Celebrate Christmas:
Christmas Pudding Candy

This is a fun activity for the kids. Its great for eating or for homemade gift giving. Its also a great science experiment.

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar
1 ¼ cups half-and-half
2 T. light corn syrup*
2 T. butter or margarine, divided
½ cup raisins
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup flaked coconut
½ cup chopped red and green candied cherries

Directions:

Butter side of a heavy medium saucepan. Combine sugar, half and half, corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon butter in saucepan. Stirring occasionally, cook over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Using a pastry brush dipped in hot water, wash down any sugar crystals on sides of pan. Attach a candy thermometer to pan, making sure thermometer does not touch bottom of pan. Increase heat to medium and bring to boil. Cook, without stirring, until mixture reaches soft-ball stage (approximately 234 to 240 degrees). Test about ½ teaspoon mixture in ice water. Mixture will easily form a ball in ice water but flatten when held in your hand. Remove from heat and add remaining 1 tablespoon butter; do not stir until mixture cools to approximately 200 degrees. Using medium speed of an electric mixer, beat candy until thickened. Stir in raisins, pecans, coconut, and cherries. Pour into a buttered 7 x 11 – inch baking pan. Cool completely. Cut into 1-inch squares. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Yield: approximately 5 dozen pieces of candy.

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