This week, we explain how to make a traditional southern holiday favorite Pull Mints during our three week series “Sweet Treats.”
Pull Mints
Recipe submitted by Linda Boyer
You need: Cold marble on which to pour hot candy
1 stick of butter
Green or red food coloring if desired
In a bowl stir to dissolve: 2 generous cups of sugar
¾ cup of tap water
Pour sugar water into large (4 QT.) pan and place over medium to low heat. Never Stir from here on out.
Place candy thermometer in mixture.
Gently place butter in hot liquid. May cut it into 4 pieces but still place each gently into liquid.
Candy will eventually boil up fairly high in the pan, but will settle back down as you wait for thermometer to reach 266/7 degrees. Do not go past 267 as it’s very hard to handle. Remember that it still cooks as you take it from the stove to the cold marble.
Pour directly onto cold marble and add Oil of Peppermint with an eye dropper at rate of 10 drops to each cup of sugar. If color is to be used, two drops of red or green can be added at this time.
Remember that it is very HOT but as soon as possible, start folding the edges into the center and then fold one end over the other. It is possible to move it around on the marble to take advantage of colder spots on the edges of the marble. Get it up in your hands and pull as soon as you can.
Pull until it has stiffened and most of the time it takes on a “satin” look. On clean Formica counter, pull into a rope and cut into small bite size pieces. It starts soft, but hardens quickly so cut at a steady pace. Leave on counter to cool for half an hour, then store between layers of wax paper in a tight tin to cream. It takes 24 hours to go from very hard to creamy soft and ready to serve. Store mints in tight tin containers or jars.
