A classic fall/harvest-time/Halloween treat! Candy Corn! Created in the 1880s by the Wunderle Candy Company, the three colors of the candy are meant to mimic corn.As surprising as it may seem, each piece is approximately the size of a whole kernel of corn, as if it fell off a ripe or dried ear of corn. Needless to say those who eat corn off the cob are wasting a good deal of this grain! Eskimos would be ashamed! (I mean Inuits..Sorry) Candy corn generally has a base of yellow, a middle of orange, and a tip of white. An alternate form of candy corn has a brown base with a hint of chocolate. This variety is known as Indian Candy Corn. (WTF!?! (Remember that means What the flip!) So just because it's brown we have to call it Indian Corn?? I think American candy producers have some racial biases to address!)
The National Confectioners Association estimate 20 million pounds of candy corn are sold each year! (Ok...What's crazier...the fact that we consume that much candy corn or the fact that a National Confectioners Association actually exists!)
Candy corn is made primarily from sugar, corn syrup and honey. Originally candy corn was homemade with marshmallows and fondant as additional ingredients...but as all things must come to an end (or in this case begin mass factory production) the ingredients and methods of candy corn had to be more cost-efficient and quicker. Just a quick note on ingredients...If it doesn't have honey in it, it ain't no good! Personal favorite brand: Brach's but everyone has their preference. Brach's does contain honey BTW!
Of recent Brach's has released several other Halloween-specific varieties of candy corn. Carmel Candy Corn which actually contains Milk Maid Caramels and Candy Apple Candy Corn. I believe the Candy Apple (which has a red base) is a bit sickening but I'll let you be your own judge.
Now the recipe I am going to include does not actually contain candy corn....it merely resembles candy corn...and without further ado..I present...
Candy Corn Cookies- by Land O'Lakes
These bite-sized treats resemble candy corn and have a hint of orange flavor.
Preparation time: 45 min Baking time: 7 min
Yield: 15 dozen miniature cookies
1 cup Butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 Egg
2 tablespoons orange juice
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Orange paste or gel food color
Yellow paste or gel food color
1/2 cup sugar
Line bottom and sides of 9x5-inch loaf pan with waxed paper or plastic food wrap. Set aside.
Combine butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until creamy. Add egg, orange juice, orange zest and salt. Continue beating until well mixed. Reduce speed to low; add flour and baking soda. Beat until well mixed.
Divide dough into thirds. Press one-third of white dough evenly onto bottom of prepared pan. Place another one-third of dough back into same bowl. Add small amount of orange food color; mix until color is well blended. Press orange dough evenly over white dough in pan. Place remaining one-third of dough into another medium bowl. Add small amount of yellow food color; mix until color is well blended. Press yellow dough evenly over orange dough in pan. Cover with plastic food wrap; refrigerate until firm (at least 2 hours or overnight).
Place 1/2 cup sugar in large bowl; set aside.
Heat oven to 375°F. Invert loaf pan to remove dough. Peel off waxed paper. Place layered dough onto cutting surface. Cut loaf crosswise into 1/4-inch slices using sharp knife, trimming edges to make even, if necessary. Cut each slice into 6 wedges. Place 1-inch apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Immediately place warm cookies in bowl with sugar; roll in sugar to coat. Place cookies onto cooling rack. Cool completely.
Store in loosely covered container.
VARIATION:
Chocolate Candy Corn: Prepare dough as directed except stir 1 (1-ounce) square melted semi-sweet baking chocolate into one-third of white dough. Tint one-third of dough orange and one-third yellow. Place chocolate dough into prepared pan; layer with orange and yellow dough. Cut and bake as directed.
Oh and true story! One Halloween when I was much younger, more naive, and not nearly as intelligent (:P) I broke off the white tip of a piece of candy corn and convince my mom that I had lost a tooth. It actually worked!.....for a little while at least...not long enough to find any money under my pillow though....: (
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