You know you live in Canada when you can make authentic maple taffy on snow in March! Maple taffy, or tire sur la neigh (as my french friends prefer) is traditionally made from pure maple syrup, that is heated to 240′F, and poured on crushed ice or snow.
This brings back memories from school trips we had to Quebec in the winter– the whole class would run up to street vendors and wait in line to pour their own tire sur la neige.
Ingredients and Supplies:
- (large) sauce pan
- candy thermometer
– baking sheet (I used a baking dish, works just as well)
- parchment paper
- 12 popsicle sticks
- 2 cups pure maple syrup
- CLEAN, untouched snow. You can use crushed ice. (I scooped up my snow, and left it in the freezer over night, make sure that its super cold)
Directions:
1. In your small pot, boil the maple syrup to ‘Hard Ball’ stage on your candy thermometer (245-250˚F). It’s VERY HOT! Don’t let kids do this on their own, because they could hurt themselves (and grown-ups, be careful too!).
2. After the syrup has boiled to ‘hard ball’ stage (245˚F),transfer the syrup into a Pyrex measuring cup for pouring.
3. Pour the maple syrup in a line on your snow. Wait 30 seconds, and roll your maple syrup taffy around a popsicle stick.
This whole process happens very fast. Make sure you have everything organized before hand. Once your maple syrup passes 200′F, you really need to keep an eye on it, because within seconds, it reaches 245′F.
Here is a great link for the science of sugar/candy making. If your syrup is too soft and liquidy (melts the snow, and nothing happens), its because it didn’t reach the right temperature. If its hard, like a lollipop, it surpassed the optimal temperature.
I gussied mine up a little, but this step is completely unnecessary.
My back yard in March, can you believe it? Can’t wait to spring forward.
Make sure you have a large enough pot, because the sugar will boil over if not. I prefer my taffy to be a little more thick, so I boiled my to exactly 250′F. If you want soft taffy, boil to 240′F; for hard candy, boil to 260′F
The snow is yellow from the maple syrup… that would be awkward, right?
March 2nd, 2010 at 8:37 pm
Super cute project…it doesn't snow here in Miami, FL
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:01 pm
COOL
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:34 pm
very cool! I have never heard of anything like this!
March 3rd, 2010 at 3:32 pm
This is so cool!!
March 3rd, 2010 at 4:49 pm
Nice photos! This sounds like something kids would love to help with and make. Perfect!
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:44 pm
It's very common in Quebec, but most people outside don't know about the tradition of cabanes à sucre (sugar shacks) because well… 95% of world's maple syrup production is made here (the remaining 5% are from the northern states and a bit of ontario)
but it's really something you have to try.
March 4th, 2010 at 7:41 pm
Wow, this brings back memories! I grew up in Connecticut, and we used to get really excited when it snowed because we knew we'd get to do this. My sister and I would compete to see who could make a prettiest design … we liked star and snowflake patterns. Thanks!
March 5th, 2010 at 12:35 am
I grew up in Northern NY, and we would do this too! I haven't had it in years. We called it Wax on Snow…
Thanks for bringing back the memory
March 5th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
hmmm, this looks so tasty, appetizing,yummy, luscious,scrumptious,mouth-watering…ah, I run out of synonyms…but you got the idea:-)
thanks!
ps.you impressed us again with your pics..a-ya-yay!:-)
March 6th, 2010 at 6:48 pm
This looks like so much fun! I remember reading about this kind of thing in a book when I was a child and I've always wanted to do it. Unfortunately I've never lived near snow – but maybe one day!
April 3rd, 2010 at 9:19 pm
I'm a Québécoise and let me tell you: don't let the lack of snow stop you.
Just get yourself a can of REAL maple syrup (careful, I know they try to pass you fake stuff in the States sometimes D: ) and use crushed ice to pour the syrup on. You could even use a cookie pan that you pour water into and put in the freezer (careful to keep it level)- the sheet of ice won't work as well as snow but it would do.
Hope this helps! Don't pass up on it!
April 19th, 2010 at 6:34 am
I just visited Quebec for the first time, and sampling "Tire sur la Neige" was a fun highlight! Thanks for the detailed instructions!!
March 3rd, 2012 at 3:37 pm
OMG! I live in Quebec, so I just woke up and I was like “We just got back the snow (it all melted and then there was a snow storm on Tuesday night) and we may not have it for much longer! Now is my chance to make Tire-Sur-Neige! So I googled it and what did I find, this great recipe! This is definitely one of the things that makes me happy to be Canadian haha!