Apple Sugar (1902) ★★★★★

Note: hard crack stage is usually for making things such as brittle and lollipops and equates to 300-310ºF (149-154ºC).

Original Recipe:
APPLE SUGAR. (Germany.)
Boil 1 pint of the juice of cooked apples, or as much cider with 2 pounds of sugar, until it cracks when dropped in cold water. Take out in spoonfuls, twist into sticks, dust with sugar as above, for use.

The Verdict:
Mr. Man REALLY likes these. They have only the faintest apple taste - the taste actually reminds me more of horehound. I love that just three ingredients can make a fun candy like this! It took me a few tries to get the technique right; you really have to find the balance between the candy being too hot and too cold. Also, newsflash: 2 pounds is a LOT of sugar...Subsequently this makes a butt-ton of candy. Like, waaay too much. If you make this, please scale down the recipe. It was pretty much impossible to twist all the candy into sticks before it hardened too much. I think this would be really fun to make with Little Y once she's older. Playing with the candy is really fun. Five stars for this one!

Modernized Recipe:
(Adapted from With a Saucepan over the Sea)

2 cups APPLE CIDER
2 lbs SUGAR
POWDERED SUGAR

1. In a medium pot, boil the apple cider with the sugar over medium heat until it cracks when dropped in cold water. This took a little over an hour for me. Be careful not to burn the sugar by heating it too hot. In the end stages, stirring is essential.
2. Set out a plate or cookie sheet with powdered sugar for dusting. When the candy has cooled enough that you can touch it, but is not too hard that you can't shape it, drop spoonfuls into the powdered sugar. Roll into sticks and twist. When you twist there should be some resistance, otherwise it will break. Coat with powdered sugar and set aside to cool and harden.


Anje graduated with a Honours Bachelors degree in History with a minor in Museum Studies. She currently lives and works in Japan's least populous prefecture as an assistant English teacher.

36 comments:

  1. I just saw this on RecipeNewZ. What an original recipe. Maybe not very new if it's been around 1902, but to me it is very new. Certainly something to try. Thanks for sharing!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for reading! :)
      We tend to "forget" a lot of our culinary history, so I think a lot of people might be surprised at the kinds of recipes you can find in old cookbooks.

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  2. Gorgeous photo and very cool recipe!

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  3. This sounds pretty delicious! I'm looking forward to trying it soon, although I think tonight will be your mac and cheese recipe=)

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  4. what a neat idea, I'll be giving this a try once the weather cools off a bit.

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  5. I love this! I enjoy finding recipes from years past that are once again shared with this generation.

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  6. I can't decide what I love more, this recipe or the entire concept of your site. Lets just go with both. Hope ya don't mind but I just had to share this apple sugar recipe on my blog- http://www.at-altitude.com/35-amazing-apple-recipes/

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    Replies
    1. WARNING -- NOT a recipe website!

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  7. I'm curious to try this but agree that a full 2 lbs of sugar's worth might be more than I want to tackle. But there's the whole chemistry thing with candy-making, right? And I'm not so good with chemistry ... so if I simply cut the recipe in half, will it still work or do something weird, like become a soupy mess or a hockey puck instead of fun, twisty candy? Anyone know?

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    1. cutting recipes in half works, so go with it, cut it in fourths works also...just remember the crack in water stage...that is the secret.

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  8. Hi there - I want to try this for some Christmas gifts (you know the ones - to the folks you feel you need to offer something but spending cash you don't really have isn't on the agenda)... anyway if any of you try this and photograph the 'crack in the water stage' - could you please let me see that photo? Having never tried any candy recipe I feel like I am in a little bit of a fog over this...
    Thanks so much for the recipe. Your photo is beautiful!
    kim

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    1. Thank you!
      Hard crack stage should look something like this: http://www.thegourmandandthepeasant.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/hard_crack.jpg, but darker, of course, with the apple cider. Don't worry, you'll know when it's right. I'm not great at candy making either, but I was able to make these! Just make sure you don't burn them :)

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  9. Great post. With lovely recipe. Thanks for sharing.

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  10. Hi! Just curious, what is the source (cookbook and author) for this recipe?

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  11. Hmmm... I LOVE cinnamon, so I think I will try adding some cinnamon oil. Hope it works! :)

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  12. hi i was wondering if i could substitute anything for the apple cider

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  13. Really refreshing and healthy,.
    It's too good,
    smoothies de frutas

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  14. This candy is really brittle and tastes like Caramel without being creamy. Overall really good candy!

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  24. Since you say the apple flavor is so light, I think I will take 4C apple cider and reduce it down to 2C and THEN proceed with the recipe. Also maybe add a cinnamon stick during the cider reduction for just a little while. Also do you not butter your hands before pulling the candy? I know my grandmother always buttered hers before pulling/shaping hard candy. Or some really good silicone gloves so you can start pulling and not have to be worrying about burning yourself?

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