This simple maple candy recipe is full of sweet, creamy goodness and only requires 4 ingredients.

The old cookbooks have done it again. I don't think there's a recipe in here I won't like. Well... maybe sheep brains, but you never know. Isn't it weird how our diets have changed?

What was once commonly eaten, using the entire animal, nose to tail we now turn our noses up at and it's all thrown in the gut pile.

I actually quite like most offal, especially deer heart. But, this post isn't about sheep brains or how we often don't consume offal at all, as a society. In fact, it's almost the polar opposite of that. It's about delicious, homemade candy.

I can't say I've ever made candy before. I have a candy thermometer and I've used it when making marshmallows, but I've never made real candy other than those until the other day.

And it was surprisingly easy. And if I can make this, you can definitely make it. I finished off my candy making experience with some divinity fudge to surprise my mother in law and it was all a delicious success.

What kind of maple syrup do I use to make maple candy?

Well, if you tap a maple tree in your backyard and boil the sap, you can use that! Otherwise, just organic maple syrup is what you're looking for. We buy ours from Costco. But you can find it on amazon here.

Yes, they used to have grade A and grade B syrup. B standing for "better" in the syrup world and containing more minerals etc. But, it's increasingly hard to find and the way that syrup is now produced, it has even less to do with the quality or time it was harvested.

So, if you find someone that has grade B, go for it. But it is absolutely unnecessary. Especially considering you're going to cook it and you simply want it for the sweetness it provides.

Ingredients in maple creams and supplies needed

These candies are creamy, so they do have more than 2 ingredients in them unlike maple candy like they made in little house in the big woods (which is just cooked down syrup).

It does, however, only contain 4 ingredients and my child with braces can eat it (because it's soft). And it's super simple to make.

Maple Syrup. Like I said, grade A syrup is fine. If you harvested it from your own back yard, even better. We do opt for organic when purchasing it. This is simply to avoid any pesticide exposure, though it is said very few maple trees are treated as such, we like to err on the side of caution and avoid any potential exposure where we can.

Sugar. I used plain, granulated white cane sugar in this particular batch. But, you could use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or even maple sugar. These sugars will result in a slightly different, possibly more rich flavor, but they can be utilized with the same results cup for cup.

Cream. Are you one of the lucky ones with access to milk with the cream on top (presumably from your own cow)? I'm slightly envious. You're just looking for heavy cream for this particular recipe. If you have access to fresh, raw cream go for it. I bought a pint at the dollar general because we were out and it's the closest store. I don't care for conventional dairy, but hey.... Finding it was a task since the girl thought I wanted to buy cream for my coffee, but beyond that, it worked fine in a pinch and it's cooked anyhow.

Butter. Just a tablespoonful is all you need for this. It just helps everything come together. It is, after all, just solidified cream. If you don't have any butter on hand, you could throw some extra cream in your mixer and churn it into butter! Ideas.... I did use salted butter in this recipe, either will work fine. The salt just enriches the flavor a bit.

As for supplies, you only need a few things.

• Measuring cups
• 2 Quart Pot
• Candy Thermometer
• Stand Mixer (though a hand mixer will work in a pinch, you're going to have a tired hand)

Can you make maple candy without a candy thermometer?

You can. But, it's a lot easier if you have a candy thermometer. You're going to cook this to the soft ball stage. So, if you don't have one on hand, you can test it by hand.

To test for the proper stage, you'll take a small drop and drop it into a bowl of cold water. If it's ready, it will immediately ball up into a soft, flexible ball.

Using a thermometer means you're going to allow the mixture to reach 235˚F, which is a lot easier for me. But, if you don't have one and want to make it, you can.

How to make maple candies

So simple, really. You'll simply gather your supplies, measure them out, place them in a pan, heat them up to soft ball stage, pour the hot mixture into your mixing bowl and mix it until it's cool and creamy (about 10 minutes or so).

Combine 1 cup of maple syrup, 1 cup of sugar, ½ cup of cream, and a tablespoon of butter in a saucepan.

Cook over medium low heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.

Place the candy thermometer into the mixture, making sure it's not touching the bottom of the pan or any edges. You want it suspended in the liquid to get an accurate reading.

Continue stirring it occasionally and keep an eye on it, it really doesn't take long to reach the stage we are looking for and it will foam quite a bit.

Once the mixture reaches the soft ball stage, 235˚F, immediately remove it from heat, place it in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.

Mix the hot mixture on medium speed until it is cooled and creamy.

If you do not have a stand mixer, you can use a hand mixer and yield the same results.

You can pour the mixture into a greased (or wax papered) 8X8 pan, or you can form it together and cut it into shapes like these cute maple leaves or hearts (like I did).

How do you store maple candy?

This can be stored at room temp in an airtight container for up to one month.

Refrigerating it will not increase its shelf life, but it can be frozen for up to 6 months.

That's all there is to it. Delicious, creamy candy in 20 minutes. Pace yourself when eating these... they're so good they disappear quickly.

Other Recipes You'll Love:

• Homemade Marshmallows
• Viennese Whirls
• Homemade Peppermint Bark

If you're looking for ideas on how to reconnect with your food, nature, and the heritage way of life, you've come to the right place.

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