Invented in the 1880s, candy corn found commercial success in 1898 when its creator founded the Goelitz Candy Company. Without automation, production was labor-intensive and limited to just a few months a year, but the popularity of tricolor fondant skyrocketed. Today the Goelitz Candy Company is now known as the Jelly Belly Candy Company and although automation now allows for mass production, they still use the same recipe that started it all.
Making candy corn is surprisingly easy to do and kid friendly. Try it for other holidays (pastels for Easter, red and green for Christmas, pink for Valentine's Day). Dress them up however you like, candy corn remains an undeniable Halloween staple that can be enjoyed all year long.
Combine 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1/3 cup dry milk, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl and set aside.
Combine 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup corn syrup, 6 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons water in heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until boiling.
Continue cooking until reaching a temperature of 230 degrees, remove from heat and add the vanilla (2-3 minutes).
Pour the liquid mixture into a bowl with dry ingredients.
Stir with a rubber spatula until smooth.
Pour the batter onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and let cool until you can handle it.
Divide into three balls, press a notch into two. Add 15-20 drops of yellow food coloring to each and then add 10 drops of red to one to make orange.
Knead until a smooth and uniform color is obtained..
Tear off a small piece of orange dough and roll it into a snake about 1/4" thick. Put on parchment paper.
Roll up a strand of yellow dough the same length and width as the orange, and place the yellow strands against the orange. Repeat with the white dough, lying against the yellow threads. Gently press together. Repeat the process until all the dough has been rolled and pressed into ribbons of three colors.
Use the back of a knife to press each set of threads lengthwise, forming a long wedge that is thickest at the white edge.
Using a pizza roller or knife, cut each strand into short triangles. Break the sweet corn and let it rest for two hours to harden.
Sweet corn can be eaten right away or stored in an airtight container lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Best when eaten on Halloween.
