• 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• food coloring
• 1/2 teaspoon concentrated flavor or oil
• hard candy molds
• funnel

In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, water and corn syrup. Stir until sugar dissolves. Cover and bring to a rolling boil. Remove lid, place thermometer in pan and cook to 250º. Add food coloring and continue cooking to 300º. (Remove from heat at 295º as temperature will continue rising.) Let cool to 265º. Add flavoring or oil and cover for two minutes.

PIECES
Pour onto a buttered marble slab or silicone mat (to protect counter, place mat on a baking sheet). Let cool completely and break into pieces. Note- to get neat pieces, score before it hardens completely. When it becomes hard and cool, break apart on scored lines.

MOLDED PIECES
Spray hard candy molds (must withstand high heat) with a cooking spray. Spray a funnel and stopper (also must withstand high heat) with a cooking spray. Pour hot syrup into the funnel with the stopper at the end. Lift stopper to allow enough hot syrup to fill each mold cavity. If using a sucker mold, add sticks immediately. Unmold when cool.

SOUR HARD CANDY
Follow directions above for rock candy. Add 1/2 teaspoon citric acid with the flavoring.

Recipe and image taken with permission from Autumn Carpenter's Book, All About Candy Making. All rights reserved.