Making Maple Cakes

The Kalamazoo Living History Show is coming up in just a few weeks. Sewing-wise I am in good shape and anything I make between now and then are extras that are nice to have but are non essentials. 

Last year for the first time ever I sold maple cakes, an 18th century delight. (A 21st century delight, too. Trust me on that.) I have 35 dozen on order from a friend who makes them, but I wondered if I might be able to figure out how to make them, too.

It was surprisingly easy.

Maple cakes have one ingredient - pure maple syrup. 

You pour two cups of pure maple syrup into a heavy pot and bring it to 235 degrees, stirring occasionally.

I tested and then used two candy thermometers - the temperature of the syrup is very important. Get it wrong and you ruin the batch. I wanted a back up candy thermometer to make sure that didn't happen - that half gallon jug of maple syrup cost $34.

I also used an old, heavy, and rather ugly cooking pot. But, it's Club Aluminum and cooks things very evenly. I often prefer to use it over my shiny, modern cookware.

I also had my silicon molds ready to go. When the maple syrup was ready to mold, I would have to move fast because it would harden quickly.

The syrup came to a roiling boil and climbed the sides of my pot. I was a little concerned that I should've used a bigger pot - I did not want it to boil over and onto the stove. What a mess that would be to clean up!

By stirring more frequently I was able to prevent the boil over and soon the syrup was ready to cool. It needed to sit until it cooled to 175 degrees, and then I had to beat it with a wooden spoon for five minutes. That was the tricky part - beat it a shade too long, and it would harden before you could get it into the molds.

Which is what happened. I felt the syrup suddenly stiffen and I frantically began pouring it into the molds. Just by looking, you can see how quickly it hardened and that it became very difficult to pour. I ended up scraping it out of the pot in bits and pieces at the end. 

Maple cakes should be flat disks about a half inch thick. These are not flat and they are most definitely thicker than that! But, they tasted just as they should and were the right consistency (translate that as, not going to break anybody's teeth.) 

I've got enough maple syrup to make three more practice batches. At this point, I don't plan to make them to sell; by making this batch and seeing the yield as well as the time it took, I would barely break even if I did start selling my own. But, in a pinch and with a little more practice, I could make them if need be.

Now I need to make some more blackened beeswax ornaments. Like the maple cakes, they too have proven to be big sellers. (Photo by Brooke Sauter)

That may be today's project or I may wait until next week. I'm in the middle of making another wool cloak (hunter green this time) and some 18th century pocket hoops.

Me with Teacher Daughter Lisa's class demonstrating pocket hoops and explaining why women wore them. (I have them on, too.)

Finally, and just for fun, here is a picture I took yesterday morning around 4:00 AM.

Isn't that moon pretty? One of the perks of being an early morning riser!