A lot of people are having trouble with candy recipes.I discovered a few years ago that candy recipes involving a thermometer do not work unless you use PURE CANE SUGAR.If you read the labels on most store brands they list "other sugars", this is sugar beet sugar. It is chemically different from cane sugar and has different boiling points.( remember chemistry class?) The different stages of candy making soft ball, hard crack ,etc. were created for cane sugar.Beet sugar had not been discovered yet.
I made this with flavor extract and food coloring instead of the drink mix. If you choose to do that, cook it until 256 degrees so it won't be too soft. Also, I found that it helps to wait until the taffy's pretty cool to try stretching it. I made peppermint, banana, maple, and coconut--all wonderful! My husband said the banana was just like laffy taffy.
I used this recipe however I had absolutly no koolaid or soft drink flavoring, but I did have jello. My first batch I used 1 sm. box of peach jello powder it was about 1/2c. I reduced the sugar by that amount. It came out perfect but little flavor. The second batch I used 2 boxes of Apricot jello, and also reduced the sugar by that amount. It was absolutly wonderful. There are so many different flavors for jello, you really must try it.
I think there are two keys to this recipe. Temperature and stretching. Candy takes patience. I let it reach 255 degrees before removing from heat. I didn't want it too soft or to hard. I used two large buttered metal cookie sheets. Split the mixture between the two. I waited only until the candy was cool enough to touch (maybe 5 minutes) then i started stretching. I made cherry and the candy went from a dark red to a light pink by the time I was done stretching. I don't think it would have turned out nearly as good had I not stretched it so much. Also make sure you have two people to stretch. By the time I got to the second pan it was already setting up. It still worked but was much harder on my arms! I may add two kool aid packets next time. My husband loves it. Also I did NOT butter my hands before stretching. There was no need. It only stuck to itself. There was enough butter from the pan I guess. I didn't want the candy to be butter flavored or coated in butter.
AMAZING! Great recipe and definately fun to make. When pulling it and making the pieces, you will probably need more than two people. My husband had to run next door to grab the neighbors to help. Wonderful smooth texture, just like salt water taffy.
This was nothing like taffy! After following steps 1-2 I buttered a baking sheet and poured the liquid taffy onto it let it sit for about half an hour and finally it turned as solid as rock! I am SO glad it didn't ruin my baking sheet. It didn't even have a good favor! I hope it works next time I try it.
Super easy and tasty. My kids and I make this all the time. A huge hit at birthday parties, I do the cooking in advance, then let the kids pull it after it cools.
Now I know where the name laffy taffy came from! I had a hard time getting any of our burners to heat the mixture over 225 degrees so I had to partially cover the mixture. We took it out right when the thermometer hit 250 and added 2 packs of grape kool aid. We let it cool and it was still very soft. My kids and I butter our hands and tried to "pull" the taffy but it wasn't exactly what we had in mind. It was very sticky and even after 30 minutes of pulling it never really firmed up. We ended up having to put this on wax paper in big globs and smash it down like laffy taffy. We had a blast making this and even though it was very messy and didn't turn out like we had hoped for the flavor was good and it was a lot of fun to make with the kids.
I made this twice hoping it would be better the second time around....It was awful....A sticky gooey mess....We had a good laugh over it!
