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Tire Sainte-Catherine
Pulled molasses taffy
Tire Sainte-Catherine: Quebec's pulled molasses taffy for St Catherine's Day
On 25 November, Quebec celebrates St Catherine, patron of unmarried women, with tire Sainte-Catherine, a pulled molasses taffy. The custom goes back to Marguerite Bourgeoys, who is said to have made taffy in the 1600s to draw children to her school in Ville-Marie, and today schools and families still 'pull the tire' together. Hot molasses and sugar syrup is cooled, then pulled with buttered hands until it turns golden and satiny, twisted into ropes and cut into pieces. It is gluten free. Chef's tip: pull it as soon as it is cool enough to handle, as it sets fast; work in pairs.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
- 7 oz brown sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 oz butterplus extra for your hands
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Butter a heatproof marble slab or baking tray well.
Step 2: Bring 1 cup molasses (fancy or light), 7 oz brown sugar, ¼ cup corn syrup or golden syrup, ¼ cup water, 1 oz butter and 1 tsp white vinegar to the boil in a heavy, deep pan, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
5 minStep 3: Boil without stirring to 275°F on a sugar thermometer (hard ball), about 12–15 minutes. Take off the heat and stir in ¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda; it will foam.
15 minStep 4: Pour onto the buttered slab and let it cool for 5–10 minutes, folding the edges into the middle with a buttered spatula, until cool enough to touch. Careful: the centre stays hotter than the edges.
Step 5: With well-buttered hands, pull the taffy into a long rope, fold it back and pull again, for 10 minutes, until it turns golden, glossy and firm. A common mistake is starting to pull while it is too hot, which can burn, or too late, when it snaps.
10 minStep 6: Twist into a rope 2 cm thick and snip into pieces with buttered scissors. Wrap each in waxed paper.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 120 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tire Sainte-Catherine take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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