Little House books and good on G for trying out some of what she is learning first hand. Awesome.
Don't give up! The first time I tried this, I had the same result as you. The second time, it worked because I let the syrup get hotter, maybe even to the boiling/foaming stage (I can't remember exactly).
Came to you from a link on LMLD.
I think I posted about my own flop in this department--maybe it was last winter? Ewwwie. I am not above trying again, but my children will need to beg first!
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