Cane Syrup Brittle & Pull Candy (...and Pralines)

Jason, John and I came across these recipes at the annual Sugar Cane Grinding Festival at the Oatland Island Wildlife Center near Savannah. It was on Nov. 8, 2008 on one of our little “fun” trips. We got to taste some of the brittle they were making over an open fire, and wow! It was good!

ingredients

Brittle:
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
1 cup cane syrup
2 cups nuts, chopped roughly
Pull Candy:
1 cup pure cane syrup
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
Pralines:
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cane syrup
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup water
1 cup pecan halves
1 teaspoon vanilla

directions

1
Brittle:
2
Combine syrup, sugar and butter in a 2 quart saucepan. Over low heat, stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cook over medium heat until the syrup reaches 270° or when a small amount of syrup dropped in very cold water separates into threads which are hard, but not brittle. Remove from heat, stir in baking soda and nuts. Turn into a greased cookie baking pan. Spread quickly. Let cool. Break into pieces.
3
**You can make the brittle with peanut halves or bits of pecans or other nuts.
4
Pull Candy:
5
Combine all ingredients in a 2 quart saucepan. Place over low heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Cook over medium heat until syrup reaches 272° or when a small amount of syrup dropped in very cold water separates into threads which are hard, but not brittle. Pour into a greased platter. As the edges cool, fold toward the center or they will harden before the center is ready to pull. When the candy is cool enough to handle, press into a ball with lightly buttered fingers. Pull until candy is light in color and ready to harden. Stretch into long rope 1/2 inch wide. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Wrap each piece of taffy in wax paper.
6
Pralines:
7
In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cane syrup, water and pecans. Stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture comes to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches “soft ball” stage. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add butter and vanilla. Allow candy to cool. Whip until the mixture gradually changes to lighter color and becomes creamy. Drop by tablespoon onto a buttered cookie sheet.