History of Candy Canes

With the Holiday here, thought bring this thread up. I always love candy canes. We have our Christmas Party for my chapter of UDC and I am bringing candy canes to give to each lady.

Also wonderful post by Elaine, that I know all of you will enjoy. She always had such great posts.
 
One of my favorite things to do is make candy cane reindeer! I attach them cards I had deliver or to small packages. You can hang them on the tree and when you're dying for that peppermint sugar fix, you breakdown and eat it.

Instructions on how to make them here - http://onelittleproject.com/candy-cane-reindeer/
 
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Pulled Peppermint Candy Sticks (1844)

Clove, Ginger, or Peppermint Candy.—These are all made in the same way as raspberry, using the essential oil of each for flavour. For clove, the mixture, whilst boiling, is coloured with cochineal; ginger with saffron; but the peppermint must be kept perfectly white, except the stripes, which is done by cutting off as many pieces from the bulk as you have colours, which should be in powder; put a sufficiency in each piece to give the desired tint, and keep them warm. When the remaining portion of the sugar is pulled, lay them over the surface in narrow stripes, double the roll together, and the face each way will be alike. Pull them out into long sticks, and twist them; make them round by rolling them under the hand, or they may be cut into small pieces with a pair of shears or scissors.
Raspberry Candy.—This may either be made from raw or refined sugar. Boil it to the crack, and colour it with cochineal; pour it on a stone rubbed over with a little oil or butter, cut off a small piece, and keep it warm to stripe or case the other part, when finished; to the remainder add a little tartaric acid (not so much as for drops), and some raspberry-paste, sufficient to flavour it. The residue of raspberries used for making vinegar, and preserved with an equal quantity of sugar, or even less, as for raspberry cakes, does very well for this purpose. Fold the edges over into the centre, and attach it to a hook fixed against the wall: pull it towards you, throwing it on the hook each time after having pulled it out; continue doing this until it gets rather white and shining, then make it into a compact long roll, and either stripe it with the piece you cut off, or roll it out in a sheet with a rolling-pin, and wrap it round it so as to form a sort of case; then pull it into long narrow sticks, and cut them the required length.
-The Complete Confectioner, Pastry-cook, and Baker: Plain and Practical, by Eleanor Parkinson 1844
 
Candy Cane Fudge Recipe

2 (10 ounce) packages of vanilla baking chips
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 1/2 cups crushed candy canes
1 dash red or green food coloring

1. Line an 8 inch baking pan with aluminum foil, and grease the foil.
2. Combine the vanilla chips and sweetened condensed milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until almost melted, remove from heat and continue to stir until smooth. When chips are completely melted, stir in the peppermint extract, food coloring and candy canes.
3. Spread evenly in the bottom of the prepared pan. Chill for 2 hours and then cut into pieces.

Fudge just became more luscious!! I'm so glad Christmas season gives us license to indulge a bit.
 
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