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How to make homemade sweet corn

Introduction

Invented in the 1880s, candy corn found commercial success in 1898 when its creator founded the Goelitz Candy Company. Without automation, production was labor-intensive and limited to just a few months a year, but the popularity of tricolor fondant skyrocketed. Today the Goelitz Candy Company is now known as the Jelly Belly Candy Company and although automation now allows for mass production, they still use the same recipe that started it all.

Making candy corn is surprisingly easy to do and kid friendly. Try it for other holidays (pastels for Easter, red and green for Christmas, pink for Valentine's Day). Dress them up however you like, candy corn remains an undeniable Halloween staple that can be enjoyed all year long.

Step 1

How to make homemade sweet corn

Mix the first three ingredients

Combine 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup dry milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and set aside.

Step 2

How to make homemade sweet corn

Boil sugar and corn syrup

Combine 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup corn syrup, 6 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons water in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until boiling.

Step 3

How to make homemade sweet corn

Go above the boil

Continue cooking until reaching a temperature of 230 degrees, remove from heat and add the vanilla (2-3 minutes).

Stage 4

How to make homemade sweet corn

Combine liquid and dry

Pour the liquid mixture into a bowl with dry ingredients.

Step 5

How to make homemade sweet corn

Blend

Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.

Step 6

How to make homemade sweet corn

Extended to cool down

Pour the batter onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and let cool until you can handle it.

Step 7

How to make homemade sweet corn

Separate into three sections

Divide into three balls, press a notch into two. Add 15-20 drops of yellow food coloring to each and then add 10 drops of red to one to make orange.

Step 8

How to make homemade sweet corn

Color work

Knead until a smooth and uniform color is obtained..

Step 9

How to make homemade sweet corn

Display Sections

Tear off a small piece of orange dough and roll it into a snake about 1/4" thick. Put on parchment paper.

Step 10

How to make homemade sweet corn

Attach sections

Roll up a strand of yellow dough the same length and width as the orange, and place the yellow strands against the orange. Repeat with the white dough, lying against the yellow threads. Gently press together. Repeat the process until all the dough has been rolled and pressed into ribbons of three colors.

Use the back of a knife to press each set of threads lengthwise, forming a long wedge that is thickest at the white edge.

Step 11

How to make homemade sweet corn

Cut triangles

Using a pizza roller or knife, cut each strand into short triangles. Break the sweet corn and let it rest for two hours to harden.

Sweet corn can be eaten right away or stored in an airtight container lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Best when eaten on Halloween.