A few weeks ago I read
this post about homemade taffy. I thought it looked fun and messy and since I love taffy and my kids love making messes, I thought we'd give it a try.
The kids were excited and really into the prep work. They argued over who was going to smear the butter into the pan, and they both really really wanted to stand by the stove and watch the taffy mixture cook. Unfortunately, it took so long to cook that by the time it was done, Noah had pretty much lost interest. He and Emma started to pull it, which I thought he would like, but I barely had time to snap one picture before he ran off.
Emma worked with it awhile longer, but in the end it was good old mommy who did most of the taffy pulling. It started getting pretty stuff, so it was hard work after awhile! I decided it was finished when I started to feel like my arms were going to fall off.
I stretched it into thin strips and then cut the strips into bite-size pieces, which Emma then rolled up in waxed paper. During this time Allie was clinging to my legs, crying about something or other. I couldn't stretch the taffy while holding her, so I sat down with her on my lap and helped Emma wrap the pieces that were already cut.
Maybe three or four minutes later, I went to grab the huge glob of taffy that was still left and discovered that it had turned into a rock-hard glob of taffy. Stretching or pulling it in any way was impossible. We had to throw all of this out, so if you ever try this yourself, don't take a break - even a really short one - in the middle of cutting the taffy!
I think they ended up being pretty delicious, although they remind me more of
Now and Laters than of real taffy.
The kids were excited and really into the prep work. They argued over who was going to smear the butter into the pan, and they both really really wanted to stand by the stove and watch the taffy mixture cook. Unfortunately, it took so long to cook that by the time it was done, Noah had pretty much lost interest. He and Emma started to pull it, which I thought he would like, but I barely had time to snap one picture before he ran off.
Emma worked with it awhile longer, but in the end it was good old mommy who did most of the taffy pulling. It started getting pretty stuff, so it was hard work after awhile! I decided it was finished when I started to feel like my arms were going to fall off.
I stretched it into thin strips and then cut the strips into bite-size pieces, which Emma then rolled up in waxed paper. During this time Allie was clinging to my legs, crying about something or other. I couldn't stretch the taffy while holding her, so I sat down with her on my lap and helped Emma wrap the pieces that were already cut.
Maybe three or four minutes later, I went to grab the huge glob of taffy that was still left and discovered that it had turned into a rock-hard glob of taffy. Stretching or pulling it in any way was impossible. We had to throw all of this out, so if you ever try this yourself, don't take a break - even a really short one - in the middle of cutting the taffy!
I think they ended up being pretty delicious, although they remind me more of Now and Laters than of real taffy.
5 comments:
What a sweet family project, which it was nice of you to do! If you didn't want to waste the taffy, maybe you could have saved it to gnaw on over the next few weeks!
I thought it was tasty (David snuck a piece for me)!
Isn't it frustrating when you're in the middle of something and a little one desperately needs you? Mine usually picks bread making time right before I get the loaves shaped to rise - I often get a well-risen giant ball of dough that I have to punch down again to shape into loaves. Your little bowl of wrapped candies is adorable. Hope you all enjoy them!
We've never made taffy, I might have to give it a try. I agree with Laura your bowl of candy is adorable.
I LOVE this post because it so honestly captures the experience of trying to do something with your kids! Not that it always turns out this way, or badly, or whatever, but just how much is going on at once and how there's a baby at your leg and the kids lose interest and it comes out half working out, and so on. It's taken me a while to realize that when all these things happen--and I have three kids, too--so it always does go this way, that that experience is just as valid--and just as much fun for the kids--as when it all goes "perfectly." I can't wait to try it. And now I'll be ready with expectations duly adjusted.
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