Thursday, September 11, 2008

Leslie's Favorite Food Gift

Leslie's favorite food gift—and recipe

This one comes from the mom of one of our son’s friends. Teresa always makes a ton of this hot cinnamon candy and passes out bags to just about everyone she knows. She’s given us both the mild and hot versions. My boys like it hot!

Cinnamon Candy

From Teresa Twedell
(who usually doubles this batch!)

Looks, smells and tastes like Christmas!

2 cups sugar
1 cup water
¾ cup Karo syrup
1 tsp red food coloring
1 or 2 tsp cinnamon oil (depending on how hot you like the candy)

Mix sugar, water, and Karo syrup together in a large saucepan. Cook on high to a hard crack stage. It will boil for about 20-30 minutes before reaching this point. To test for a hard crack stage, drop a small amount into a bowl of cold water. If it hardens within seconds, it is ready. Remove from heat.

Add the food coloring and cinnamon oil.

Stir thoroughly for 2-3 minutes. Pour onto a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with Pam. Let dry until hard (at least two hours). Break into pieces and coat with powdered sugar.

Teresa makes the round of family and friends to distribute the candy in cellophane bags or aluminum tins available at any craft store. Our family is going to try this recipe this year!

The Wilsons other favorite gift food is shelled pecans. One of Bret’s clients has her very own pecan grove and shells us several pounds worth every year. Each half is huge and the pecan “meat” is delicious.

1 comment:

Wandering Writer said...

I'm not fond of the hot cinnamon so maybe this is a way around it--make my own. Hmmmm. This isn't like making Jello, is it? I don't do well with gelatin.