Chocolate Taffy

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Tricks for Treats

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (19)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(19)

Cook Time:
25 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
about 60 pieces

Times:

Prep: 25 min
Inactive Prep: 10 min
Cook: 25 min
Total:: 1 hr 0 min

Recipe Tools:

Select a Card Size

Add To My Recipe Box

Success

This recipe was added to your Folder_Name folder.

Do not show this message again

Add To My Recipe Box

Please sign in to add this recipe to your Recipe Box.

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
2/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, plus additional for greasing pan and hands

Directions

In heavy medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir until thoroughly combined. Add corn syrup, water, and vinegar to pan and place over medium heat. Stir until sugar and cocoa dissolve, raise heat to high and bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low, clip candy thermometer to side of pan and cook until mixture reaches 260 degrees F. Remove pan from heat, add the butter and stir. Butter edges of sheet pan, line with silicone baking sheet and pour on taffy. Allow to cool until you are able to handle it.

Once you are able to handle the taffy, don vinyl gloves, butter them, and begin to fold taffy in thirds using the silicone mat. Pick up taffy and begin to pull folding the taffy back on itself repeatedly twisting as you go. Taffy is done when it lightens in color, takes on a sheen, and becomes too hard to pull. Roll into log, cut into fourths, roll each fourth into a 1-inch wide log, and cut into 1-inch pieces. Making sure to keep pieces separated or they will stick to each other. Wrap individual pieces of candy in waxed paper. Store in airtight container 3 to 5 days.

Next Recipe

More recipes? Try these recommendations:

Similar Recipe

Banana Sundae with Chili Pepper Marshmallows

Similar Recipes

Recipes Like This

All About…

Recipe Collections

Showing 1-7 of 7

View all 7 Chocolate Collections

Comments & Reviews

recipe Chocolate Taffy
Jason Brookings, OR 11-01-2009
Flag

Awesome Taffy
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Forgive me but anyone who "gets blisters" on their hands as a result of doing this recipe is a total TOOL!! This is not... super easy to make, no, but the results of being patient and following the recipe are awesome. THis is GREAT Chocolate Taffy and Alton Brown is the best!!!!! Also loved his Super Apple Pie!!Read more
recipe Chocolate Taffy
christi edmond, OK 10-29-2009
Flag

Rock Hard, blisters on my fingers!
Rated: 1 stars out of 5

This was not good at all...took way too long to get to temp, as in other reviews. Also, got blisters (even using gloves)... from pulling and hard to pull. Candy way to hard to chew, threw half of it out. But using the rest as hard candy similar to Werther's. Not sure what went wrong except it must have cooked too long waiting for it to get to 260 degrees. Probably will stick to just buying tootsie rolls from now on.Read more
recipe Chocolate Taffy
sara Brooktondale, NY 03-17-2009
Flag

Good taffy - follow all the instructions!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

As someone else said, follow the instructions exactly. Don't cook it too fast, make sure you have a reliable candy... thermometer and take it off the heat as soon as it hits the right temperature, wear the vinyl gloves as described (hands sticking to the taffy is what can cause blisters and unless you're constantly greasing them this is likely). And pull it for long enough until it lightens in color - if you don't pull it long enough it will be hard. 10-15 minutes is to be expected. I'm an average-sized woman of average strength and I and my 4 and 7 year olds didn't have any trouble pulling this.Read more
recipe Chocolate Taffy
Suzanne Livingston, TN 10-29-2008
Flag

Making ChocoTaffy Every Year Now
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I am a teacher in TN and we make this taffy yearly for Halloween in science class. (great physical sci lesson in chemical and... physical change). The kids hear about it from friends in the upper grades now, and it has become a tradition. The kids tell me that it si the best taffy they have ever had, and no store bought tootsie would ever be its equal. I would have to agree, as AB has this one right. It is chocolatey heaven. Yum! Try it! Read more
recipe Chocolate Taffy
Stacey Timonium, MD 10-26-2008
Flag

Don't listen to the bad reviews
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Don't let some of these reviews chase you off from trying this recipe, If you can follow directions and you have the... necessary tools, it's easy and it's good! Some helpful hints -- 1.) Use good chocolate and fresh ingredients 2.) Use a silicon mat 3.) Drop the heat immediately after it hits the boiling point (212), then take the heat low enough so that the heat continues to rise to 260 4.) Don't try to cut with a knife, use kitchen scissors and keep them clean As for the comments about burning your hands and causing blisters -- I'm not sure how this could happen. Wait for the total cooling period and then start folding. It is not too hot to handle after about 10 minutes. (My hands are sensitive to temperature -- it was not painful at all.) Once folded, the pulling is pretty simple, it will give your arms a bit of a workout. As for the comments about what it does to you hands, not my experience at all and my hands are not hardened from callouses. No need for a mechanical puller! You can do it. As with any candy, patience is the key. Give it a try, it is fun and easy. Read more
recipe Chocolate Taffy
stephen tucson, AZ 10-25-2008
Flag

OMG the best
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

the chacolate is so soft and chewy love it so much the best