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Subject: Re: plaited mint candy
From: Jen
Date: 10/27/2018 10:31 AM
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
On 10/26/2018 7:51 PM, Jen wrote:
Dear Phaedrus,
I'm looking for a recipe for plaited mint candy. My mom got it at candy stores
in the Philadelphia area and fudge shops at the Jersey shore. She was always
delighted when she found a place that still made it, leading me to believe that
it had been much more popular in her youth I last remember seeing it in the
late 80's/early 90's, but the only mentions I found online are in trade reports
from 1906. The candy's texture was sort of like fudge, but a bit firmer overall
and with a finer, creamier grain. It was a flat braid about 3-4" wide and maybe
an inch thick at max. The flavor was (pepper)mint, and it was white in color.
Thank you.
Regards,
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
I'm afraid that I had no more success than you - just a few mentions in old newspaper
ads. This may have been a local specialty in the Philadelphia & Jersey areas.
I found this mention, from "Confectioners Journal, Volume 47":
One of the best sellers for summer is the plaited mint candy which we suppose does
not need any description.
The wording of that makes me think that the plaited candy was made from a commonly
used (at the time) peppermint candy base.
I have no idea, from your description, of what the candy base may have been. Everything
that I see points to the hard candy base used in peppermint sticks, but that would not
seem to fit your description.
I will post this for reader input.
Phaed
NOTE: Another reader tealls me that the company who made this was Hanscom's candy of Philadelphia.
See: 11-27-2018
Subject: plaited mint candy
From: Diana
Date: 2/25/2019, 12:47 PM
To: phaedrus@hungrybrowser.com
Dear Uncle Phaedrus,
Regarding the request from Jennifer for plaited mint candy: 10-30-2018
Since the word plait is an older version of braid I searched for braided mints and found this:
Braided Mint
Note: the photo is not representative of the final product. It makes sense since in order
to be braided the candy has to be pulled. The resting results in a 'creamy' product and the
final dimensions track with what Jennifer remembers.
A little more searching turned up two variations. This one incorporates butter into the mix
as well as for the slab:
Pulled Butter Mints
The recipe may not be the correct one but the instructions and tips on pulling the candy are useful.
This last one came from a search for 'pulled mints': Kentucky Cream Pull Candy
This one is vanilla flavored and incorporates heavy cream but it's the same basic process of pulled candy.
The first one sounds more correct than the other two but I included them anyway just in case.
Hope this helps.
Best,
Diane
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