[Sca-cooks] Chestnuts

[phoenissa at netscape.net]

Druighad at aol.com wrote:

>First get yourself a very heavy-duty candy thermometer. Don't settle for
>something cheap. They tend to break and get mercury all over everything. Not
>good.

Hmm...if it doesn't work this time, I will do that for the second batch...however I need to do the sugar-syrup bit today, and I don't have time to go thermometer-shopping :-(  (didn't have time to find the cognac either...sigh.)


>Second, keep a cold water bath handy for your hands. Sugar burns, even
>from small splatters or drips can get nasty quick.

Oh yes!  Thanks for reminding me.  I was once stupid enough to stick my finger into a pot of caramel, when I was little...just because it had stopped boiling didn't mean it wasn't cool! :-/

>Also a sheet pan with
>parchment or waxed paper with be a good place to rest the finished candies.

got it

>Depending on how long you need to keep the chestnuts in the jrs of syrup,
>LABEL them and keep them in plain view. Don't relugate them to a shelf
>somewhere. The nuts will end up getting overly soft and mushy. And WAY too
>sweet!

ok :-)  but my kitchen isn't quite big enough to *not* have the jars in plain view! <g>

>If you don't want cognac, which will decrease the sweetness and help
>the nuts to break down and absorb the sugar, maybe a small bottle of nut-
>flavored liqour (Frangelico is hazelnuts, but there is probably somehting
>else out there you could use..) to help keep the flavor.
>

ok...well, in our house we've got nothing but that useless Scotch, and as I said I didn't have time to go shopping yet.  I've got another 24 hrs before the liquor is needed, maybe I can dig something up by then!

>A good start I think, and good luck! If you think they turn out well, would
>you be interested in putting them in to the treat/cookie/ goody exchange? I'd
>like to try them.
>
>Finnebhir

Yeah, totally!  What's the cookie exchange - everyeone just sends each other stuff by mail?  And when?

Vittoria


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