Are you looking for a fun and easy way to make your own candy at home?
Look no further than this Old Fashioned Vinegar Taffy recipe!
Not only is it delicious, but it’s also made without any corn syrup or unpronounceable ingredients.
With just a few simple steps and some basic kitchen tools, you can create your own homemade taffy that’s sure to impress your friends and family.
So, let’s get started and learn how to make this sweet treat without the use of corn syrup.
How To Make Homemade Taffy Without Corn Syrup?
To begin, you’ll need to butter a baking sheet and set it aside. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn starch, water, butter, and salt. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil.
Once the mixture is boiling, add a candy thermometer to the pan and allow it to simmer without stirring until it reaches 250-253 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a critical step in making soft taffy and not hard candy.
While traditional taffy recipes call for corn syrup, this recipe uses vinegar as a substitute. Taffy is one of those places where glucose syrup is a clearly superior choice over traditional confectionery doctors like cream of tartar or lemon juice.
If you’re looking to substitute corn syrup in your taffy recipe, you could try sugar dissolved in hot water, honey or molasses in place of corn syrup. However, since we didn’t try to substitute sugar, search around for equivalent substitutions for the corn syrup in taffy.
Once the candy mixture reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the heat. If you’re making two flavors or colors of taffy, pour half of the mixture into another pan and flavor/color separately. Quickly stir in 1/4-1 tsp. flavoring (depending on the flavor concentration) and coloring if desired.
Pour each pan out onto the two prepared pans and let cool until easy to handle. Pull the soft taffy until it becomes light and shiny in color and difficult to pull.
Be creative with your taffy shapes! Roll the taffy into long ropes and either twist two colors together or cut pieces from each color. Make thin twisted ropes and roll them to form taffy-pops. The children especially love making these! The younger children can join in twisting the taffy shapes.
You can also snip soft taffy into small pieces, cool them, and wrap them individually for easy sharing or gifting.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make homemade taffy without corn syrup, you’ll need the following ingredients:
– White distilled vinegar (could substitute apple cider if needed)
– Granulated sugar
– Corn starch
– Water
– Butter (salted or unsalted)
– Sea salt or kosher salt
– Flavoring oils or extracts: flavoring oils are much stronger than extracts. If using flavoring oils use 1/2 teaspoon (1/2 a dram). If using extracts use 1 teaspoon.
– Food coloring: 2-3 drops. The taffy color will lighten as it is pulled.
While traditional taffy recipes call for corn syrup, this recipe uses vinegar as a substitute. However, if you’re looking to substitute corn syrup in your taffy recipe, you could try sugar dissolved in hot water, honey or molasses in place of corn syrup. Make sure to search around for equivalent substitutions for the corn syrup in taffy.
Using these simple ingredients, you can make delicious and soft homemade taffy without the use of corn syrup. Get creative with your flavors and shapes and enjoy!
Preparing Your Kitchen And Tools
Before you begin making homemade taffy without corn syrup, it’s important to prepare your kitchen and tools. Here are some steps to follow:
1. Butter a baking sheet: This will be used to cool and shape the taffy.
2. Get a medium saucepan: This will be used to heat and mix the ingredients.
3. Candy thermometer: You’ll need a candy thermometer to monitor the temperature of the candy mixture. Make sure it’s accurate and can measure up to at least 253 degrees Fahrenheit.
4. Flavorings and coloring: Gather any flavorings or food coloring you want to use in your taffy.
5. Vinegar: This recipe uses white distilled vinegar as a substitute for corn syrup. Make sure you have enough on hand.
6. Measuring cups and spoons: You’ll need accurate measuring cups and spoons to measure out the ingredients.
7. Pastry brush: You’ll need a pastry brush to wash down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush to remove any crystallizing sugar.
8. Parchment paper: You’ll need parchment paper to test the candy syrup if you’re not using a thermometer.
By preparing your kitchen and tools ahead of time, you’ll be able to make homemade taffy without corn syrup with ease and confidence.
Making The Taffy Mixture
To make the taffy mixture, start by combining sugar, corn starch, water, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a boil.
Once the mixture is boiling, add a candy thermometer to the pan and allow it to simmer without stirring until it reaches 250-253 degrees Fahrenheit. This is a critical step in making soft taffy and not hard candy.
While traditional taffy recipes call for corn syrup, this recipe uses vinegar as a substitute. Taffy is one of those places where glucose syrup is a clearly superior choice over traditional confectionery doctors like cream of tartar or lemon juice.
If you’re looking to substitute corn syrup in your taffy recipe, you could try sugar dissolved in hot water, honey or molasses in place of corn syrup. However, since we didn’t try to substitute sugar, search around for equivalent substitutions for the corn syrup in taffy.
Once the candy mixture reaches the desired temperature, remove it from the heat. If you’re making two flavors or colors of taffy, pour half of the mixture into another pan and flavor/color separately. Quickly stir in 1/4-1 tsp. flavoring (depending on the flavor concentration) and coloring if desired.
Pour each pan out onto the two prepared pans and let cool until easy to handle. Pull the soft taffy until it becomes light and shiny in color and difficult to pull.
Be creative with your taffy shapes! Roll the taffy into long ropes and either twist two colors together or cut pieces from each color. Make thin twisted ropes and roll them to form taffy-pops. The children especially love making these! The younger children can join in twisting the taffy shapes.
You can also snip soft taffy into small pieces, cool them, and wrap them individually for easy sharing or gifting.
Pulling And Shaping The Taffy
Once the taffy has cooled enough to handle, it’s time to start pulling and shaping it. Begin by oiling your hands with a bit of canola oil to prevent sticking.
Take a small piece of taffy and pull it in long strands, then fold the strand back onto itself and repeat, twisting and pulling until it has a satiny finish and is opaque. The more you stretch the candy, the softer it will be. If the candy is not stretched enough, it will be hard and difficult to chew.
As you pull the taffy, you can also shape it into various designs. Roll the taffy into long ropes and either twist two colors together or cut pieces from each color. You can also make thin twisted ropes and roll them to form taffy-pops. The children especially love making these, and younger children can join in twisting the taffy shapes.
If you want to make individual taffy pieces, snip the soft taffy into small pieces and cool them before wrapping them individually. This makes for easy sharing or gifting.
Remember that pulling and shaping taffy takes some practice, so don’t be discouraged if your first few attempts don’t turn out perfectly. With a little patience and creativity, you’ll be making delicious homemade taffy without corn syrup in no time!
Storing And Serving Your Homemade Taffy
Once your homemade taffy is ready, you’ll want to store it properly to keep it fresh and delicious. Wrap each piece of taffy in wax paper or plastic wrap to prevent it from sticking together. You can also store the taffy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
If you want to keep your taffy fresh for longer, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to a month. Just be sure to bring it back to room temperature before serving, as cold taffy can be hard and difficult to chew.
When serving your homemade taffy, consider displaying it in a decorative bowl or jar for a fun and festive touch. You can also package it up in cute bags or boxes for gift-giving.
