Turkish Taffy
Chat with Pat

Who would have thought that when Chat with Pat mentioned Turkish Taffy in her chat about old-time candies that students in McVeytown, PA would write her for a recipe for a school project.

Here's what ClevelandSeniors.com found:

Turkish taffy (made by the Bonomo Company) was not really Turkish but it's creator, Albert Bonomo, did emigrate from Turkey.

It is basically just a regular taffy (available for a long time only in vanilla and then joined by chocolate and strawberry).

The big difference is that when it is cold you could crack it and eat it in small broken pieces. In fact, it was distributed to Woolworth's stores in large sheets and clerks would use a hammer to break off pieces that were sold by the pound.

Our research indicates that any dense taffy will do the same. Turkish Taffy is not a salt water taffy, or a molasses based taffy but a regular sugar taffy or short nougat.

Although the Bonomo recipe is well guarded here is a similar one that might help you:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of white sugar
• 2/3 cup light Karo syrup
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 TBS oleo
• 1 3/4 tsp. vanilla flavoring (or other flavoring of choice)
• food coloring if desired (light pink for strawberry etc.)

Instructions:

• Combine sugar, Karo syrup, water and oleo in large saucepan.
• Bring to a boil over medium heat, until sugar is dissolved.
• Stir constantly
• Continue to boil until mixture reaches firm ball stage (270°F on a candy thermometer).
• Remove from heat.
• Stir in desired flavorings and food color.
• Let mixture stand until cool enough to handle.
• Pull taffy with well greased hands until it is light and no longer shiny.
• Spread onto waxed paper and cut into rectangular (candy bar size) pieces. OR
• Stretch into a rope or coil about 1/2 inch in diameter and cut into 1/2 inch pieces with scissors.
• Store in airtight container.