Chocolate Covered Malted Milk Candy

It's frustrating-I've been working at this for a good three years now and I know I am just a fraction of a degree, or 1/24th of a teaspoon of baking soda away from perfection. Unfortunately, I just don't seem to be able to get it. Don't get me wrong-these are good candies and I'm sure they will disappear quickly, but I wanted really great candy. I wanted mind-boggling, "I can't believe I made these at home" candy. They're still a million times better than Whoppers (which really, ain't saying much) but I feel like I'm so close and just can't figure it out.

You'll notice in the photo one batch of candy is darker. Those were cooked to 275 degrees F. I thought the lower temperature might yield a better candy but I was wrong. These really need to go to 300 degrees F. not only for colour and taste, but texture as well. The lighter coloured candies are heavy. Oh, we'll crush it up and use it to top ice cream or something, but I wasn't going to waste chocolate on it.

I still want to give this a try with glucose syrup, and perhaps even with golden syrup (like cinder toffee). I'd like them aerated more but if I add any additional baking soda they will become too salty. Perhaps a change of syrup will help.

Much like cinder toffee, this candy will do best if you don't touch it once it is poured. You can tilt the pan a bit to spread it out, but don't be tempted to try smoothing it with a spatula or spoon as it will deflate.

I'll post the recipe, which is modified (and modified, and modified) from something I read on-line years ago. I've since been unable to locate the original which is a shame because I sort of wonder if I got so far away from how it was supposed to work that I'm missing something obvious. No matter, I have confidence that some day, though it may take years, I am going to figure out the secret to great malted milk candy at home, though I fear the secret may be to leave out the malt and just make cinder toffee. I never was too crazy about malt in the first place.

You Will Need:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/4 cups malted milk powder

Combine the malted milk and baking soda in a bowl and set aside.

In a large pot, combine sugar, corn syrup and vinegar stirring just until the sugar dissolves. bring to a boil over medium heat and then, without stirring cook to 300 degrees F.

Remove from heat, and quickly, with a wooden spoon, stir in the malt/soda mixture. Immediately tip it into a large pan (9x13 is good) that has been lined with foil and well oiled. When slightly cool, mark into squares. When cool, crack into pieces and then dip in chocolate if you like.