Hard Candy Peppermint Twists
Source: Taste of Home’s Gifts from the Country Kitchen
Makes about 1/2 pound
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 cups sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1/8 teaspoon red food coloring
1. Coat two 9-inch baking pans with non-stick cooking spray. (Donot use butter or foil to prepare pans.)
2. In heavy sauce pan, combine water and vinegar. Add sugar. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a boil, about 8 minutes. (If sugar crystals are present on pan, cover saucepan for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes to let steam wash down.) Cook, without stirring, until candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees (hard-crack stage)*, about 26 minutes.
3. Combine peppermint extract and red food coloring. Remove syrup from heat; stir in peppermint mixture until well blended. (Mixture will bubble up slightly.) Keep away from face because the odor is strong. Immediately and carefully pour into prepared pans. (Do not scrape saucepan or tilt pans to spread evenly.) Cool for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes.
4. Using a large knife, score candy into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch wide pieces, about 3 inches long. Place both bans in warmover (on your ovens lowest setting) for about 5 minutes or until candy is warm enough to cut but cool enough to handle.
5. Using hewavy-duty kitchen scissors, cut along scored lines, one piece at a time. Immediately wrap each piece around the handle of a wooden spoon; remove candy and place on waxed paper to cool. Continue cutting and wrapping until mixture begins to harden (or break when wrapping). Return pan to oven. Remove second pan. Cut and wrap until mixture begins to harden. Repeat until all pieces are cut and formed into twists.
(Submitted by Tiffany)
