Candy Cane Bubble Tea
Candy Cane Bubble Tea
Candy Cane Bubble Tea
Spray two rimmed baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Preheat
the oven to 200 F.
Combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup of the water in a medium saucepan over
medium-high heat; stir with a heatproof spatula until the sugar dissolves.
Wet a pastry brush in a small bowl filled with the remaining water. Using the wet
brush, wash any sugar crystals off the side of the pan. Do not stir the syrup.
When the syrup comes to a boil, insert a candy thermometer and continue to cook,
without stirring, until the thermometer registers 285 F. At this point, the candy
will have reached the soft-crack stage.
Remove from heat. Let the bubbles subside, then stir in peppermint extract.
Pour about half of the syrup onto a prepared baking sheet and place it in the
preheated oven.
Stir red food coloring into the remaining syrup. If necessary, add more dye to
achieve a vibrant shade.
Pour the candy onto the remaining baking sheet and allow it to sit briefly until it
forms a “skin.”
Spray a bench scraper or metal spatula with nonstick cooking spray, and use the
tool to "knead" the candy. Flatten the candy, then fold it back over itself. Repeat
this process for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the candy is significantly cooler.
Put on your heat resistant gloves. Stretch the candy into a long rope, then fold
the rope in half and twist the candy until it melts back into itself.
Repeat this process for 2 to 3 minutes, until the candy takes on an opaque color
and a satiny finish. At this point, the candy will be warm—you should have some
trouble pulling and folding it.
Stretch the candy into a rope, about 2 inches in diameter, then return it to the
oven, where it will stay warm and pliable.
Remove the other baking sheet from the oven. At this point, you can knead white
food coloring into the candy.
Pull and fold the candy in the same fashion, until it becomes opaque, glossy, and
difficult to manipulate.
Remove the red candy from the oven. Cut a 2-inch segment from the white log and
another from the red log, then put the remaining candy back in the oven.
Squeeze the two segments together, until they form one two-toned log, then stretch
the candy again. This step will determine the thickness of your candy canes—you can
make thinner ones (with a 1/4-inch diameter) or thicker ones (with a 1/2-inch
diameter).
When you're happy with the candy's width, twist the rope to form those distinctive
candy stripes.
Using a pair of oiled kitchen shears, cut the candy into smaller pieces. Again, you
can choose to make long or small candy canes. A 7-inch piece of candy will yield a
medium-sized candy cane.
Immediately form the hook at the top of the cane and place it on a clean surface to
firm up at room temperature.
Cut off another segment from each log, then return the logs to the oven. Repeat the
twisting and stretching process until you have used up all the candy.
If the candy cracks or hardens, return it to the warm oven for a few minutes. (Any
longer than a few minutes and the candy will lose its shape.) At room temperature,
your candy canes should be as hard as the store-bought variety.
Be sure to wrap them in plastic wrap or cellophane to preserve their shelf life.
Enjoy your candy canes with friends and family. They'll look particularly festive
hanging on your tree, alongside some stained glass window cookies.