Date Loaf Candy

by Todd
(Texas)

Why is my date loaf candy chewy instead of soft?

The recipe said to boil sugar mixture and then cool to softball stage, which I don't understand. It boils before it gets to softball stage.


So I just let it get up to softball stage (235 degrees). Once I added dates and butter, I brought it back up to 235 degrees, then took it off of heat, added pecans and vanilla, and stirred like crazy.


I laid it out on a towel a little bit too soon before it firmed up, but it wasn't too bad. The mixture seemed a little darker brown than I had seen in the past.


After refrigerating overnight, it came out chewy instead of soft. It doesn't taste too bad, but not like the date loaf I remember -- soft and melt in your mouth.


What did I do wrong?

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Hi Todd,

I'm not familiar with date loaf candy, but hopefully someone else who has a bit of experience making it will come along and help you out.


The first instruction in the recipe doesn't seem to make sense - just as you pointed out. There are other Date Loaf Candy recipes online and they seem to suggest that what you did was correct.


Heat the mixture to softball stage; stir in the dates until dissolved; remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients until thick; pour onto towel to cook.


If that's what you did, I'm not sure what went wrong for you. Unless you just cooked it a little too long after adding the dates?


I'm glad it's still tasty even though it's not quite as you had planned or expected. It actually sounds kind of yummy! :)


Fingers crossed someone else will come along with tips!


~Angie