Why Does Taffy Need to Be Pulled?
A tasty piece of taffy is a treat like no other. Its soft, chewy texture is addicting, and the salt water flavor is mouthwatering. While everyone enjoys taffy and its distinctiveness, some might be unaware of how this tasty treat is manufactured. Unlike other types of sweets, such as hard candy, suckers, or gummies, taffy is traditionally pulled as the final step of the process. So why does taffy need to be pulled, and what does it do to the taffy? Let’s take a look.
The Science Behind the Tasty Chew
Throughout the history of salt water taffy, the process of making this traditional candy has changed, yet many things have stayed the same. In a traditional salt water taffy recipe, a mix of sugars, including corn or glucose syrup and granulated sugar, is mixed with salt water, flavoring oils, and food coloring and is boiled until it reaches about a firm ball stage. At that point, the taffy is poured out of the cooking container and either hand-pulled or stretched on a taffy puller until it reaches the right consistency.
Fun fact: in the 1800s, one of the most popular parties was called a “taffy pull,” where groups of friends gathered to stretch and pull homemade taffy by hand. While modern taffy is usually made in a manufacturing plant or candy shop, the process remains similar. During the pulling process, the taffy is stretched and folded repeatedly. The pulling process aerates the taffy, incorporating tiny air pockets into the stiff candy mixture. The taffy is transformed into a light, fluffy, and easy-to-chew candy. It’s a truly addicting candy that has stayed popular throughout the years!
What’s the Difference Between Whipped and Pulled Taffy?
Now that we’ve learned about the traditional method of pulling taffy, let’s talk about the other ways this candy can be made. While some companies carry on the tradition of making pulled taffy, Taffy Town has created a unique whipping process that transforms our candy into a distinctive experience.
So how is our taffy whipped? Instead of attaching the mixture to a taffy pull machine after it is boiled, it’s poured into a large mixer and whipped or beaten by electric beaters to incorporate tons of air and chewiness into the candy. It’s a faster, more sophisticated process that produces a fluffy piece of candy with a chewy texture that melts in your mouth. Don’t believe us? Try doing a taffy taste test for yourself!
Why Taffy Town’s Whipped Taffy is a Better Experience
Consider our taffy a new, modern upgrade of the originally pulled taffy. With our unique whipping process, Taffy Town has created the tastiest taffy on the market. In addition to the usual ingredients, we make our taffy by incorporating a meringue to create a fluffy air structure that’s a trademark of our delectable candy. While some traditional pulled taffy can be dense and hard to chew, our taffy is fluffy, wrapped fresh, and ready for you to enjoy.
Over 90 Flavors to Tempt Your Tastebuds
Did you know we have over 90 salt water taffy flavors for you to enjoy? Not only do we have a unique process for manufacturing our taffy, but our flavors just can’t be beaten. We have many classic taffy flavors such as chocolate, neapolitan, banana, vanilla, peppermint, and cinnamon.
Is your sweet tooth wanting something extra indulgent? Try some of our popular dessert flavors, like chocolate chip cookies, cookies and cream, cinnamon rolls, carrot cake, frosted cupcakes, and red velvet. One bit of our cotton candy, candy apple, banana split, caramel corn, chocolate malt, and bubble gum will bring back some nostalgic childhood memories. If you want to tickle your tastebuds, try our wacky flavors like pickle, chicken and waffles, chili mango, buttered popcorn, and maple bacon. With our seemingly-endless Taffy Town flavors, there’s no shortage of adventurous flavors!
Delicious and Unique Taffy at Taffy Town
At Taffy Town, we take our taffy to the next level. With over 100 years of candy-making excellence in the Salt Lake City area, we’re constantly making our taffy the best–from perfecting our production process to creating the most mouthwatering flavors. Browse our selection of delectable flavors, and you’ll find some new favorites to try. Can’t decide on just one flavor? Try our build-your-own-box option, where you can combine several flavors into a customized mix just for you. And the best part? It’s all packaged fresh and shipped directly to your door. Give our whipped taffy a try today!