Best 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 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).