Each year at Zion Lutheran Church, the ladies circle makes goodies that they sell to make money for a project for helping a cause at Christmas.  

This year the proceeds go to Habitat for Humanity. This recipe was given to Susan Worrell Waldhour and has become a popular favorite. When the candy was left to harden in large sheets and broken into irregular pieces, rather than cut, it is often called Stained Glass candy.

Hard Cinnamon Candy
3 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups white corn syrup
1 cup water
Cook all of the above to 300 degrees on the candy thermometer. Add one teaspoon of food coloring (red, green or as desired) and 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of peppermint oil. Stir well and pour onto a cookie sheet covered well with powdered confectioner’s sugar. Cut pieces, snipping with scissors, as the candy hardens. Work fast and cut even while soft. If it hardens too much cut into narrow strips and break in pieces. The powdered sugar keeps it from sticking. This will keep well in an airtight storage container.

Most all of the farms made their own cane syrup and some of it was made into candy. Old fashioned taffy was a fall and holiday favorite. When cooled enough, the candy was pulled until it got light and airy and then cut into pieces. More than one pair of hands could work together to pull the candy. Communities had Taffy Parties where the young people gathered to “pull taffy” and enjoy the treat. This came from one of Springfield Methodist’s Cookbooks.

Homemade Old Fashioned Taffy
Suzanne F. Dasher’s recipe
2 cups cane syrup
2 cups corn syrup
1 Tabsp. vinegar
2 Tabsp. butter
Cook to hard crack stage (about 30 min.).  Pour onto buttered platter and pull with buttered hands until light in color.  Snip or cut into pieces.
There are lots of versions of Forgotten Cookies or Meringues. The following is in Historic Effingham’s cookbook, “Tasty Traditions.” It came from Lona Webb and was her mother, Mamie Morgan’s recipe and is easy to prepare.

Meringue Cookies
1 egg white
1/2 teasp. vanilla
1/2 teasp. almond flavoring
Pinch of cream of tarter
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tabsp. flour
1 cup chopped pecans
Beat egg white, cream of tarter and flavoring to stiff peaks. Add flour, sugar and nuts gradually. Spoon the mixture into mounds on a greased cookie sheet. Parchment paper works well. Bake 10 minutes at 300 degrees. Cool on rack. Store the cookies in a tight container.

Most farmers raised peanuts and nut brittle was a commonly made holiday treat in our area. The following is from Historic Effingham’s cookbook and was submitted by Betty R. Waller, a former Effingham County home economics teacher. This is a modern day version of the old classic brittle which is simplified by the use of the microwave oven. You may use pecans in the brittle instead of peanuts.

Peanut Brittle
1 cup raw peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup white corn syrup
1/8 teasp. salt
1 teasp. butter
1 teasp. vanilla
1 teasp. baking soda
In a 1 1/2 quart casserole stir together peanuts, sugar, syrup and salt. Cook 8 minutes on high in microwave oven stirring well after 4 minutes. Stir in butter and vanilla and cook 2 minutes longer on high. Add baking soda and quickly stir until light and foamy.  Immediately pour onto lightly greased baking sheet; spread out very thin. When cool, break into small pieces. Store in an airtight container. Makes 1 pound.

Whether you make treats as gifts or prepare them to share with family and friends over the holidays, homemade goodies are very special having been made with an extra ingredient — love.

Historic Effingham Society wishes you and yours a healthy, happy holiday. Please remember and pray for our soldiers who are securing our freedom and are away from their families and friends during the holidays.  

This article was written by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society. If you have comments, photos or information to share contact her at 754-6681 or e-mail susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org.