Horehound Candy

by Nancy

Recipe 1

1 3/4 pints horehound leaves and stems

1 pint water

3 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter

Make a strong brew of horehound by boiling the leaves and stems in the water for half an hour.  Strain and add sugar to the resultant liquid.  Boil again and add butter.  Continue to boil until syrup has reached the 'hard ball' stage.  Pour into a buttered shallow tine.  When cool, mark it into squares.  When hardened, break squares apart and wrap each one in greaseproof paper.

In older times these candies were used to treat colds and coughs.

Recipe 2

Make a strong horehound infusion by boiling one cup of fresh horehound leaves with two cups of water for ten minutes.  Let steep for five minutes and then strain.

To make the candy, use one cup of the horehound infusion to two cups of white sugar.  Place sugar in a small saucepan and stir in 1/8 t. cream of tartar, then add the horehound infusion.  Stir until sugar dissolves, then cook over low heat until it reaches 290ºF.  Pour onto a buttered plate and score into cough drop size pieces when it is semi-hardened.  When cool, break apart into sections and store in a cool place until used.