peanut butter ginger chews

 

We were in Austin last weekend for Eric's birthday, and while I was tempted to see if I could get a birthday cake through airport security, I instead decided to surprise him with a knock-off of his favorite candy these days: Reed's Peanut Butter Ginger Chews.  I thought it would be pretty straight forward since their ingredients are just sugar, peanut butter, tapioca starch, and ginger, but when I looked online for a clone recipe, I couldn't find anything that matched.  I ended up modifying a taffy recipe.  So while these chews do not match Reed's, they are still mighty tasty! 

Ingredients:

2 T. minced ginger

1/4 c. water

- - -

2 c. sugar

1 c. water

3/4 c. brown rice syrup

2 t. olive oil

1 t. salt

 - - -

1/4 c. peanut butter

2 T. vegetable shortening

Cut about 75-3"x3" pieces of wax paper in advance.  Cook the minced ginger in water over medium-low until the water is evaporated.  Then in a large pot cook the sugar, water, brown rice syrup, olive oil, and salt over medium-low until the temperature of the mixture reaches 260° F.  This takes awhile.  When it finally reaches temp, remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, shortening and cooked ginger.  Then the pushing and pulling begins.  I did my best to follow the directions on eHow. Basically while it is still liquid you pour the mixture onto an oiled sheet and keep pushing the flowing edges to the middle. Once it quits spreading, let it cool until you can touch it.  Then you pull the ball into a rope, fold, pull, fold, pull, until it gets difficult.  Then grab chunks of taffy and wrap up in the wax paper squares.  If you don't plan to eat all of them in the next 2 weeks, you can freeze some.