Print Recipe
Christmas Hard Candy
 
recipe image
Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes
Ready In: 70 Minutes
Servings: 8
This is made each year and it is my granddaughter's favorite time. We get together and have several pots going at different intervals so we are going all the time. This past year my husband got involved. We make seven or eight kinds each year. You have to use the oil and not just flavoring. They can be purchased in a candy store or on-line. This candy is delicious. The recipe below is for one batch of one flavor. So, if you want many flavors, you make many batches but you will need at least two people and of course it is more fun with two. Be careful you don't burn your fingers. This candy makes a great gift.
Ingredients:
2/3 cup white karo
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon oil flavoring (approximate)
1/2 teaspoon food coloring, of choice (approximate)
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions:
1. 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).
2. Put the confectioners sugar in a bowl and put on the table where you will be working with the candy.
3. 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).
4. Immediately take off the stove and add the flavoring and the food coloring.
5. Pour into the cold pans and wait till it starts to set; it will cool around the edges first.
6. When it does, start picking up and snipping with scissors to desired size.
7. Put into the confectioners sugar and leave there, tossing every so often, till you are done.
8. 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.
9. AMOUNT OF OIL FLAVORING THAT I USE:.
10. 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).
By RecipeOfHealth.com