I came across these beautiful little sweets on the blog of an American fellow food blogger, Beth from Binky's Culinary Carnival, and immediately fell in love with them. They looked absolutely perfect for autumn!
I didn't have a maple leaf-shaped mould, so I had to improvise and find one at short notice. The one I eventually found was actually intended for fondant rather than sweets or chocolates, so the shapes are rather shallow. Still, a maple leaf is quite a distinctive shape and not always easy to find!
I decided to give these maple syrup candies a try.
I had some maple syrup sitting in the fridge for a while, so it was lovely to find a way to use it. As for pancakes, I like mine… naked!
The recipe itself is quite simple, but it does require a little care. The syrup needs to reach a specific temperature to set properly; otherwise, the candies will remain soft, sticky and almost runny.
So, a kitchen thermometer is essential!
Beth recommends using real maple syrup rather than imitation syrup. I suspect this is a more relevant concern in countries such as the United States and Canada, where different products are available. Here in Italy, I don't think imitation maple syrup is particularly common.
I've always been fascinated by maple syrup and the way it's collected. One day, I'd love to see the process for myself.
Easy Maple Syrup Candies
These delicate maple candies are made with just three ingredients. Their lovely autumn leaf shape makes them a pretty little homemade treat, and a kitchen thermometer is the key to getting the right consistency.
Recipe card
Yield: Approximately 8 portions (depending on mould size)
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: Approximately 10–15 minutes
Setting time: Until completely cool and firm
Total time: Approximately 25 minutes, plus cooling
Ingredients
250 ml pure maple syrup
½ tablespoon butter (I used lightly salted butter)
Vegetable oil or cake release spray, for greasing the moulds
Method
Lightly grease the moulds with vegetable oil or cake release spray.
Pour the maple syrup into a large, deep saucepan. Choose one with plenty of room, as the syrup will increase considerably in volume as it boils.
Bring the syrup to a boil, then add the butter and stir.
Monitor the temperature with a kitchen thermometer. The syrup needs to reach 115°C.
Once it reaches the correct temperature, remove the saucepan from the heat and leave it to stand for a couple of minutes.
Stir vigorously with a spoon, preferably a wooden one, until the mixture becomes opaque and noticeably thicker.
Quickly pour the mixture into the prepared moulds. Work promptly, as it will become harder to handle as it cools and thickens.
Leave the candies to cool and set completely before removing them from the moulds.
Notes
The trickiest part is knowing how long to stir. If the mixture cools down too much and becomes difficult to pour, return it briefly to the heat. If you haven't stirred it enough and the candies don't set properly, you can repeat the process.
Store the candies in a tin, separated by pieces of baking parchment or aluminium foil, and keep them away from moisture.
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