When Life Gives You Snow...Make Snow Candy!

I loved the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, and I vividly remember the story of how they would make candy when it snowed.  While they made theirs with molasses, I make mine with maple syrup simply because we prefer the flavor. 

Here is a link to a web site with the Little House on the Prairie recipes if you want to try their candy made with molasses and brown sugar.

The process I use is similar.  Here are the steps:

Always have an adult supervise making this candy.  The syrup is extremely hot and will cause serious burns if not handled properly.

1. Place clean, fresh snow in a glass dish.  A glass pie plate works perfectly.  Keep outside until you are ready to pour the syrup onto it.
2. Take 1 cup of pure maple syrup and pour into sauce pan.  Heat slowly to boiling.
3. Heat to approximate 235 F using a candy thermometer.  The mixture will start to bubble, then become a dark amber color with large bubbles.
4. Once it is at the correct temperature, it will be dark and foamy with no more large bubbles.  Let cool for a few minutes until the foam subsides and the mixture is thick and glossy.
5. Bring the snow inside and slowly drizzle the syrup over the snow.  Try to make thin ribbons.
6. Let sit for about 15 seconds, until the candy has cooled enough to handle.  Time for the kids to dig and have fun!

The candy will be gooey and taffy like.  The kids will enjoy stretching it out and making shapes.  This candy doesn’t store well so use immediately.  It is also very, very sweet.  We like to play with it more than eat it but it makes for a fun snow day tradition.

Enjoy the snow!