If you’ve ever considered licking the plate clean after finishing a stack of pancakes, you’ll want to try this Maple Syrup Candy. You can enjoy it as a soft or hard candy. A finish of flaky salt on the soft ones helps balance the intense sweetness. You can easily double or triple this recipe and use whatever nuts you have on hand; just make sure to use a large pot to avoid boiling over. These are perfect for sharing!
Ingredients
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- Handful of chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
- Flaky salt, optional
Instructions
Makes 12 to 24 candies, depending on the size of the mold
Soft Candy
Line 2 mini muffin trays with paper liners and set aside. Place the chopped nuts near the muffin trays, because you will need to work quickly when it’s time to add the nuts.
In a saucepan with high sides, add the maple syrup and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Use a candy thermometer to see when it reaches 235°. Immediately remove from the heat and let it cool to 175°. Do not stir or disturb the syrup while it is cooling.
Once the syrup drops to 175°, begin stirring quickly and constantly. Stir for about 4 minutes, watching closely for the syrup to begin turning lighter in color and thickening slightly. At this point, the syrup will cool and harden quickly. Immediately pour about ¼ of an inch into each muffin liner. You might not fill them all. If using nuts, quickly press a few into the individual candies while they are still warm. Let the candies cool completely before serving.
If the candy hardened before you got it out of the pan or if it wasn’t stirred for long enough and turned into taffy, you can reheat the syrup and try again.
Store the candies in a sealed container in a cool place for up to 2 weeks. Sprinkle with flaky salt right before serving.
Hard Candy
You can use a silicone candy mold (smaller shapes work best), lollipop mold or rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. In a saucepan with high sides, add the maple syrup and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 280° on a candy thermometer. Remove from the heat and let the bubbles slow down slightly, then quickly pour into the molds or in a thin layer on a lined baking sheet.
Once completely cooled, the candy should be hard like a lollipop. If using a baking sheet, crack the candy into bite-size pieces. Serve immediately, or wrap each piece of candy in plastic or wax paper so they don’t stick together. Store in a sealed container in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.
