Heavenly Hash recipe help needed

[momo]

I'm looking for some help in making a candy recipe that was passed on to my great grandmother by a confectioner she knew. My grandmother gave me this little notebook filled with such recipes and I'm going to try my hand at one that looks relatively easy (at first glance, anyway...). The instructions are terribly brief and I need some help fleshing them out (I have a little candy-making experience, but not much).

Heavenly Head Cheese [i'm guessing we'd call it 'Heavenly Hash' today]

2.5 lbs sugar

2.5 lbs glucose

0.5 lbs butter

0.5 lbs bitter chocolate

3 ozs paraffin

1 pint molasses

1 pint water

3 lbs shredded coconut

2 lbs nuts

Cook to 243. Take off heat and stir in coconut and nuts. Turn into paper lined pan.

I found powdered glucose, but would prefer to avoid using paraffin. Is it true one can substitute shortening for paraffin? If so, what would be the correct amount? Three pound of coconut seems like an incredible amount. Do I just dump everything in a pan at once and cook it?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!

[alanamoana]

this looks like a type of caramel based candy. i have a feeling that they don't mean powdered glucose but rather glucose syrup. if that is the case, you can use corn syrup as a substitute.

other than that, you're on your own

[JanMcBaker]

Wowies! That recipe would make about 12-13 pounds! I'm sorry I can't offer any advice about directions, but if you're going to experiment I'd suggest cutting the recipe in half, or maybe even a quarter of the amounts.

[momo]

this looks like a type of caramel based candy.  i have a feeling that they don't mean powdered glucose but rather glucose syrup.  if that is the case, you can use corn syrup as a substitute.

I guess I assumed it would be glucose powder because the measurement was given in pounds rather than a volume measurement, but what do I know?

Thanks!

[momo]

Wowies!  That recipe would make about 12-13 pounds!  I'm sorry I can't offer any advice about directions, but if you're going to experiment I'd suggest cutting the recipe in half, or maybe even a quarter of the amounts.

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Yeah, I was thinking of halving the recipe, but you're right, probably best to first try just a quarter recipe in case it's a complete disaster.

[alanamoana]

this looks like a type of caramel based candy.  i have a feeling that they don't mean powdered glucose but rather glucose syrup.  if that is the case, you can use corn syrup as a substitute.

I guess I assumed it would be glucose powder because the measurement was given in pounds rather than a volume measurement, but what do I know?

Thanks!

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since it is a professional source, i would assume all measurements are by weight rather than volume. good luck testing the recipe! also, when cooking caramel type candies, use a pot larger than you think you'll need because it will boil up to a point and then come back down, but better to save your stovetop if you can!

[FWED]

Lets get back to the paraffin. Does anyone know what it contributed to the finished product? Perhaps if we knew that we could think of something more eatable to substitute.

[priich]

It has a bunch of properties such as binding agent, glazing agent and makes the candy less sticky. You could try and substitute the (food-grade) paraffin with carnuba or bees wax but it's kind of hard to tell what it will do to the texture of the candy.

[Desiderio]

WHat about gliceryn?I found few recipes for caramel type or cany in general that uses gliceryn.How that works?

[Kerry Beal]

WHat about gliceryn?I found few recipes for caramel type or cany in general that uses gliceryn.How that works?

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I think glycerine makes things chewier. That's what you use it for in pull taffy.

Re the paraffin, I'd just leave it out the first time, see if you are happy with the texture of the 'head cheese' and if not, I'd try something like some cocoa butter.