Twisted Christmas

It is finally that time of year.  The time when I have so much to do, that I can’t even find one minute to enjoy sparkling lights, hot cocoa in front of a warm fire, and the cheerful laughter of my family.  It might help if my family’s laughter wasn’t a product of my latest Christmas recipe disaster.  (See Gingerbread Nightmare from last year)  Oh yeah, and we actually don’t have a fireplace.

This year I decided to try Homemade Candy Canes.  (Insert scary music here….like Friday the 13^th or Jaws.)

Why I decided to do this, I’m not sure.  Candy Canes are something like 99 cents a box for twelve, right?  Out of the entire recipe I made three barely presentable canes and maybe seven twisted candy stumps.

Don’t make fun of my pictures.  These three took me over an hour to stir, cool, roll, and twist.

Just in case you want to torture yourself like I did, I am including the recipe from my 1951 cookbook.  If you figure them out, let me know, because although they are a labor of sick, twisted, demented, love, they taste really really good.  I am almost tempted to try again.......after Santa picks me up in his sleigh, takes me to the North Pole, and Mrs. Santa serves me Mint Bailey’s and coffee while the elves give me a pedicure, in front of the warm fire in Santa’s lodge.  By the way, this is one of Santa's elves.....

 

          

Peppermint Candy Canes

Ingredients:

·        2 cups sugar

·        ½ cup light corn syrup

·        ½ cup water

·        ¼ tsp cream of tartar

·        ¾ teaspoons peppermint extract

·        1 tsp red food coloring

Combine sugar, corn syrup, water and cream of tartar in a saucepan; stir until sugar dissolves.  Cook on med-high without stirring until very hard ball stage is reached.  (265F on your candy thermometer)  Remove from stove and add peppermint.  Pour one portion on a buttered cookie sheet.  Add food coloring to other portion, stir, and pour onto a second buttered cookie sheet.  When cool enough to handle, pull each part separately.  Form into ropes and twist red part around the white.  Cut into 8 inch lengths and form into the shape of a cane.  Makes 10 canes.

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