Its All About the Candy

My family has a tradition of making glass candy every year for Christmas. We always make it the weekend after Thanksgiving (I think we have done it early once or twice). Of course we all keep some for ourselves to eat all season long (not me I don't like it) and we all have a list of people we will be giving it to for Christmas gifts. I would like to know when and where this tradition started because to be honest it’s a little sadistic picking up hot candy to cut into bite sized pieces. I think I have permanent blisters on my thumbs.

I don’t know when the tradition started but I remember being a little girl watching my mom, aunts and grandma talking and laughing while making candy. They would have powdered sugar head to toe from "sifting" the candy. I remember clearly thinking I can’t wait until I get to help because that means I am no longer one of the kids but an adult. It’s a very silly thought of a little girl and when I finally got to help it was a lot more work then they made it look. Never mind that I really didn't like the candy (I prefer anything with chocolate) but in my young mind the moment I was old enough to help meant that now my family has to take me seriously cause I am an adult.

I am no longer a kid and I have been helping to make candy for years or at least when I am around. For the last several years we have traveled to my Aunt Dana's house to make candy. And after all the years we have perfected the art of making candy. Our family has expanded and most the grandkids have kids of there own which means that candy making has taken on a life of its own. Just to give you an idea of how much candy we make each batch of candy makes 3 cups of candy. This year we made...

• 9 Spearmint (white)
• 9 Lemon (yellow)
• 9 Peppermint (blue)
• 8 Butter rum (light yellowish brown)
• 9 Orange (orange)
• 9 Root Beer (brown)
• 10 Cinnamon (red)
• 10 Licorice (black)

That’s a grand total of 219 cups of candy. Yes that’s right 219 cups of candy!!!! Of this I wanted 3 cups but I think I ended up with 5-6 cups. Which is fine The BF fell in love with the candy and wanted to keep it all for him. HE hid it from me so I wouldn’t give it to other people. Luckily I am sneaky and he did a poor job of hiding it.


Lots and Lots of Candy

Title: Hardtack/Glass Candy

Ingredients:

1 c. water
2 c. sugar

3/4 c white corn syrup

1/4 tsp food coloring

1 tsp candy flavoring

Directions:

Boil water, sugar and white corn syrup to 250 degrees. Add coloring then boil to 285 degrees add flavoring, remove from heat stir and pour on buttered cookie sheets, cut into small pieces while still hot.

Throw pieces into a big bowl of powdered sugar. When all candy is cut and in the powered sugar, sift sugar off into another bowl and pour candy onto table. Make several batches of different colors and flavors. When done, mix all colors/flavors into one big pile, and eat in whatever order your OCD mind wants!! Save some powdered sugar to make frosting to use on sugar cookies.

Last years pile of candy.

This year was the first year I took The BF with me to make candy. That’s not really fair to say since we were not dating last year so of course this is the first year I took him.. And even though I told him not to he insisted on wearing one of his many, many Dallas Cowboy jerseys (I am rolling my eyes as I write that).

I told him it would get dirty but he stated he is not going to help make whatever candy we are making so no worries. I tried to warn him about the powdered sugar and the hoards of little kids running around on a sugar high touching everything but he did not heed my warnings.

So we arrive with his 2 kids in tow at my aunts house, were candy making had already begun. I immediately grab an apron and begin cutting candy. As we are cutting, eating and laughing The BF is quietly sitting on a chair watching us. He is a great help though as he is helping pour sodas for kids he doesn't know and opening the door when ever we ask.

During this process The BF kept getting closer to the action until he finally picked up a pair of scissors and was helping. His jersey did end up with a mystery red stain and covered in powered sugar but luckily I am a pro at laundry and got the stain out. The issue of me doing his laundry is for another day.