Fairy Food Candy

(Adapted from Several Recipes)

After having some 'bloom' show up on my chocolate the day following coating my candy, I found this useful YouTube video on how to temper chocolate.  You will again need a candy thermometer, a step I did not take when I tempered mine, likely leading to the 'bloom' the next day. There are many online instructions available on how to temper chocolate.  I thought this was was very comprehensive.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7xv3aaxCRQ

Makes about 4 dozen 1-1/2 inch candies

You will need a candy thermometer

1 ½ cups sugar

½ cups light corn syrup

½ cup water

1 Tbsp Honey

1 tbsp baking soda (sifted)

Melted dark or milk chocolate

Line a half sheet baking pan with sides with parchment paper.

Near the stove, have ready a small bowl of water and a pastry brush, the 1 tablespoon of honey in a small dish, the sifted baking soda in a small dish, an oven mitt and a long wooden spoon.

In a medium sauce pan with high sides (I used a 3.5 quart saucepan), mix sugar, corn syrup and 1/2 cup water together. Stir over over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a boil. Clip on candy thermometer. Do not stir after it boils and you have clipped the thermometer onto the saucepan. Wash down any sugar crystals from the sides of the pan Heat to 250F on the candy thermometer.

When the temperature reaches 250, drizzle the 1 T of honey evenly over the top of the syrup and gently swirl the pan. Continue to cook the syrup to 275-300 - until golden-amber colored (or the first puff of light smoke that rises from the pan). You do not want to burn the syrup so watch carefully.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow to sit for about 1-2 minutes until most of the bubbling subsides. Put an oven mitt on the hand that will hold the pan and sprinkle the sifted baking soda evenly over the top of the syrup. Stir quickly, thoroughly and vigorously with a long wooden spoon (the mixture will rise to almost the top of the pan). Stir until all of the baking soda is well incorporated and you don’t see any white spots. Pour the mixture immediately into the prepared sheet pan. Let the mixture spread out on its own and do not tap or try to spread it as this will eliminate the spongy texture that was just created.

Allow to cool completely, about 1-2 hours. At this point, you may break the hardened candy into pieces or score the candy with a serrated knife and snap the pieces into neater squares.

To coat candy with chocolate, melt about 6 ounces of chopped chocolate (either dark or milk - your preference) in a microwavable bowl or in a double boiler until just melted. Add 3 more ounces of chocolate and stir in. Keep stirring until the new chocolate is completely melted but don't put back in the microwave or back on the heat, unless absolutely necessary. Line a small cookie sheet with parchment. Drop pieces of candy into the bowl and swirl around with a spoon until well coated. Lift out with a tongs allowing much of the chocolate to drip back in the bowl. Place on the parchment-lined pan. When the pan is full, place in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes or just until chocolate is hardened. Remove from refrigerator and store in a cookie jar or other non-airtight container.