Chocolate Taffy

Imagine my delight when I read this months Daring Baker's challenge.  Well, just read the blog checking lines...

The August 2011 Daring Bakers’ Challenge was hosted by Lisa of Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drive and Mandy of What the Fruitcake?!. These two sugar mavens challenged us to make sinfully delicious candies! This was a special challenge for the Daring Bakers because the good folks at http://www.chocoley.com offered an amazing prize for the winner of the most creative and delicious candy!

Candy? Seriously? I was so excited, because it was like an extension of what I've been doing all year long! I've made so much candy this year (really, have a look under "Candy Challenge 2011" for all of my previous treats!) that I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to make for this challenge. I decided it was finally time to try again with the chocolate taffy. I also thought I would finally make a real candy bar, layers and all.

Today, I'm plying you with the chocolate taffy.  I tried to make this earlier in the year and neglected to read the part about "constantly stirring" the candy mixture.  This candy, unlike most of the others that I've made, requires constant stirring.  With most candies, you don't want to stir them while they are coming to temperature because this might cause crystallization.  This candy will burn if left to self-stir.  Get your arm muscles ready, you'll be stirring for quite some time!

Have fun stretching and pulling the taffy!  Just be sure to cut lots and lots of pieces of wax paper, this recipe makes about 100 pieces of taffy.  The flavor is something of a more chocolatey and rich Tootsie roll, delicious.

Chocolate Taffy

Adapted from Chocolates and Confections

I know, you scrolled down to check out the recipe...  I am visiting my parents in Buffalo this weekend and neglected to bring the recipe with me!  Don't worry, I'll post it as soon at Hurricane Irene lets me get back to New Jersey!

UPDATE!  Here's the recipe that you've been waiting for!  Get your arms ready, you'll be pulling for ten minutes to get the candy to the right texture.

1 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz (2/3 cup) melted unsweetened chocolate
1 tsp vanilla extract.
Wax paper cut into 2-inch squares

Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with a silpat.

In a medium pot, combine sugar, corn syrup, water and condensed milk.  Bring to a boil and stir continuously, with a heatproof spatula, until you reach a temperature of 242 degrees.
 
Remove pot from the heat and stir in chocolate, salt and vanilla extract.  Stir to combine then pour out onto prepared pan.  Allow the candy to cool for 45 minutes to an hour.  It will be just about at room temperature.

Begin stretching the candy.  Stretch it long, fold in half, stretch fold stretch fold stretch fold...  You get the idea.  Once you have pulled for 10 minutes, the taffy should be a little lighter in color (it's not as dramatic as with non-chocolate taffy).  Cut off a small piece and roll out into a rope.  Cut into 1-inch piece and wrap in wax paper.  Allow to sit overnight for the best texture.

Recipe yields ~ 100 pieces