When the Sauce editors suggested DIY Halloween candy for this month’s project, I almost went into a Pinterest meltdown. Dan and I love to cook, but homemade candy is one challenge we have intentionally avoided for more than a decade, thanks to one nightmarish incident years ago.
My mom and I used to make Christmas candy when I was kid, and it was a fun holiday tradition I took up again as a young adult. I was just starting out with very little money, so making English toffee and pecan pralines seemed the perfect, personalized Christmas presents. That is, until the year the candy curse struck.
Suddenly, it didn’t matter what new candy thermometers I purchased or what fresh ingredients I bought, my candy never finished with the right texture. The first batch of toffee never hardened; the next batch burned despite my careful attention. Even the pralines failed! Instead of creamy, maple meltaways, I had gloppy maple goo that would have worked better as slime to gross out trick-or-treaters. I was so frustrated that I never made candy again.
Until now. The gauntlet was thrown, so Dan and I resolved to master a couple of candy recipes easy enough to conquer in a weekend and tasty enough to dazzle even the pickiest young ghouls. While you can’t exactly give out homemade candy to those costumed goblins at your door, these make for fine homemade fare at your Halloween party.
The “All for One and One for All Bar” is a riff on Dan’s favorite commercial candy bar (guess which), the only one he actually eats at Halloween. Chocolate encases this cheater’s version of nougat, a simple mixture of melted marshmallow cream and chocolate that comes together in a cinch. The key to this recipe is high-quality chocolate, as its simplicity highlights the quality of the ingredients. You may have to practice to get your glazing technique down (make sure that nougat is very frozen so it doesn’t melt in the hot glaze), but don’t sweat the details – eating the mistakes is part of the fun!
This taffy recipe proved the greater challenge. The first batch worked beautifully, but when our photographer Michelle Volansky came to shoot the process one rainy day, the taffy failed miserably. After further research and slight tweaks to batches three and four, the recipe was finally victorious, and the failed taffy taught me what to look for in a bad batch.
Pulling taffy is an easy process that simply takes patience and maybe a partner to save your arms. Just grasp the ends and pull it into long ribbon, then fold it half and pull again. Continue for at least 10 to 15 minutes, until the taffy has a satiny texture and begins to form ridges. The idea behind pulling taffy is to aerate the candy; you’ll actually see it lighten in color as more air is incorporated. It’s done when it achieves a lighter shade and holds it shape.
Taffy will roll into your desired shape, but if left unwrapped, it oozes back into a Flubber-like pool. If you’re struggling to roll the taffy into a rope, let it rest on the greased cookie sheet to cool for a few minutes while you work with another piece. Away from the heat of your hands, the taffy will be more malleable and easily rolls into a rope for slicing.
These recipes are a cost-effective treat for your family or a unique activity to do with friends. We hope you enjoy pulling pumpkin pie taffy or dipping your own candy bars as much as we relished vanquishing our haunted candy past.
The Gameplan Day 1: Make the chocolate candy bars.
Day 2: Make the taffy.
The Shopping List* 2½ cups (15 oz.) Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips, divided
7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
1 cup corn syrup
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
2¼ tsp. ginger
2¼ tsp. nutmeg
1 29-oz. can pumpkin purée
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
*This list assumes you have milk, canola oil, butter, salt, sugar, eggs and cinnamon. If not, you will need to purchase these items, too.
The “All for One and One for All” Bar Makes about 30 bite-sized pieces, or 20 “fun-size” bars
2½ cups (15 oz.) Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips
7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
1 to 2 Tbsp. milk (2 percent or whole)
? Line the bottom and sides of a loaf pan with parchment paper.
? In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave ½ cup chocolate chips on high 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring until completely melted. Pour the chocolate into the bottom of the loaf pan and use a rubber spatula to spread gently into an even layer.
? In another microwave-safe bowl, melt the marshmallow cream and another ½ cup chocolate chips on high 30 to 45 seconds, until the chocolate softens in the cream. Stir well to combine and pour it over the chocolate, using a rubber spatula to spread gently into an even layer. Freeze the loaf pan until the chocolate is set, 20 to 30 minutes.
? In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave another ½ cup chocolate chips on high 20 to 30 second bursts, stirring until completely melted. Remove the loaf pan from the freezer and pour the melted chocolate over the hardened marshmallow cream, using a rubber spatula to spread gently into an even layer. Freeze again to set, another 15 to 20 minutes.
? Meanwhile, prepare the chocolate glaze. In a narrow coffee mug, microwave the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon milk on high in 20 to 30 second bursts. Stir until the milk is completely incorporated and the chocolate is thin enough to glaze the bars. Add another 1 tablespoon milk if needed to thin the glaze. Set aside.
? Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and remove the loaf pan from the freezer. Lift the parchment paper to remove the candy bar from the loaf pan and place it on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut the candy bar into 1-inch slices, then cut each slice in half. Stab a mini candy bar with a fork, dip it into the milk chocolate glaze to coat and place it on the baking sheet to set. Gently remove the fork and repeat until all the candy bars are glazed.
? Candy bars will keep several weeks in an airtight container at room temperature.
Pumpkin Pie Taffy Makes about 50 1-inch pieces
Canola oil for greasing
1 cup corn syrup
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. butter plus more to grease
1 tsp. kosher salt
½ cup water
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. pumpkin pie filling* (recipe follows)
5 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. ginger
2 tsp. nutmeg
Special equipment: a candy/deep-fry thermometer
? Grease a 9-by-12-inch rimmed cookie sheet with canola oil.
? In a medium heavy-bottomed pot, bring the corn syrup, cornstarch, butter, salt, water, and sugar to boil over high heat, stirring from time to time, until the mixture reaches 260 degrees (hard ball stage). Remove from heat and stir in the pumpkin pie filling, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Pour the taffy onto the greased cookie sheet and let cool until it is easy to handle, at least 10 to 15 minutes.
? Use a sharp, greased knife to divide the taffy evenly into 5 pieces. Lightly grease your hands with oil or butter and roll 1 piece into a ball, then pull it a few inches, fold over and pull again. Repeat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the taffy has a satiny texture and begins to form ridges. The color will lighten and the taffy will hold its shape when done.
? Roll the taffy on the greased cookie sheet into a rope 1 inch in diameter. Cut the rope into 1-inch pieces using buttered scissors or a sharp knife. Roll each piece of taffy into a sphere.
? Place each piece in center of a 2-by-4-inch piece of parchment paper, wrap and twist to close, or cut a 6- to 8–inch piece of parchment paper and place a piece of taffy in the center. Tightly wrap the parchment around the sphere and twist to make a “ghost,” dotting the sphere with marker to make eyes and a mouth. Repeat the pulling and cutting with the remaining taffy until all the candy is wrapped. Taffy will keep, wrapped, at room temperature for several weeks.
Pumpkin Pie Filling Makes 2 9-inch pies
? In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine 1 29-ounce can pumpkin purée, 1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, 2 eggs, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg and ¼ teaspoon ginger.
*Doctoring canned pumpkin makes for a phenomenal pumpkin pie filling. Use what you need for the taffy, the bake the rest with a simple crust for a third Halloween dessert. Get the recipe for a basic pie crust here.
-photos by Michelle Volansky
This article appears in October 2014.