Skip to main content

Christmas Countdown 22 ... Candy Canes

A Christmas favourite food of  children - candy canes.
Next week ( the second week of December)  is allegedly the most popular time for candy cane sales... here are some other "facts" about candy canes
• National Candy Cane Day is celebrated in the United States on Dec. 26.
• Each year about 1.76 billion candy canes are made. 
• Ninety percent of candy canes are sold between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
• Candy canes are the number one selling non-chocolate confectionery in the month of December.  ( from candycanefacts.com) 
There are quite religious connections with candy canes and even simple poems have been written as a reminder of the significance of the colour and shape of candy canes. 

I like the story of the choir master in Cologne ( about 1670) who commissioned a confectioner to make some sweets for his restless young singers to eat during the long Christmas church service. It is said that they were white for the purity of Christ and shaped like a shepherd's crook so they were considered to be teaching tools in church rather than simply treats.  There is some doubt about the veracity of this story but to read more about this story and other historical links, please  see a blog post from last year's Christmas Countdown  - here's the link.  
I have never made candy canes but believe that getting the exact temperature with a sugar thermometer is  essential... 
Making candy canes involves boiling sugar, then pulling the warm sugar until it is stiff but pliable and forming it into shapes. Because it is a long, slightly tricky process that involves hot sugar, I recommend you read the recipe thoroughly ahead of time, make sure you have the right ingredients and tools, and give yourself plenty of time to make the candy canes.  

INGREDIENTS
·         21 oz (3 cups) granulated sugar
·         11 oz (1 cup) light corn syrup
·         2 oz (1/4 cup) water
·         1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
·         Red food colouring (gel colouring recommended)
·         White food colouring (optional, gel colouring recommended)
·         Food-safe plastic gloves
·         Candy thermometer
·         Prep Time: 75 minutes
·         Total Time: 75 minutes
·         Yield: 12-18 candy canes


purchased candy canes, fabric decoration by Liz Ferry and embroidery by Fay King 

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Thanks for reading my blog and please share your thoughts about my blog post by leaving a comment.Your comment won't appear immediately as comments are verified before publication in an effort to reduce the amount of spam appearing. Anonymous comments will not be published.

Popular posts from this blog

Too Precious to Waste

 Stitched tea bags/ old doily "tea lights" - Wilma Simmons  More than a year ago, a decision was made.  The annual exhibition of NCEATA ( Newcastle Creative Embroiderers and Textile Artists) 2015-2016 will have the theme "Mottainai". Mottainai in Japanese refers to more than just physical waste (resources). It is even used to refer to thought patterns that give rise to wasteful action. Grammatically, it can be used in Japanese as an exclamation ("mottainai!") or as an adjective phrase ("it feels mottainai"). There is no plural form. The collection of mottainai things could be called mottainai koto ( もったいない事 ? ). As an exclamation ("mottainai!") it means roughly "what a waste!" or "Don't waste." [2]  A simple English equivalent is the saying "waste not, want not." A more elaborate meaning conveys a sense of value and worthiness and may be translated as "do not destroy (or lay waste to) that
Post a Comment
Read more

Fish and Sticks : Art Dolls

This week I've been working on fish and sticks ....  The sticks are the message stick art dolls which were very popular, attracting some attention and a few orders at the Wise Women exhibition. Each of the message stick dolls are from the Wise Women series, each with her own personality and  message of wisdom, handwritten on a handmade timber tag. I gather the sticks during my walks around my neighbourhood and the tags are made from special bits of timber, some collected by me or  my husband or from off cuts gifted to us  from another doll making friend whose husband makes bagpipes. These dolls start off very simply with a wrap around a stick, in the general shape of a body. 'Naked" message stick dolls - strips of wadding wrapped around found sticks.   Then I usually wrap other layers of fabric, wool, and/or fibres, over which I do some simple embroidery. I sculpt  or mould small face masks for these dolls. I really like using "sari ribbon" as wrapping str
3 comments
Read more

Wednesday's Child /2

Work in Progress - 3 of the 193 for "Stitched Up"- Wilma Simmons   The work for the "Stitched Up " Project  continues. See the previous "Wednesday Child" post for the background to this art project celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Newcastle Industrial School. I have been documenting the progress of my work, so I thought it might be interesting to share some of the early stages of the "stick dolls" ... Here are some of the beginning steps.. Sticks collected while walking the bushland in my neighbourhood  Drying and getting rid of any insects - oven heat 75 degreesC for approx 1-2 hours.  Trimmed and cut if necessary  Ends sealed with matte sealing solution.  Drying  - solution goes on white but dries clear.  First wrapping - foil to create a body shape  Second wrapping - stretch fabric.  Third wrapping - fabric strips  Some stitching - more stitching and embellishment to come.  Follow thi
Post a Comment
Read more