Winter is almost over, I hope. We are all getting cabin fever and some days my kids drive me a bit crazy. So lets pretend it is summer and make some Kool-Aid! We aren't going to drink it though. I found a few recipes on Pinterest and one, long cold day we tested them. First we tried Kool-Aid taffy. I have never made taffy in my life! Recipe 101, read recipe all the way through a couple times. I sat there stirring and stirring this stuff and you weren't suppose to, so not sure if it affected the outcome. Anyway the kids loved it!
Homemade Kool Aid Taffy
2 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup light corn syrup
1 1/3 cups water (room temperature)
2 tablespoons butter softened, plus a lot more for buttering hands
1 teaspoon salt
1 6g package unsweetened fruit flavored drink mix (like Kool Aid)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Butter a large jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with sides really well.
2. In a medium saucepan, stir together the sugar and cornstarch. Add corn syrup, water, butter and salt and stir well until butter is melted.
3. Bring to a boil over medium heat and stop stirring. Cook mixture until candy thermometer read 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). This takes some time to get it to 250 degrees. Once it approaches 250 degrees watch very closely because it cooks quickly at the end.
4. Immediately remove from heat. (If you cook it too long it will turn out very hard.) Carefully stir in vanilla and drink mix. Stir well.
5. Pour mixture onto buttered baking pan. Allow to cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. (Try to pull as soon as it's comfortable to handle.)
6. Butter hands and begin pulling, as many time as it takes to become opaque and lighten in color, usually about 15 minutes of pulling. You will probably need to butter your hands a few times.
7. Pull into long rops and cut into bite sized pieces with buttered scissors or a buttered pizza cutter.
8. Wrap the pieces of taffy in squares of waxed paper and make sure to twist the ends really well to seal.
9. Store in an airtight container in a cool dry place.
Next up we made Kool-Aid Play Dough. Love this recipe and have made it a few times. It makes a super soft dough that lasts forever, and it smells yummy.
Ingredients for Kool-Aid Playdough
1-2 packets Kool-Aid
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup boiling water
In a large bowl add all dry ingredients and mix well (salt, flour, cream of tartar, Kool-Aid). Add the oil and boiling water to the mixture and mix this with a large spoon until it becomes very firm. It should be cool enough to handle after a few minutes of stirring. Lay out some wax paper and flour for the last step. Use your hands and roll it in some more flour if it feels too sticky.
Dump out all your playdough stuff!
Invite your bored friends over!
And pretend it is a warm summer day!
