I have fond memories from my childhood of spending time at my aunt and uncle’s sugar shack. Sure, all kids like sweet, sticky maple syrup, but the memories are about the carefree nature of those outdoor days.
It’s as though the cold didn’t affect us. We would run and play in the forest while the adults were gathered at the shack. Ski-doo rides. Sleigh rides. *Pretending* to help. There was always music playing. Fiddle. Accordion. Guitar. The entire forest came alive.
From the outside, it may even have looked chaotic. From the inside, it was pure bliss. I’m sure that there was yelling, fighting, parental reprimand. Funny how memory can be selective like that.
So clearly, I’m no longer an 8-year old girl running carefree through the woods with her bazillion cousins and cousins of cousins, but one thing can take me right back to that happy place. Maple taffy on snow. There is nothing else out there that compares to this gooey treat.
If you want to be elevated from Coolest-Mom-E-VAH to the ‘Sickest’-Mom-on-the-block head straight to the liquid gold.
How to Make Maple Taffy on Snow
Ingredients
- Pure maple syrup aka liquid gold
Instructions
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Fill a large shallow container (baking sheet with a lip, lasagna pan, etc.) with lightly compacted snow. Leave it outside or place in the freezer while you boil the syrup in a saucepan.
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Boil maple syrup for about ten minutes. If using a candy thermometer, it should read 115 °C (238 °F) for perfect taffy.
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Remove from heat and test on snow to check for consistency. If it is too hard, add a little water and stir to combine. If it is too liquid, return to heat and boil some more. As you can see, this is a forgiving recipe *wink*
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Transfer to a Pyrex measuring cup for easy pouring or use a metal spoon to pour the boiling syrup over the snow in long strips.
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Wait 30 seconds (You may have difficulty holding back the kiddos at this point).
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Give everyone a wooden Popsicle stick and start rolling. I cannot stand the taste of the iconic wooden stick, so I just roll mine on a spoon.
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These won’t keep, so get lickin’!
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Ricardo Cuisine
Now that you know how to make maple taffy on snow, it may not mean you’ll always want to. There are a lot of great places to visit in Canada that routinely roll up the nectar of the gods for guests. Check out The Rideau Canal during Winterlude in February and you’ll find maple taffy being rolled alongside hot chocolate and Beavertails.
Photo credits: Joanne Duchesne
Image source: White Meadows Farms
