Kentucky Cream Candy (Printable)
Silky Southern cream candy with vanilla; sets firm for cutting and gifting - yields about 24 pieces.
# What You'll Need:
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01 - 3 cups granulated sugar
02 - 1 cup heavy cream
03 - 1/2 cup whole milk
04 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
05 - 1/8 teaspoon salt
06 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
# How-To Steps:
01 - Line a 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper, or lightly butter a marble slab for shaping.
02 - In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, heavy cream, whole milk, unsalted butter, and salt. Stir over medium heat until the butter fully melts and the mixture is smooth and well combined.
03 - Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Once boiling, reduce the heat and continue cooking without stirring until the mixture reaches 240°F (soft ball stage) on a candy thermometer.
04 - Remove the saucepan from heat. Add the vanilla extract without stirring it in. Set the mixture aside to cool undisturbed until it reaches 110°F, approximately 30 to 40 minutes.
05 - Once cooled to 110°F, beat the mixture vigorously with a wooden spoon until it thickens, turns creamy, and loses its glossy sheen, about 8 to 10 minutes.
06 - Quickly pour or spoon the thickened candy onto the prepared pan or slab. Gently shape into logs or squares. Allow to set for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature.
07 - Cut the set candy into approximately 24 pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- This candy turns ordinary sugar and cream into something that literally melts on your tongue, and people will assume you spent all day on it.
- It makes the most thoughtful homemade gift, wrapped in parchment and tucked into a tin, and it keeps beautifully for over a week.
02 -
- Humidity is the enemy of cream candy, so check the forecast before you start and avoid making this on rainy or muggy days.
- Resist every urge to stir the cooling candy before it reaches 110 degrees, because even one stir can cause premature crystallization and ruin the texture.
03 -
- A marble slab is worth the investment if you plan to make candy regularly, because it pulls heat out of the mixture evenly and gives you more control during the shaping step.
- Clean your candy thermometer between uses and calibrate it in boiling water to make sure it reads 212 degrees Fahrenheit before trusting it with your sugar.