Holiday Candy

[Kitchen Witch]

HOLIDAY CANDY

& GINGERBREAD TREATS







While candy is a year round treat, for many, it is especially wonderful during the holidays. For example, family fudge making during Christmastime can become one of those great family traditions as one and all come together to make this wonderful, simple treat. Candy also makes a great homemade gift for friends and family. Although one could spend a lifetime learning all there is to know about the confectioners' trade, there are still lots of fun and easy to make recipes that will delight your friends and family. All that is needed to get started are a few common kitchen items, some simple ingredients, and a little easy to learn know-how.





Kitchen Tools

Most of the tools needed to make candy can already be found in a well-stocked kitchen, including:



§ A medium-sized saucepan with a heavy bottom and straight sides is an essential that you must have. It should be large enough to hold 3 to 4 times the volume of the ingredients you will be using in order to help prevent the ingredients from boiling over.

§ A bowl that is large enough to hold the sauce pan, is useful for cooling the candy while it is still in the pan (because the temperature of the mixture continues to rise even after it has been removed from the heat). For example, immersing a with peanut brittle in cold water for a few moments can prevent the temperature from rising too much and turning it into a nutty caramel sauce.

§ A long-handled, wooden spoon to keep you from burning yourself while cooking.

§ A pastry brush reserved exclusively for candy making - some recipes call for brushing down the sides of the pan with water to prevent crystallization.

§ A good candy thermometer. Although it is possible to make candy without one, a glass candy thermometer is invaluable to the beginner, and is a much relied upon tool for the professional. If possible, purchase one equipped with a metal clamp that attaches to the side of the pan.

§ If you begin to make candy on a more regular basis, you may want to invest in a marble slab and a copper caramel pan, though these items would be considered more as conveniences than essentials.





Use Only the Best Ingredients



§ Sugar is the most basic ingredient in candy. Always start with an unopened package of sugar to ensure that there has been no contamination from other ingredients commonly found in the kitchen, such as flour or salt.

§ Use unsalted butter, as the salt content of salted butter is impossible to ascertain, and it can affect your final product. Never, ever use margarine in a recipe that calls for butter. Margarine has a higher water content than butter, and this will significantly affect the cooking time.





Hints and Tips



Before you turn on the stove, there is a lot to do. First, you must take the weather into account. On rainy or humid days, the cooking time can increase substantially or it may never set up at all. This is because sugar attracts water. Wait for a clear, crisp day. Next, test your thermometer to make sure it is accurate. You will need to do this every time you make candy. Immerse it in a pan of water, and bring the water to a boil. Do not immerse the thermometer into already boiling water as it will cause your thermometer to break. The temperature should read 212º F (100º C). If it does not, you will need to adjust the reading to reflect this. For example, if your thermometer reads 215 ºF (102º C) in boiling water, and the recipe requires that you cook the candy to 250º F (121º C), you will need to cook the mixture to 253º F (123º C). Last, but not least, measure all your ingredients before you begin. It takes a long time to reach 220º F (104º C), but after that the temperature rises quite quickly. You will need to have everything within easy reach.



Dissolve sugar into liquid ingredients over low heat, and then bring to a boil. Either clamp the thermometer to the side of the pan, or periodically place it in the syrup to measure the temperature. In any case, the bulb of the thermometer should not touch the sides or bottom of the pan; touching the bulb to the pan will not give an accurate reading. Always clean the thermometer after each testing, and keep at the ready in a glass of warm water. Cook until the desired temperature is reached, stirring as directed in the recipe.



If you do not have a candy thermometer you will need to test the candy periodically using the cold-water method. Drop a small amount of the mixture into a glass of cold water, and then examine it closely. Remove the pan from the heat while testing to avoid overcooking the candy. Use a fresh glass of water for each test.



Thread
230º F
(110º C)
Forms a short, coarse thread

Soft ball
(pralines or fudge)
234º F
(112º C)
Forms a ball that flattens when removed from the water

Firm ball
(caramels)
244º F
(117º C)
Forms a ball that will not flatten unless pressed

Hard ball
(divinity)
250º F
(121º C)
Forms a rigid but still pliable ball

Soft crack
(toffee)
270º F
(132º C)
Separates into hard threads that bend

Hard Crack
(hard candy)
300º F
(149º C)
Separates into hard, brittle threads

Caramelized sugar
310º F
(154º C)
Turns a dark gold color






High Altitude Cooking



As with most cooking at high altitudes, there are modifications that need to be made to candy recipes. For every 500 feet above sea level, you will need to decrease the temperature by one degree. So, for example, if for instance you are living at 3500 feet, and the recipe calls for cooking to 234º F (112º C), cook it to 227º F (108º C).





Gingerbread Houses


As the holidays approach, one of the most fun creations for children and adults alike, is the building of a gingerbread house. With a little well considered planning, your new gingerbread house can be the beginning of a well-honored holiday tradition that can go on for generations. In fact, as you become more skilled and confident, you may even want to create a gingerbread village, or perhaps even a gingerbread cathedral.

[Kitchen Witch]

Things to Consider



If you take the time to do a little planning before you start, the end result will be a lot more fulfilling and successful. Before you start, do a little planning. Believe it or not, this can be a big project and in order to have the success you are hoping for, it is important to prepare for all the possibilities. Following is a listing of things that can make your planning and construction go a lot smoother:





1) Make a Timeline



Preparing a timeline before you get started can prevent big mistakes later on, and also keep you from getting too tired, bored or frustrated. Below are a few tried and true recommendations from the experts:



§ The week before you even begin construction, finalize your design, buy the candy you will be using and collect all supplies that will be needed. Then,

§ Day 1 - Make the dough and chill it the in refrigerator.
Day 2 - Construct base of house.
Day 3 - Put on the roof and let it all dry.
Day 4 ? Let the fun begin and enjoy the decorating process





2) How BIG do you want your gingerbread house to be?



In this case size does matter. If you are planning a house that is over 12 inches high, consider using cardboard for support. To do that, you would make cardboard pieces the same as your gingerbread pieces and glue the gingerbread pieces to the cardboard with royal icing. After they have dried, start constructing the house. If you are planning to make a house less than 12 inches, an all cookie structure will be sufficiently strong to stand alone without additional support.





3) Decide Which Style of House You Would Like?



This is the perfect opportunity for you to exercise your full creativity. For some ideas, look at architecture magazines, or go to the library and find information on gingerbread houses and their history. There are so many different styles available to choose from, including:



§ Victorian Mansion

§ Log Cabin

§ Cathedral

§ School House

§ Castle

§ Cottage

§ Your House





4) What Special Features Do You Want to Add?



Once you have decided the style of house you want to build, then you need to start thinking about the details. Keep in mind that these are the things that can make a gingerbread house masterpiece that will be talked about for holidays to come! You may want to include such features as:



§ Fireplace

§ Bay Windows

§ Flower Boxes

§ Garden/Foliage

§ People/Figures





Tips to Make the Construction Go Smoother



Your gingerbread dough should be strong and sturdy. Bake it carefully until it is hard and dry, then allow it to cool completely before beginning your construction.



§ Be sure to assemble the house in sections. Don't put it all together in one day because it will fall apart.

§ Put a layer of icing on the base, leaving the inside of the house icing free. Pipe the edges of the walls with icing and set them together on a base. You can use one-pound cans of fruits or vegetables to hold them while they dry.

§ Let the support walls dry before applying the rooftop.

§ When the rooftop has been added, let it all dry together for 2 to 3 hours or overnight if possible.

§ Start decorating your house after the structure is completely dry.





Getting Started Decorating



This is the part you have been waiting for, isn't it? A quick visit to your local specialty candy store or even your grocery store will supply you with lots of sugary things you can use to decorate your house. Following is just a small list of some the candies that can be used:



§ Sticks of gum for roof shingles

§ Necco? wafers for roof shingles

§ Confectioners' sugar for a dusting of snow

§ Edible rice paper for windows (available at Asian supermarkets)

§ For walkways-dampen superfine sugar, stir in food coloring and press to ground finely; allow it to dry before applying.

§ Graham crackers for doors

§ Fruit roll curtains tied back with licorice strings

§ Cinnamon sticks for a woodpile

§ Candy rocks or pebbles imbedded in royal icing for any stonework and chimney ornamentation

§ Crushed nuts for a gravel walkway

§ Straight candy canes make good supports for porches

§ Mini pretzels for fence making

§ Wafer creams for window shutters

§ Mini shredded wheat squares (frosted or unfrosted) for the thatched roof look

§ Cotton candy makes for great smoke rising from the chimney

§ Use royal icing and a small, round decorating tube to create icicles hanging down from roof edges





Helpful Tools and Supplies



Don't get caught without the right tools when you need them. Be prepared for anything and everything. Here is a list of recommended items and supplies to have on hand before you start!



§ All the ingredients you need to bake the gingerbread and decorate it

§ Icing bags, couplers and tips

§ Small cookie cutters: people, horses, various shapes that can be used to make any of the details you want on your house, i.e. roof shingles, fence)

§ Cardboard to use for support on larger houses

§ A pizza cutter for cutting out gingerbread house pieces

§ A re-sealable plastic bags for icing. These can be used as pastry bags for the icing, (clip a corner and squeeze the icing out as you go)

§ Something to use for the base of your project. Thick cardboard or a square of plywood covered in fancy wrapping paper or just plain craft paper works great.

§ Dressmaker pins to secure gingerbread pieces together





Getting the Kids Involved



Be sure to have the kids right there to help; they'll love it and you will have enthusiastic helpers who will do all the jobs you would rather not do. Below are a few guidelines and ideas for this occasion:



§ Assemble the house beforehand then let the kids have at it.

§ Keep it simple so that kids don't get too frustrated or bored.

§ Have some nutritious snacks on hand so the kids don?t start eating all the decorating candy.

§ Put the icing in a bowl and have kids dip the different candies before applying them onto house.

§ For very young children, make gingerbread houses out of graham crackers or make very small gingerbread houses out of gingerbread pieces that measure 4? x 4? inches or 2? x 2?.





How to Preserve Your Masterpiece



With all the time, effort and creative juices involved in making your gingerbread house, you may decide that you want to preserve it for future display. In order to do that, apply a coat of varnish (from a hardware store or craft supply store), or simply spray the entire house with hairspray. Then wrap the gingerbread house tightly in a plastic bag and store it in a safe place until ready to pull it out next year.