Create Maple Sugar Snow Candy while using STEAM skills

Science is not just fun, it can be tasty too! Winter snow is good for more than just making snowmen or starting snowball fights. Next time there is snow on the ground, give this fun wintertime treat a try. It’s quick, easy and very tasty!  

Maple Sugar Snow Candy

Make sure there is an adult with you while you create your snow candy! This does require using the stove and HOT maple syrup.  

What you need

• Pure Maple Syrup. The syrup does need to be pure because the additives in some syrups will cause it to not work as well. ½ cup will make several candy pieces.
• Pan or small pot
• Candy thermometer
• Snow. Make sure the snow is pristine! The best snow is right after a snowfall when it’s nice and fresh. If it’s really cold outside and you would rather stay indoors, scoop some snow into a container and stick it in the freezer until you’re ready to start.
• Popsicle sticks if you want to turn your candy into candy pops

How to make it

1. Pack the snow firmly, so the syrup will not sink down through it. If you are doing this inside, pack a layer of snow onto a flat cake pan or baking sheet.
2. Have an adult help you heat the maple syrup in the pot until it is bubbling. Use the candy thermometer to check the temperature. The syrup needs to get to 230-240 degrees. At this temperature, the resulting candy will be chewy like taffy. It will still work if the temperature goes above that, but the candy will be more crunchy instead of chewy.
3. Pour the syrup in lines on the snow. Be careful, the syrup will be hot!
4. If you are making candy pops, press the popsicle stick into the syrup while it’s cooling and roll the syrup up around the stick. Otherwise, you can just peel it up off the snow once it has cooled.
5. If you are not using popsicle sticks, you can pour the syrup into little puddles to make individual candies or try pouring it into different shapes.

How does it work?

Boiling the syrup causes some of the water in it to evaporate out. This makes the maple sugar in the syrup more concentrated. The cold snow then makes the sugar crystallize and become a tasty candy treat.

Kimberly B.

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