Tom Hourt and family reawakened memories of clear toy candy as they demonstrated its creation at a recent Palmerton Area Historical Society meeting.

Tom’s wife, Jodie, and son Mitchell are integral parts of the candy-making business which begins each year with the call of “It’s candy weather.”

The air must be cold and dry to make the confections.

“My mother-in-law was a big part of getting me into this,” Hourt said.

He describes the three-item recipe as “so simple.”

It is a long-standing Christmas tradition and is found at the Pennsylvania German Center of Kutztown University.

A lot of the history he has collected comes from confectioners in Philadelphia. It came with the mid-1800 German settlers. Kriss Kringle brought fruits, nuts and clear toy candy at Christmas. The children would play with them as toys, wash them off and eat them.

Hourt got his start from a book, “Clear Toy Candy” by Nancy Fasolt from a cake and candy emporium in 2003 when he Googled clear toy candy.

“I remember growing up, my father had a service station and I went to Grandma for lunch,” he said. “It’s hard work like any handcraft.”

Simple recipe

The recipe is simple: 3-1-1 — 3 cups cane sugar, 1 cup water and 1 cup corn syrup.

That is not the original recipe because at that time corn syrup had not been developed. Cream of tartar was used, which is an acid from wine making and is called an interfering agent if using the scientific name.

The syrup should have 42 percent dextrose.

He prefers what they get from the Dutch Valley Food Distributors.

A copper pot is best because it conducts the heat more evenly. A candy pot has a pouring spout. Pewter pots were used, and since the 1850s cast iron was popular.

The candy can only be made around Christmas because the humidity prevents it from hardening during other times of the year.

Barley water is sometimes used. It changes the taste slightly, giving it a more malty taste. It was not used in Germany, Hourt said.

What was known as barley sugar was really beet sugar, something Hourt has never used.

The Shane Confectionery (www.shanecandies.com) in Philadelphia offers candy, molds and history. On Fridays tours are available.

Getting started

Extra-virgin olive oil is the best for oiling the molds before the candy is poured.

Mitchell oils the molds with a brush so all corners are reached.

Before olive oil was available, lard was used.

Original molds were made by sculptors. Hourt’s favorite is a camel with a monkey on its back.

The second run of candy is best because the molds are warm.

When the candy is taken from the mold, Jodie puts on gloves and removes the rough edges with a file.

She said she knows the molds and where they are apt to be rough.

“Nothing gets out of my kitchen that is sharp,” she said.

One to 2 percent waste is acceptable.

Colors and more

The candies were made in three colors: clear, red and green, and were known as the trinity.

Directions indicate to not stir the candy as it is heating to 300 degrees, but Hourt did several times, each time saying you are not supposed to stir it, but it gets the heat even throughout.

Flavorings and more colors are now used. Mitchell said the tangerine and root beer make the whole house smell nice.

Hourt learned the hard way to be careful when adding cinnamon because it exploded upward and burned his face.

Jodie said he ordered 12,000 sticks and thought it was a joke, so now she frequently asks, “Do we need more sticks?”

The candy has to be stiff enough to hold the sticks upright, which does not take long. She and Mitchell were adding sticks when Hourt was still pouring.

Silicone molds are available now, but the candy is not as clear as with the metal. If kept cold, the candy has been known to remain good for up to 20 years.

People attending the talk received one small lollipop and could buy any of the others for a donation to the historical society.