Maple Taffy on Snow

Sometimes referred to as "sugar on snow" in the United States, "maple taffee" in the English-speaking regions of Canada, and "tire d'érable" in the French-speaking ones, maple taffy is a confection made from maple sap. It is integral in the traditional culture of Quebec, where 80% of the whole world's maple syrup is produced, and also New England. In both places, maple taffy is poured onto the snow, then lifted with a small wooden stick or a metal dinner fork. In New England, the event is called "sugar on snow party" and the confection is served traditionally with sour dill pickles, coffee, and yeast-risen donuts, the former two serving to counter the sweetness of the candy.

Maple taffy is made by boiling maple syrup until it reaches about 234 ºF in temperature, as measured by a candy thermometer. It cannot be done for longer lest the syrup turns into maple butter or maple sugar. The higher than temperature during the boiling process, the thicker the resulting candies will be. The liquid, which must have thickened in the boiling process, may be kept hot over very low heat or placed in a pan of hot water. It should not be stirred, however, as it will only form grainy crystals. It is then poured in its molten state into clean snow whose cold temperature would cause it rapidly thicken. Take note though that if instead of hardening, the syrup runs when poured into the snow, it means you have not allowed it to boil long enough to create the maple taffy. If it has sufficiently hardened in the snow, it can already be picked up to be eaten.

Maple taffy is popularly eaten soft so it is often served fresh, and prepared and eaten alongside maple syrup processing in sugarhouses. In Manitoba, the Canadian province, Manitoba maple syrup from the Manitoba maple tree (or box elder) is used, yielding generally darker and mustier candies.

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