Tell me more ×
Seasoned Advice is a question and answer site for professional and amateur chefs. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 4 down vote favorite

I had found a recipe to make homemade Tootsie Rolls which was essentially just chocolate taffy. I've tried it a few times with the same result; it turns into basically a somewhat chewy hard candy.

I'm not a candy making expert, but I think the problem might lie in either the heating of the mixture (ie- getting it to the right temp for the type of candy it is) or in the pulling.

Does that sound about right? Are there other things that I can check when making taffy that would turn it into a soft rock?

share|improve this question
It might take quite a lot of trial and error to approximate a Tootsie Roll at home. The method of making a Tootsie Roll is a closely guarded "trade secret". – hobodave Jul 29 '10 at 5:17
@hobo: yes, I understand that. Was more interested in what I did wrong to make just a general taffy turn into a chewy rock... – squillman Jul 29 '10 at 5:19

1 Answer

up vote 2 down vote accepted

Temperature is certainly important. If you start out with a hard candy straight from the pot you're gonna be largely out of luck regardless.

But really, the signature taffy texture comes from the continual pulling, folding, pulling that happens after you remove it from the heat. Pulling taffy works lots of air into it and stretches out the strands of sugar crystals into thinner, chewier shapes. So be sure you really work that taffy once you take it off the heat (and before cutting it).

share|improve this answer

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.