Hard Candy

This is traditional hard candy. It is difficult to find molds to get it to look like store-bought hard candies - e.g. round or oval shapes.

Like all hard candies, the challenging part is to not burn it. The difference between done and burnt is small.

Equipment needed: Decent sizes pot, wooden spoon, thermometer, cookie sheet, parchment or wax paper, hard candy molds - optional, sucker sticks - optional, used if the mold makes suckers.

Make sure the mold is for hard candy, chocolate molds will likely melt and warp. This recipe is great for making suckers also. Here are some examples of molds that can be used for hard candies.

If you don’t have any molds, or have extra mixture, just pour it out on greases aluminum foil in a baking sheet. When it is cooled, break it up with the butt of a knife or place waxed paper on top and press down on it. The mixture is very hot and could damage the surface so a cloth towel with a cookie pan on, lined with the waxed paper is the way to go.

Hard Candy

If using molds, very lightly grease them or use butter on aluminum foil placed a baking sheet.

1/2 cup water
3/4 cup corn syrup
2 cups sugar
2-4 tsp extract, any flavor
1/2 tsp food coloring (optional)
  1. In a saucepan, mix the water, corn syrup and sugar until dissolved.
  2. Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until it boils.
  3. Continue heating, stirring once in a while, until the thermostat reads about 310 F (154 C).
  4. Take off heat and add extract and coloring, stir until it is well mixed.
  5. Carefully pour the mixture in the molds or on the baking sheet - let it spread itself out.
  6. Cool for an hour or two and carefully remove from the molds or place parchment paper on the mixture in the baking sheet and press down hard to crack it into piece.
  7. Lightly dust it with powdered sugar to get rid of the stickiness.

Store in an airtight container. Properly stored, it will stay good for a month or two.