italian dessert recipes

Maple Candy Recipe

"Four ingredients plus a candy thermometer!"




This maple candy recipe is one of those easy Italian dessert recipes.

We use syrups quite a bit to glaze some of our Italian cakes. And most people use it on pancakes. This recipe just takes a syrup and turns it into candy.

I found this recipe in my grandma's cookbook that was put together by her and her Italian friends. It was a fundraiser cookbook. It's another good one. I have yet to be dissapointed in these little ladies cooking skills!

Don't skimp on using a candy thermometer. UNLESS you are a super duper pro at knowing where that hard crack stage is. I always *think* I am good enough to gauge by my eye - and *POOF* I ruin a recipe.

So if you rely on the thermometer, this recipe is a cinch. It really is easy. Hardly any ingredients and just follow the directions.

If you like making the easy stuff scroll below to see other easy cake recipes and easy to make cookies. And thanks for stopping by!

See substitutions and FAQs below.




Maple Candy Recipe

YIELD:About 1/2 a pound

Ingredients

1 cup maple flavored syrup

1/2 cup of sugar

2 teaspoons of white vinegar

2 teaspoons of baking soda



Procedure

 * Place in 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil over MEDIUM heat.

* Stir till sugar dissolves.

* Cook without stirring until hard-crack stage or till candy thermometer registers 300 degrees.

* Remove from heat.

* Quickly stir in the 2 teaspoons of baking soda and mix well.

* Immediately pour into a 9 x 9 x 2 inch baking pan. Don't spread it.

* Let it cool.

* Break into pieces.

NOTE: Be super duper watchful on this recipe. The syrup gets to 300 degrees. You can burn yourself if the syrup touches your skin. Although this is an easy recipe. I am not comfortable making this with younger children around.



Recipe originally published by Better Homes and Gardens at least twenty five years ago.





What is hard crack stage?

It's basically where all moisture is out of the candy. If you drop the HOT candy into a cup of water you want to see brittle threads. I use a thermometer. I've never quite mastered eye-balling it. This video gives a good demonstration.
Hard Crack Stage Demo


Can I add nuts?

Sure. I do. I just left this maple candy recipe in it's basic form the way my grandma has/had it in her cookbook. I add them after the hard crack stage right after the baking soda.


What happens if I leave out the baking soda?

You will have really gross hard syrup that won't spread. This is actually the cool part. Give it a shot. This is a typical way of making a sticky syrupy sweet substances become spreadable.


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See my home page - Italian Dessert Recipes.






Easy Cake Recipes








Lisa Gianotti Superbowl Sunday is coming up! The best Italian Dessert Recipes for a party like this are ones that are:

FAST

Finger Foodish (not big hunky sticky globs of gooey-ness that get on your furniture)

And freeze-aheads

A couple of my favs for this are Cappucino Cookies (lots like choc chips but with a twist)

Anisette Cookies (Always on the top 5)

Rum Balls (Gingersnaps and Rum)

Let's not for get the drinks to go with the beer that will be present! Check out my Italian drinks section for that.

Lisa


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Recipes on this site are from family cookbooks, family traditions, or intentional adaptations from traditional recipes to add an Italian flair. If a recipe was adapted or used from another cook - it is mentioned on the recipe page and the recipe author is given credit.