Easy Microwave Hard Christmas Rock Candy Recipes

QUICK AND EASY HARD CANDY (MICROWAVE!)

Steps:

• Thoroughly mix sugar and light corn syrup in glass bowl.
• Cover with plastic wrap.
• Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes and 15 seconds.
• Quickly stir the sugar mixture and then cover with a NEW sheet of plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 3 minutes and 15 seconds.
• Remove from microwave and stir. After boiling has ceased, stir in coloring and flavoring.
• Pour syrup quickly, onto wax paper covered cookie sheet or into non-stick sprayed molds. Cool completely before breaking into pieces.
• Store in airtight container.
• Prep time is cooking time, and Cooking time is actually cooling time.

HARD ROCK CANDY

Steps:

• Roll the edges of two 16 inch square pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. Sprinkle the foil very generously with confectioners' sugar.
• In a large heavy saucepan, combine the white sugar, corn syrup, and water. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, and boil until a candy thermometer reads 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C). Remove from heat.
• Stir in the cinnamon oil and food coloring. Pour onto the prepared foil, and allow to cool and harden. Crack into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

CINNAMON ROCK CANDY

Steps:

• Line a 15x10x1-in. pan with foil; butter the foil and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine water, sugar, corn syrup and food coloring. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes to dissolve sugar crystals. , Uncover; cook on medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage), about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in cinnamon oil (keep face away from mixture as oil is very strong). Immediately pour onto prepared pan. Cool completely, about 45 minutes. , Break the candy into pieces using the edge of a metal mallet. Sprinkle both sides of candy with confectioners' sugar. Store in airtight container.

HARD CANDY

Steps:

• Mix syrup, sugar and water.
• Bring to hard/crack boil on candy thermometer.
• Stir in Candy oil and food coloring. (watch about the steam coming off of the mixture, it can really get you).
• Butter the heat resistant surface you will be working on. (She had a marble candy board, I use a cookie sheet).
• When cool enough to touch with hands (but not too cool or it will be too late), butter you hands and kitchen scissors and begin cutting pieces with scissors.
• Put pieces in a bowl of confection sugar (coats each piece from sticking to one another) and when you get alot in the bowl, skake it thru a stainer to get excess off.
• This is a very, very fast paced thing! We always cut it to make small pieces, and we bent in any sharp edges to make it easier for the kids. I have poured it into the cookie sheet and as it sets up, you scour it with a pizza cutter. When completely cooled you can break it apart. It all depends on whether I have help or not.

CHRISTMAS HARD CANDY

Steps:

• Put a couple of LIGHTLY oiled and then wiped out, 10" frying pan (metal--not cast iron) in the freezer for 20 minutes or so before starting the candy (one for each batch).
• Put the confectioners sugar in a bowl and put on the table where you will be working with the candy.
• Put the Karo syrup, sugar, and water in a large saucepan; bring it to a boil and cook over medium heat till thermometer reaches 300F to 305F (hard crack stage).
• Immediately take off the stove and add the flavoring and the food coloring.
• Pour into the cold pans and wait till it starts to set; it will cool around the edges first.
• When it does, start picking up and snipping with scissors to desired size.
• Put into the confectioners sugar and leave there, tossing every so often, till you are done.
• When that particular flavor is done, put the candy in a sifter and sift the confectioners sugar off and put into a clean bowl; save this sugar for the next batch.
• AMOUNT OF OIL FLAVORING THAT I USE:.
• cinnamon--scant 1/2 teaspoon (deep red); lemon--full 1/2 teaspoon (yellow); anise--full 1/2 teaspoon (blue); lime--full 1/2 teaspoon (light green); spearmint--exactly 1/2 teaspoon (dark green); orange--full 1/2 teaspoon (medium orange); clove--level 1/4 teaspoon (this flavor is very strong--no color).