Candy canes have sweetened holidays for centuries

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By Barbara Yost and Emiliana Sandoval | Tuesday, December 19, 2006 |

GANNETT NEWS SERVICE

GANNETT NEWS SERVICE PHOTO A peppermint cheesecake topped with mini-candy canes

When it comes to Christmas traditions, peppermint candy canes are right up there with fruitcake, holly and Santa’s beard. Peppermint desserts are about as festive as they come.

“It came about because of the color red,” says Nancy Baggett, author of “The All-American Dessert Book” (Houghton Mifflin, 2005, $35 hardcover). “Now it’s so popular at the holidays.”

The love of peppermint candy has inspired a few myths. Tradition says a 1700s German gave children peppermints to keep them peaceful and peppermint sticks were later bent in the shape of a cane to resemble a shepherd’s crook. Baggett hasn’t been able to find any documentation, but it’s a nice story.

Some note that, when turned upside down, the candy cane forms a “J,” for Jesus. Others see the holy trinity symbolized in the thick red lines, thin red lines and white background.

A less-spiritual interpretation finds a similarity between old-time barber poles and the swirled peppermint stick that dates to 19th-century England, although candy canes today are mostly part of American culture, Baggett says.

Candy canes reportedly made their first U.S. appearance in a candy shop in Albany, Ga., when Bob McCormack started making batches of them by hand in the 1920s. His brother-in-law invented a candy cane machine in the 1950s. Now, about 1.8 billion candy canes are made each year.

The ingredients are simple: corn syrup, sugar, peppermint flavoring and starch. A standard 5-inch candy cane has 50 calories and zero fat or cholesterol, according to www.calorieking.com.

In 2001, the Guinness Book of World Records bestowed the record for the longest handmade candy cane on Paul Ghinelli, who created a 58-foot, 2 1/4-inch cane at a restaurant in Leslie, Mich. He broke his own 1998 record (16 feet) and 2000 record (36 feet). He planned to chop it up and auction it off, but the restaurant burned down a couple of weeks later.

Whether there’s really hidden meaning in the simple candy cane only adds interest to a treat that has become associated with Christmas. You’re unlikely to find peppermint desserts any other time of year, says Jackie Kerrigan, a baking chef-instructor at the Arizona Culinary Institute.

“It’s so holiday,” she says.

Because we get only that one chance per year to enjoy peppermint, put your dessert table in mint condition with peppermint cakes, cookies, candies and even cheesecake. For an extra kick, add a few drops of peppermint oil or peppermint extract to your recipe. The oil has a more intense flavor than the extract and can be found at baking supply and specialty stores.

Yuletide variations

Peppermint and chocolate is a classic combination with endless possibilities:

* Brownies can be topped with mint icing or white icing with crushed candies.

* Drizzle peppermint ice cream with hot fudge sauce for an easy dessert.

* To make peppermint bark, melt white chocolate with a few drops of peppermint oil, spread it in a sheet pan and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. After the bark sets up in the refrigerator, break it into pieces like peanut brittle.

* For a quick ice cream sandwich, spread softened peppermint ice cream on a baking sheet 1-inch thick. Refreeze and then cut into rounds with a cookie cutter the size of your favorite chocolate or chocolate chip cookie. Press a round of ice cream between two cookies.

* Use candy canes as a garnish or accent. Put them on just before serving or they’ll melt and become sticky and the color will bleed.

RECIPES

Chocolate Peppermint Ice Cream Pie

11/2 teaspoons peppermint extract

1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened

2 chocolate crumb pie shells (9 inches each)

1/2 cup heavy cream

11/2 cups chocolate chips

Add peppermint extract and crushed candies to softened ice cream and pour into pie shells. Freeze until firm. Heat heavy cream to 185 degrees. Pour over chocolate chips and stir until melted. Chocolate will be thick. When melted, spread over firm ice cream pies and serve. Makes two 9-inch pies.

Serves six to eight people per pie.

Source: Jackie Kerrigan, Arizona Culinary Institute

Peppermint Cheese Cake

Crust:

13/4 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup finely ground walnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 ounces butter, melted

Filling:

24 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 cup sugar

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 teaspoons peppermint extract

6 eggs

3 cups sour cream

11/2 cups crushed candy canes

Make the crust: Mix all ingredients together and press into the bottom of a springform pan. Makes one crust. If you prefer chocolate cookie crumbs, use them instead of graham cracker crumbs.

Make the filling: Mix the cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla and peppermint extract until smooth (you don’t want any lumps). Add eggs slowly, scraping often. Add sour cream, scraping often. Finish by folding in crushed candy canes. The color will melt off the candy canes and turn the batter pink.

Pour butter into the prepared graham cracker crust. Bake in a water bath at 350 degrees until the internal temperature is 175 degrees, about 1 1/2 to two hours, until it has a firm, solid jiggle. Chill.

Makes 16 slices.

Source: Jackie Kerrigan, Arizona Culinary Institute

— The Arizona Republic