Candy Corn

Instructions

1. Sift 65 g of icing sugar with 1 tbsp of skimmed milk powder and 0.25 tsp of fine salt into a wide heatproof bowl and whisk them together. Line a tray with baking parchment and have it ready.
2. Put 65 g of granulated sugar, 2 tbsp of light corn syrup, 1 tbsp of water and 8 g of butter into a small heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved, then stop stirring, brush any crystals down the sides with a wet pastry brush and boil to 115C on a sugar thermometer, the soft-ball stage, about 4 minutes.
3. Take the pan off the heat, let the bubbling subside for 30 seconds and stir in 0.25 tsp of vanilla extract. Pour the hot syrup over the sifted sugar mixture and beat with a sturdy spoon until it comes together as a stiff, sandy paste.
4. When the paste is cool enough to handle but still warm, about 5 minutes, turn it onto a work surface lightly dusted with cornflour and knead for 2 to 3 minutes until it is smooth, matt and pliable like fondant. If it cracks, knead in a few drops of water; if it sticks, dust with a little more cornflour.