How to Make Sugar Maple Candy

Sugar maple candy is a melt-in-your-mouth treat! This popular recipe is nice and easy and only requires only a few ingredients. Enjoy these delicious treats yourself or gift them to your friends and family in the holiday season. Pick out some good quality maple syrup, grab your candy thermometer, and get boiling!

EditIngredients

• 2 cups (644 grams) real maple syrup
• ½ cup (62.5 grams) of chopped walnuts (optional)

Makes 18 candies

EditSteps

EditMaking the Mixture

1. Boil 2 cups (644 grams) of maple syrup until it reaches . Measure and pour the maple syrup into a large saucepan. Pure maple syrup works best as it has the strongest and most genuine flavour. Avoid using maple-flavoured syrup as this won't thicken correctly and has a weaker flavour. Heat the maple syrup over medium heat until it reaches . Stir the syrup with a wooden spoon as it heats to avoid it sticking to the pan.^[1]
   
   
   • Use a candy thermometer to measure the temperature of the maple syrup. Submerge the tip of the thermometer in the mixture to get a correct temperature reading. Avoid the thermometer touching the pan as this can give a false temperature reading.
   • Run hot water over the inside of the measuring cup before you measure the maple syrup. This will cause less maple syrup to stick to the measuring cup.
   • Purchase maple syrup from a supermarket or natural health food store.
2. Take the pot off the heat and wait for the syrup to cool to . Place the pot of maple syrup onto a cold element or a wooden board to cool. Leave the candy thermometer in the syrup so that you can monitor the temperature. Most candy thermometers can be clipped to the side of the pot.^[2]
   
   
   • It will likely take about 10 minutes for the temperature of the syrup to drop.
   • Don’t stir the syrup as it cools.
3. Mix the syrup vigorously for 4 minutes. Remove the candy thermometer from the pot and then use a wooden spoon to stir the mixture briskly. Continue to stir the syrup until it begins to thicken and gets creamier. This should take about 4 minutes.^[3]
   
   
   • Keep the pot off the heat while you stir it.
   • Stop stirring the mixture once it starts thickening so that the candy doesn’t set in the pot.
   • Take care not to splash yourself with the mixture because it will be incredibly hot.
4. Stir in ½ cup (62.5 g) of chopped walnuts if you want a nutty flavour. Walnuts help to add texture and extra flavour to the candy. Measure the nuts into the pot and then slowly stir the mixture to evenly distribute them. As soon as the nuts are distributed, stop stirring the mixture.^[4]
   
   
   • If you don’t like nuts or want a smooth candy, skip this step.

EditSetting the Candy

1. Pour the candy into rubber moulds. Rubber moulds are a great choice for maple syrup candy as they are easy to pop the candies out of. Carefully and slowly pour the syrup from the pot into the moulds and fill them right to the top.^[5]
   
   
   • If you don't have rubber moulds, use lightly greased wooden or metal moulds instead. Avoid using plastic moulds as the heat of the candy will melt the plastic.
   • Purchase candy moulds from a craft store, speciality kitchen shop, or online. Popular moulds include: ones shaped like maple leaves, standard round candy moulds, and heart-shaped moulds.
2. Smooth the candies with a knife and then allow them to cool. Use the face of a butter knife to help flatten the mixture in the moulds. This will help the base of your candies look smooth and professional. Leave the candies in the moulds at room temperature until they are cold.^[6]
   
   
   • The cooling process takes about 1 hour.
3. Remove the candies from the moulds. If you have used a rubber mould, turn the mould upside down and push the candies out. If you have used a wooden or metal mould, turn the mould over and lightly tap it to help agitate the candies away from the mould.^[7]
   
   
   • If the candies are stuck in the mould, use a knife to help pry them out.
4. Place the candies on a cooling rack for 2 hours. This helps the candies to dry and gives them a nice, soft but firm texture. If you don’t have a cooling rack, place the candies on a plate instead.^[8]
   
   
5. Store the candy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month. Transfer the candy into a container and make sure the lid is on tightly. If you don’t eat them first, the candies can last up to 1 month.^[9]
   
   • If you are gifting the candies, put them into small decorative bags and let the recipient know that the candy keeps best in an airtight container.

EditThings You'll Need

• Saucepan
• Candy thermometer
• Wooden spoon
• Measuring cup
• Candy moulds
• Butterknife
• Baking tray
• Cooling rack

EditRelated wikiHows

• Make Maple Candy
• Make Maple Syrup and Walnut Chocolate Fudge
• Make Maple Walnuts
• Make Maple Syrup Hot Chocolate
• Make Maple Rice Pudding
• Make Sugar Candy

EditSources and Citations

EditQuick Summary

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