It just wouldn’t be October without candy corn, the triangular candies colored in bands of yellow, orange and white to mimic a kernel of corn. And you can make them at home in any color combinations you want, says Dessert First’s Anita Chu.
The Millbrae-based blogger’s recipe, featured in her 2014 cookbook, “Field Guide to Candy: How to Identify and Make Virtually Every Candy Imaginable” (Quirk Books, $16), suggests pressing the three colored ropes of dough into one piece, then lightly running a rolling pin over the top to help press the Halloween hues together. Come Christmas, you can make bowls of red, green and white.
Homemade Candy Corn
Makes about 80 pieces
Ingredients
2½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup dry powdered milk
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring, as desired
Directions
Combine powdered sugar, powdered milk and salt in a bowl and set aside.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
Add the dry milk mixture to the saucepan and stir to combine. Let mixture rest for a few minutes until it is cool enough to handle.
Divide dough into 3 equal parts and place in separate bowls. Add coloring as desired. Knead each portion of dough until the coloring is evenly distributed and the dough is smooth and stiff. Roll each portion into a t ½-inch thick rope.
Place the three ropes of dough next to each other to form a long rectangle. Use a rolling pin to gently press them together. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into triangles and place on a baking sheet. Let set for about 1 hour. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to two months.
— From “Field Guide to Candy” (Quirk Books; 2014) by Anita Chu
