Maple syrup taffy is a must have when going to a sugar house in the spring when they are boiling sap and the smell of maple coats the air. But if you can't make it, you miss out on this sweet treat. So if you missed out lately, here's how to make it for yourself using your microwave:
First, fill a pan with clean snow or finely shaved ice (so it's very close to the consistency of snow). This is your base and how the taffy forms. If you are using the ice, you may want to do the next few steps first and get the ice while the syrup is heating up.
Next, you'll need REAL maple syrup. None of the Mrs. Butterworth's fake stuff. You want to get the real stuff. The stuff that is expensive but the only ingredient is the syrup itself. Real maple syrup is taken from a tree as sap and boiled into syrup.
Put some of the syrup in a glass measuring cup. Before you do anything else, rub butter around the edge of the cup, creating a rim. This step is IMPORTANT. If you do not have the butter ring, the syrup boils out of the cup and gets all over your microwave. Trust me on this one, I have done it before.
Once you have gotten the syrup in your measuring cup, stick it in the microwave for 3 minutes. You'll need the snow to test it at this point when it comes out. It's time to test it.
Pour a little bit onto the snow. If it is ready to completely pour out, the hot syrup will sit on top of the snow. If it immediately cuts through the snow (such as the picture below) it is not ready. If this is the case, continue in 30 second intervals of microwaving and testing until the syrup sits on top.
Once the syrup is ready, pour it out across the snow in long lines.
Take a popsicle stick, stab it in, and roll up the taffy onto the stick.
Enjoy!
