These recipes come from the inside of a Land O’Lakes butter carton, no date listed on the packaging but the pound of butter was marked at 89¢ (WOW). Lots of instructions and ideas provided, everything is typed below along with scanned copies.
Basic recipe for MAGIC CANDY
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) Land O’Lakes Butter
1/2 cup white corn syrup
3/4 cup sugar
Combine in a heavy 1 quart saucepan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture boils. Reduce heat slightly and continue cooking to 270° (soft-crack stage). Remove from heat.
You can make any amount of Magic Candy by following these simple proportions: 1 part butter, 2 parts corn syrup, 3 parts sugar. Easy as 1-2-3!
All of the candies below start with this basic recipe. The variations are simple. Even children can share the fun of making Santa Pops, Candy Canes, Holiday Spangles. Other adaptations of the basic recipe make elegant candies like Butter Toffee and Butter Crunch for holiday and year round treats. Enjoy them all!
SANTA POPS
Follow basic recipe for Magic Candy, adding a few drops of food coloring during cooking if desired. Drop candy from tablespoon over wooden sticks placed on lightly buttered cookie sheet. Candy decorations may be pressed onto Santa Pops while still hot, or stuck on with a dab of corn syrup when cool. Allow to cool before removing from cookie sheet. Makes about 18 two-inch Santa Pops.
HOLIDAY SPANGLES
Follow basic recipe for Magic Candy, adding a few drops of food coloring during cooking, if desired. Spoon hot candy into open metal cookie cutters placed on a lightly buttered cookie sheet. Decorate as for Santa Pops. Allow candies to cool; remove from cookie cutters.
For Christmas Ornaments, make holes near top with a skewer while candy is warm; tie ribbon thru hole when cool. Makes about 18 two-inch ornaments.
CANDY CANES & CHRISTMAS KISSES
Follow basic recipe for Magic Candy, except cook to 265° (hard-ball stage). Pour half of hot candy syrup onto buttered cookie sheet; blend a few drops of red food coloring and two to three drops of oil of peppermint into remaining syrup, and pour onto second cookie sheet. As candy cools, lift edges towards center. When cool enough to handle, have two people butter their hands lightly and pull candy until light in color and satiny looking. Pull into long ropes, twist the two colors together, cut with scissors to desired length and curve end into candy cane.
CHRISTMAS KISSES: Pull candy as above, making all the candy one color. Cut bite size pieces with scissors while soft, or crack when hard. Wrap in wax paper or clear plastic food wrap.
(All three candies above may be wrapped in clear plastic food wrap and stored in a cool place. Do not refrigerate.)
BUTTER TOFFEE
Sprinkle 1 cup of chopped pecans on bottom of buttered 9 x 9 x 1 3/4″ pan. Follow basic recipe for Magic Candy. Pour hot candy over nuts. Cool until set but still hot. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Allow chips to soften, then spread over top. May be refrigerated to set chocolate. Makes 36 1 1/2-inch squares.
BUTTER BRITTLE
Follow basic recipe for Magic Candy, except add 1 cup salted Spanish peanuts after mixture is melted, and continue cooking to 270°. Remove from heat, add 1/4 teaspoon soda. Stir to blend. Pour out onto warm buttered cookie sheet. Spread to desired thickness. When cold, crack into pieces. Makes about 1 pound.
BUTTER CRUNCH
4 cups popped corn
2/3 cups pecans
1/3 cup almonds
Pour 1 tablespoon melted butter over popcorn and nuts. Salt to taste and mix together. Spread out on lightly buttered cookie sheet. Follow basic recipe for Magic Candy; pour over popcorn and nuts. Mix well to coat. Spread out. Break apart when cool. Makes about 1 pound.