A Canadian Winter Tradition

I can't really think of anything more perfect, more decadent, to do on a sunny fresh snowy winter day than make maple syrup candy! When I was a kid, my mom and dad used to love doing this with my sister and I, and of course we really loved eating this sweet, chewy, cold treat. 

It is so easy to make, and it's 1 delicious ingredient- maple syrup. If you are super lucky to be able to tap trees and make your own syrup, like my sister does in Wakefield, Quebec, then I declare my envy. If you're like me, just head over to your local farmer's market and pick up a bottle of this amber gold. And if you don't live in a northern climate, well, read on and salivate freely!..

 Step 1: Boil the syrup for a few minutes, stirring often, until it gets thick.

 Step 2: Fill a jar with ice cold water. Do the Cold Water Candy Test, checking the syrup for when it reaches the "soft-ball" stage. When you drop it in cold water it will form a soft ball. This means it's ready!

 Step 3: Pack clean, fresh snow in a pan.

 Step 4: Pour the thick syrup onto the packed snow. It will cool immediately, forming into candy!

 Voila! Once it hardens a few moments later it's ready to eat.

 It doesn't get more local than this! Enjoy...

All images are copyright, 2012 property of Daina Scarola.