Salt Water Taffy - Old Fashioned Taffy

Salt Water Taffy is an old time favorite candy from the 50's. It's sweet flavors ,pastel colors, bite size pieces is what salt water taffy is known for. Salt water taffy first came out in the 1920's, however is still a very popular candy today and is found in most old time candy stores.

Each bag of Salt Water Taffy is a pound bag with approximately 70 pieces of taffy. Blue Raspberry, Caramel Apple, Chocolate, Cinnamon, Black Licorice, Neapolitan, Orange/Vanilla, Peppermint, Rum and Strawberry/Banana are the flavors of taffy in this assorted bag by Sweets Candy Company.

Salt Water Taffy Candy History:

The original process of making salt water taffy dates back more than 100 years. Skilled pullers would hang 10 to 25 pounds of taffy over hooks. When the taffy reached 5 to 6 feet in length, it would start to fall off the hooks. The puller would then pick the taffy up and put it back over the hook. The pullers listened for swish, smack, and slap noises to keep the taffy soft and less sticky. The process was typically done in plain sight on the boardwalk. A similar process is still used today when making homemade taffy, a great activity for children.

Most taffy recipes contain corn syrup, butter, sugar and some varying ingredients. The ingredients are melted down in kettles at a temperature between 250 to 270 degrees. The lower the temperature the chewier the candy, and the higher the heat the more brittle the candy. The ingredients are then put on a marble slab or pan and cooled. Once cool, the pulling process will start. The process of pulling the taffy over and over incorporates air into the mixture. The air gives taffy its unforgettable texture.

Eventually, the taffy will become harder to pull. When this happens, it is put on a marble slab or pan to hold its shape and then it is cut into pieces with greased scissors. Taffy should be stored in airtight containers to keep out the moisture. If any moisture gets into the candy, it will become very sticky.

The modern manufacturing methods have changed the way salt water taffy is made. Today’s taffy is cooked in large stainless steel or copper kettles and then vacuum cooked a second time. The pulling and packaging is now done with machines. This produces more quantities of taffy at greater speeds.