1 pint real maple syrup–light amber recommended, but you can use the darker varieties if you prefer more maple flavor.

Boil the syrup in a relatively small-diameter, high-sided pan. Use a candy thermometer. (Yes, I know you don’t own a candy thermometer, but it’s worth your while to get one. They’re cheap, and they’re useful not only for candy but for cheesemaking and deep-frying as well.) Keep boiling on low heat, stirring occasionally, until the boiling temperature reaches 242 degrees F, or 30 degrees above the local boiling point of water if you don’t live near sea level. If the syrup starts to boil over despite the low heat, you can add a small dab of butter to settle it down.

Remove the boiled syrup from the stove and leave it to cool without stirring until it’s at about 170 degrees F. Then remove the thermometer and stir gently but continuously until the syrup goes from transparent and dark brown to a more opaque, lighter brown. When you see that happening, quickly pour it into molds, or pack it into the molds if it’s already hardened too much to pour. De-mold when the candy cools.

What’s that? You waited too long to put it in the molds, and the candy solidified in the pan? No problem. Scrape it out, mix the scrapings with a small amount of water, and restart the process from the beginning. No problem. Maple sugar is very forgiving.

What? You say it never hardened at all, no matter how long you cooled and stirred it? You must not have boiled it enough. No problem. Reboil, starting at the beginning. Maple sugar is very forgiving.

Posted by: pchippy