Candy or Corn?

Today, I’d like to let you in on a little something that is in no way a secret- I love candy corn! Way back when, my Gramps would set out a bowl full of candy corn around harvest-time and I would chomp away at it until the bowl would have to be refilled. Fond memories….

What kind of fall would it be if there weren’t bags of triangle-shaped, yellow, orange and white candies sitting on the store shelves and filling bellies? Here’s a crazy stat for you- according to the National Confectioners Association, candy companies will produce nearly 35 million pounds of the corny candy this year. That's about 9 billion individual kernels of corn. Wow!

In fact, there are so many candy corn lovers out there just like me- that the United States dedicated a day to the sweet; October 30 is National Candy Corn Day.

So what is this candy I confess to love so much? Candy corn connoisseurs consider it a "mellow cream," or in other words, a type of candy made from corn syrup and sugar that has a marshmallow-like flavor. Here is some good news- although candy corn tastes rich; it's actually a fat-free treat. Hooray!

Here’s the history: Candy corn has been around for more than a century. George Renninger of the Wunderlee Candy Company invented it in the 1880s. It was originally very popular among farmers and its look was revolutionary for the candy industry. The Goelitz Candy Company started making candy corn in 1900 and still makes it today, although the name has changed to the Jelly Belly Candy Company. Sound familiar?

Although the recipe for candy corn hasn't changed much since the late 1800s, the way it's made has changed quite a bit. Way back in the day, workers mixed the main ingredients -- sugar, water and corn syrup -- in large kettles. Then they added fondant (a sweet, creamy icing made from sugar, corn syrup and water) and marshmallow for smoothness. Finally, they poured the entire mixture by hand into molds, one color at a time. Because the work was so tedious, candy corn was only available from March to November.

These days, machines do most of the work. Manufacturers use the "corn starch molding process" to create the signature design. A machine fills a tray of little kernel-shaped holes with cornstarch, which holds the candy corn in shape. Each hole fills partway with sweet white syrup colored with artificial food coloring. Next comes the orange syrup, and finally, the yellow syrup. Then the mold cools and the mixture sits for about 24 hours until it hardens. A machine empties the trays, and the kernels fall into chutes. Any excess cornstarch shakes loose in a big sifter. Then the candy corn gets a glaze to make it shine, and workers package it for shipment to stores.

What a process!

(I want to give credit where it is due- the history info came from TLC online)

Here’s to candy corn being so darn great... and here’s to you for making it through the week with such finesse. Blessings on your weekend!