Sweet Making

[shirlthegirl43]

Um, sweet I remember was about 2 inches long and a half inch wide (showing MY age now) and I think I recall 4 for a (big) penny

[lainey lou]

not mojos then?
Does anyone remember getting a "smokers outfit"? My Dad was on about them the other day!

[shirlthegirl43]

Pretty sure they were mojos - mind you, I recall those shrinking (like fruit salad and black jacks). Could well be wrong but sure they were not spangles

[TPeers]

Not sure - long time ago!!



Have fun!! Did you want me to hunt out any of the recipes? Also have barley sugar and edinburgh rock recipes I think somewhere.

I would love the Barley Sugar Recipe please! Bother the kids - I love them!

I've been naughty..... I ordered a couple of sweet recipe books from Amazon they should arrive next week.

I thought I would make some pulled sweets for the kids - the recipe I have is for a hard, boiled sweet - not this soft chewy type that appears to be a form of taffy. The demo the teacher wants is not so much how to make sweets as how to wrap them, presentation ideas and ideas on how to design a sweet. I like a challenge! ( think...)

What do you think - should I take a spray of sugerpaste flowers and a few handmade chocs in as well?

You should hear Hazel - she says that tonights homework is to eat loads of sweets because they need the wrapers!

[shirlthegirl43]

Barley Sugar - warning, this recipe from Mrs Beeton

Ingredients: 2lbs loaf sugar; 1 pint water; 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice; pinch of cream of tartar; 5 drops essence of lemon; saffron yellow food colouring.

Method: Dissolve the sugar in the water, boil to the 'small ball' stage then add lemon juice. Continue boiling to 'large crack', add few drops of saffron yellow colour, flavour to taste and turn onto an oiled slab. When cool enough (but not hard) cut into narrow strips, twist them into a spiral form and when totally cold store in an airtight container.

(There is no mention of the cream of tartar in the method but I would guess it goes in at the start when dissolving the sugar)

[shirlthegirl43]

Butterscotch - Good Housekeeping Cookery Book

Ingredients:

450g (1lb) demerara sugar
150ml (1/4 pint) water
50-75g (2-3 oz) unsalted butter

Method:

1. Lightly oil a 15cm (6 inch) shallow square tin
2. Put the sugar and water in a heavy-based saucepan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to the boil and boil to 138deg C (280deg F), soft crack stage, brushing down the sides of thepan occasionally with a brush dipped in cold water.
3. Add the butter a little at a time, stirring until dissolved before adding more, then pour the mixture into the prepared tin.
4. Cut into pieces when almost set.

Makes about 450g (1lb)

Just in case you fancied it!!

[TPeers]

Your getting to know me too well - yum!

Had a chat with Hazel's teacher today - he really wants a fairly quick demo of one type of sweet from start to finish and then as much as I can on finishing techniques, presentation and 'frills'.

I asked if I could have a long morning as I can't think of many sweets that fit the bill and contain no nuts and only need a low power hot plate in terms of cooking heat except chocolate peppermint creams, I may have to do a Blue Peter and take all the stages along as seperate trays!

Still I think it will be fun.

Hope the kids do!

[shirlthegirl43]

Peppermint creams - half dipped in chocolate to save faffing. Also lemon, orange, strawberry, lime - whatever flavours you fancy and colours to suit. Couldn't be easier!

Or truffles - though I have never actually made them.

Finishing for the various creams is simple - take a small bowl (or large if you prefer), fill slightly with shredded tissue paper or christmas lametta to make it sparkly, then arrange the sweets in a pleasing way. Simple enough for even the littlest kiddies to have a go. I always found that the hardest part of making non-boiled fondant sweets was getting a cutter the right size. Dipping just half of them in chocolate makes it more interesting but you still know the flavour from the colour of the uncovered half.