Pepper Candy Anyone?

15 years ago

I have made Anise candy for many years as a tradition at Christmas time from a recipe that comes very close to the candy I had as a kid. It is hard like a Jolly Rancher and tastes like Anise (like licorice somewhat). Anyway, other flavorings work fine in that recipe as well. It does, however, require a temperature of 300 degrees F before putting in the flavoring.

My thought, of course, is ... how about peppers. The problem would be all the steaming pepper aerosols if it was fresh, but maybe dry peppers would work.

I also found a recipe, but did not try it, for a taffy-consistency candy using peppers. I posted the two recipes below.

I hope I made some sense.

If anyone has experience making candy out of peppers/capsaicin, feel free to share your expertise. I can check the harvest forum as well, but they may not be as familiar with the possible disasters awaiting this endeavor since they might not be as intimate with the pepper.

Thanks,

Lyle

Anise Candy Recipe

Ingredients

1-1/2 teaspoons butter, softened

3/4 cup water

2/3 cup light corn syrup

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon anise extract (Or ...Peppers?)

Red food coloring

2 to 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Directions

Butter an 8-in. square dish with 1-1/2 teaspoons butter; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the water, corn syrup and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes to dissolve any sugar crystals.

Uncover; cook over medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300Ã¯Â¿Â½ (hard-crack stage). Remove from the heat; stir in extract and food coloring.

Pour into prepared dish. Using a sharp knife, score into 3/4-in. squares. Cool. Separate into squares, using a sharp knife if necessary. Place confectioners' sugar in a pan; add candy and roll until coated. Brush off excess sugar with a pastry brush.

Store at room temperature in an airtight container. Yield: about 1 pound (about 8 dozen).

Test your candy thermometer before each use by bringing water to a boil; the thermometer should read 212Ã¯Â¿Â½. Adjust your recipe temperature up or down based on your test.

Capsaicin Candy Recipe

Hot Pepper Candy

1 cup sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

2/3 cup water

1 tbs cornstarch

2 tbs butter or marg

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

8x8x2 buttered pan

In 2 qt saucepan, add sugar, corn syrup, water, cornstarch, butter and salt. Over medium heat, stirring constantly till hard ball stage

(256F). Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pepper.

When cool enough to handle, butter hands and pull until satiny and stiff. Pull into long strips, cut into 1" pieces, and wrap with wax paper. (I don't know what the buttered pan is for.)

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Comments (9)

User
15 years ago
I've never made pepper candy before but you post has me thinking.

I may give it a shot with Halloween coming up shortly. Every year a few (older) kids seem to come back 2 or 3 times and claim it's their first (we're marked as the house that gives out chocolate bars, chips, candy and fancy pencils to each visitor). I'm thinking a Bhut Jolokia toffee for 3rd visit would be the "trick" in their trick or treat ;-))
esox07 (4b) Wisconsin
15 years ago
Better watch that Ottawa. Might wind up with dozen eggs coating your house. I like your thinking though and I would love a video of it. Got me to thinking. I wonder if a guy could liquify some Bhuts and coat a name brand candy such as Super Hot - Hot Tamales that come in the movies theater boxes. It would bring a new meaning to "Super Hot".
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roadkill
15 years ago
hmmm nice never made candy before
now that you want to add heat into the candy
i think i have found another use for my mash !!!!!!!!
i think i will leave out the coloring and let the mash take care of that
probably try 2 tablespoons
thx for the recipe i will try the hard one first
ihategazingballs
Original Author
15 years ago
Just so the trick is not on you with the anise recipe. A temperature of 300 F causes the anise extract to partly vaporize. That is ok with anise as it is a fairly pleasant effect. I am not so sure it would be as pleasant with trinidad scorpion vapor in the air. After the experience when my wife accidentally turned the oven to high when I had a sheet of dehydrating chocolate habaneros in there, I have no desire to repeat the experience.

That said, maybe dry powder would be different. Remember, this is idea of mine is still in the concept phase unless someone has experiences to share. I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS IDEA MYSELF AND AM NOT RECOMMENDING THAT YOU TRY IT. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK. I just had a vision of a potentially exciting candy and wondered if it would work.

Lyle
User
15 years ago
So Lyle,

Just so I'm clear, what you're saying is...

...if I try making it with hot peppers and gas myself causing me to knock the pot off the stove which in turn spooks my pooch causing him to bang into a sofa end table as he bolts out of the kitchen and the lamp falls off hitting one of his raw hide bones launching it through the Rembrandt on my living room wall, you're not responsible.

Just checking.

Bill
2ajsmama
15 years ago
I had DS try a tiny shred of dehydrated serrano before dinner and he (casually) reached for milk on the table. I mentioned pepper candy for Halloween and he brought up possibility of a law suit. Guess I'll pass.
northerner_on
15 years ago
Lyle, I looked at the two candy recipes you posted and they both contained fat. If I were making pepper candy, I don't know that I would use actual pepper, I would steep peppers in oil and substitute some of that for the fat (butter/oil) and or honey. It should not affect the texture and it would probbly not fill your house with such hot pepper fumes as to be offensive. I attended a garlic festival this year and purchased a jar of pepper jelly which is quite pungent. When you open the jar you can actually smell the pepper, and see bits of pepper in the jelly. The maker told us he used Jamaican red and Habs., and cooled it with onions and apricots. It is really nice with toast if you like the heat.
ihategazingballs
Original Author
15 years ago
northerner_on Thanks for the suggestions. The butter in the anise candy recipe is only there to prevent the hot candy from sticking to pan when you pour it out of the kettle. It is not an actual "ingredient" as it only ends up being on the outside of the bottom edge of the candy. Maybe in the other recipe your suggestion could be a good option.

Lyle
smokemaster_2007
15 years ago
A friend soaks halved clean pods in a hot melted sugar mixture for a while over a double boiler.
Takes out the peppers and lets them drain and cool a while.
Then puts them in sugar to coat them.
Sets them on a rack to harden up/dry out.
Candied peppers...
I have no clue as to the recipe she uses.

Here is a link that might be useful: Googled recipe