They say you can’t change overnight, but in truth, it is the only way. The crucial decision, the moment of resolution, is the all-important step, but only if you mean it. You can this very second make the choice to be better and never look back. You can put this article down and throw away your pack of smokes and never buy another. You can get up from where you’re sitting and pour every drop of alcohol down the drain and never set foot in another liquor store. You can delete your food delivery apps, remove temptation from your pantry, and write the menu of your new beginning.
This week I turn 39. I have been feeling a sense of urgency, an almost frantic drive to fill each day with purpose to make up for my wasted youth. I am on the verge of middle age, and that number in perspective fills me with dread. I look back on my 20s with disgust — so many Sundays spent rotting on the couch recovering from a night I don’t remember, so many golden opportunities torched by my reckless irresponsibility, the grim months I spent wallowing in self-loathing and dirty sheets. My precious youth was a fever dream of mostly my own design, but I’m not that person anymore. I made a choice one night and meant it, and that was all it took.
In the last year of my 30s, I will continue to blossom. I have made a choice, and I will stick to it — I have plans yet to be revealed. I can do hard things, and so can you, even if it feels impossible. Let’s start with something inconsequential to build a little confidence. Let’s make candy corn! This classic Halloween treat is one of my favorites and although candy making is intimidating, it is not impossible. Once you try it you will see that the hardest part is getting started… and maybe not burning your fingers.
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup powdered milk
Pinch salt
Yellow and red natural food coloring
Directions:
Sift together the powdered sugar, salt, and powdered milk and set aside.
In a large saucepan combine the sugar, corn syrup, and butter and set over medium high heat.
Cook and stir until the butter and sugar have melted and the mixture is smooth.
Attach a candy thermometer to the pan and let the sugar boil.
Cook until the mixture reaches 250 degrees, then turn off the heat.
Stir in the vanilla then add the dry mixture in three batches, mixing until completely incorporated before adding the next portion.
The mixture will be very thick and difficult to stir but grit your teeth and push through it for 5 minutes, until the candy is smooth and shiny.
Pour out onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper or (preferably) a silicone mat. The candy will still be incredibly hot, so be careful.
Use a rubber spatula to divide the candy into three equal portions.
Use your food dyes to color one of the portions yellow and another orange. You can use your spatula to fold and mix each portion until the color is even throughout. You can try to use your gloved hands if they are as tough as mine, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Leave the third portion white.
Take ¼ of each color and roll out into long snakes. Stack them in order: white, orange, yellow, and gently press them together so they stick.
Press the top of the strip down at an angle to create a uniform wedge shape with the white edge being the thinnest.
Use a sharp knife to cut into small pieces and separate to dry.
If the candy gets too stiff, place it in a 170 degree oven for a few minutes to warm it up before continuing to shape the rest of the candy.
Let the candy dry out on the counter for a couple hours before storing it in a zip-top bag.
