Description
This recipe guides you through making classic homemade hard candy using simple ingredients like sugar, corn syrup, and water, enhanced with flavorful oils and vibrant food coloring. Perfect for candy lovers wanting a nostalgic, colorful treat, it involves heating the mixture to the hard crack stage, cooling, and breaking into bite-sized pieces.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups granulated white sugar
- 1 ⅓ cups light corn syrup (Karo syrup)
- 1 cup water
Flavoring & Finishing
- 1 teaspoon oil flavoring (varies by choice)
- 7-10 drops food coloring (adjust as needed for desired color)
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare the Baking Surface: Line cookie sheets, preferably those with a lip, using silicone liners, parchment paper, or aluminum foil. Lightly sprinkle with powdered sugar and set aside to prevent sticking.
- Dissolve Sugar Mixture: In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar, light corn syrup, and water. Stir continuously over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved, creating a clear syrup.
- Cook to Hard Crack Stage: Attach a candy thermometer about an inch from the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking without stirring until the temperature reaches 295°F (hard crack stage), which typically takes 35-45 minutes.
- Add Flavor and Color: Remove the pan from heat and quickly stir in the oil flavoring and food coloring, adjusting drops to achieve the desired shade. Be cautious of the strong steam during this step.
- Pour and Cool: Immediately pour the hot syrup onto the prepared cookie sheets. Allow the candy to cool completely, approximately 30 minutes, until it hardens thoroughly.
- Break Into Pieces: Once cooled, cover the candy with parchment or wax paper and gently break it into pieces using a hammer, meat tenderizer, or mallet.
- Coat and Store: Toss the candy pieces with powdered sugar to prevent sticking. Repeat this process for each flavor or color variant you desire.
Notes
- One batch fills one cookie sheet and can be broken into any size pieces.
- Oil flavorings are more potent than extracts; use cautiously.
- When adding oils, avoid leaning over the pot as the steam can be very strong.
- Optional to use candy molds or lollipop sticks with this recipe.
- You can use up to 1 teaspoon of oil flavor per batch depending on flavor strength; extracts require about 1 tablespoon as they are milder.
- Flavor combinations include: Strawberry oil with red food coloring, Lemon oil with yellow coloring, Orange oil with orange coloring, and Spearmint or Wintergreen oil with green coloring.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece (approx. 10g)
- Calories: 45
- Sugar: 11g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
