Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable by Anita Chu Read Free Book Online

texture.
    Serving Suggestions:
    Agar jellies can be made like gelatin-based fruit jellies . It is usually served with mixed fruit as a simple, light dessert.
    Candy-Making Notes:
    Agar can be substituted for gelatin in almost all recipes, making it an invaluable ingredient for people with vegetarian or kosher dietary requirements. It can be found in Asian groceries in dried strips or in powdered form similar to powdered gelatin. Agar-based jellies have a denser texture than gelatin-based jellies.
    Recipe:
    2 cups almond milk
    ½ cup milk
    ¼ cup sugar
    2½ teaspoons powdered agar
    ½ teaspoon almond extract
    Food coloring, if desired
    1.
Set aside a 6-by-6-inch baking pan or individual dessert bowls.
    2.
Combine almond milk, milk, sugar, and agar in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves.
    3.
Bring to a boil and cook for about 5 minutes.
    4.
Remove from heat and stir in almond extract and food coloring, if desired.
    5.
Pour mixture into baking pan or individual dessert bowls. Refrigerate until it has fully set before serving.
    6.
Cut jelly into 1-inch cubes or other shapes.
    Yield:
    About 36 cubes
    Storage:
    Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

APPLE JELLIES
    General Description:
    Like a cross between Jell-O and pâtes de fruits , apple jellies are chunky, slightly chewy squares bursting with fruit flavor. Made with applesauce and gelatin and often studded with nuts, these jellies taste naturally sweet. Apple jellies are popular in the American Northwest, particularly in Washington, famous for its apple production. Commercial apple jellies called Aplets & Cotlets are produced in Washington. These rectangular blocks of jelly candy come in apple and apricot flavors studded with walnuts and liberally dusted with confectioners’ sugar.
    History:
    Apples are one of the key crops of Washington; they were declared the state fruit in 1989. It is not surprising that Aplets & Cotlets were invented in apple country. They were created by twoArmenians, Armen Tertsagian and Mark Balaban, who immigrated to Washington in the early 1900s. The two men grew apples at their farm, Liberty Orchards. The dilemma of how to deal with surplus apple crops in the years following World War I inspired them to create an apple-flavored, American version of Turkish delight .
    Serving Suggestions:
    Like Turkish delight, these candies make festive holiday treats. They are also ideal to make in the fall during apple season.
    Candy-Making Notes:
    Use a good-quality applesauce that is thick and contains as few additives as possible; it will cook better and give the candies a purer taste and texture. You can also make your own applesauce for these candies; be sure to use tart, firm apples and cook the applesauce until it is thick.
    Recipe:
    1 cup unsweetened applesauce
    1¼ cups sugar
    1½ tablespoons gelatin
    1 tablespoon lemon juice
    1 cup walnuts
    Confectioners’ sugar for dusting
    1.
Grease an 8-by-8-inch pan with butter or cooking spray.
    2.
Combine applesauce and sugar in a saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Continue cooking on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until the applesauce is thick.
    3.
Dissolve the gelatin in ½ cup cold water. Add it to the apple mixture and stir to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes.
    4.
Add lemon juice and walnuts and stir to combine.
    5.
Pour into prepared baking pan and let cool and set overnight.
    6.
Using a sharp, well-oiled knife, cut into 1-inch squares and roll in confectioners’ sugar to coat.
    Yield:
    About 64 jellies
    Storage:
    Store in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper for up to 2 weeks.

CANDIED CITRUS PEEL
    General Description:
    Also called citrus confit or candied citron , these thin strips of citrus peel preserved in sugar are a common Christmas confection . Orange and lemon peel are themost common, but any citrus will do. The peel is cooked in a sugar syrup until softened and