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📍 Vermont

Sugar on snow (maple syrup on snow)

· Dessert

A treat of hot maple syrup poured over snow, where it sets into sticky strands eaten like candy.

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Sugar on snow (maple syrup on snow): A treat of hot maple syrup poured over snow, where it sets into sticky strands eaten like candy.
Photo: Jaime Walker from Ottawa, Canada · CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto resized, converted to WebP and cropped for display.
⏱ 15 min🍽 4 servings📊 Easy🏷 Commonly associated🌱 Vegetarian🌱 Dairy-free
Preparation
5 min
Cooking
10 min
Waiting and resting
0 min

History

Vermont is the largest producer of maple syrup in the United States. During the harvest season (sugaring season, in late winter), it is tradition to boil the syrup and pour it over clean snow so it solidifies into a chewy treat. It is typically served with pickles and doughnuts to cut the sweetness.

Ingredients

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Only numeric quantities at the start of an ingredient are adjusted. Descriptive quantities, seasoning to taste and timings remain unchanged; check them when changing servings.

Preparation

  1. 1

    Prepare trays of shaved drinking-water ice and keep frozen until needed.

  2. 2

    Heat the maple syrup over medium heat until it reaches about 112-115 °C (soft-ball/thread stage).

  3. 3

    Pour strands of hot syrup over the snow, where it will set instantly.

  4. 4

    Roll up the sticky strands with a fork or stick and eat them like candy.

  5. 5

    Serve with pickles and doughnuts to balance the sweetness.

Cooking tips

  • Drizzle thin strands of syrup over drinking-water ice; hot caramel can cause burns.

References to consult

References provide information about the dish, its context or a technique. Quantities in this version may differ from those in the source.

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