Does it sound weird to put wild mushrooms in dessert? If your answer is yes, then perhaps you haven’t heard of candy cap mushrooms. These little mushrooms smell – and taste – like maple syrup, making them more ideal for sweet rather than savory cooking. And one of the most versatile ways to use them is to make a candy cap sugar.
It may sound too good to be true, but I promise you these mushrooms actually taste intoxicatingly similar to pure maple syrup.
I first found out about these wonders when I read Connie Green’s book The Wild Table. As someone who had been baking professionally for many years, is a mushroom forager, and has a passion for incorporating wild foods into my baking, I was completely enchanted to find out about this.
Where to find candy caps
Candy cap mushrooms pop up during the winter in only a few very specific regions on the West Coast of the United States. They don’t have super unique features that make them stand out visually from other little brown mushrooms. They just have that smell – some say the scent of maple is so strong, it sticks to clothes, hands, and walls for days.
I have yet to be lucky enough to find any in the wild myself, but for now, there are a few places to purchase dried candy caps online. Most recently, I used candy caps from West Coast Wild Foods.
To make candy cap sugar, all you need to do is layer the dried mushrooms with sugar in a jar for a week or two. Give the whole thing a good shake every day if you can remember to. Then, strain out the mushrooms and your sugar is ready to use!
How to use candy cap sugar
I love using candy cap sugar in fun dessert recipes in the wintertime. It’s super easy to make this sugar, and it’s a great way to incorporate the unique flavor of candy caps into your recipes.
Use the infused sugar in place of some or all of the sugar in any recipe you please! The flavor pairs especially well with brown butter, toasted nuts, chocolate, and bourbon.
Some of my favorite ways to use candy cap sugar include shortbread cookies, creme brûlée, ice cream, and caramel sauce.
As an alternative to making sugar, you can also grind the dried mushrooms into a fine powder to use in recipes. Or, infuse the mushrooms in cream for making ice cream or custards.
After you make candy cap sugar, try these fun recipes!
Candy Cap Sugar
Ingredients
- 3 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup dried candy cap mushrooms
Instructions
- Layer sugar and candy cap mushrooms in a glass jar with a lid. You can also tie the mushrooms up in a cheesecloth for easier straining later.
- Keep in a cool, dry, dark place (like a cupboard) for at least 1 week. Try to remember to give the jar a good shake every couple of days or so.
- Strain out the mushrooms and use the sugar to make cookies, ice cream, or creme brûlée!
Notes
Did you try this recipe?
Be sure to leave a comment below!
