A few years ago, all my holiday goodie were sweet. SOme cookies. Several dipped things... pretzels, Nilla wafers, graham crackers... in melted chips... semi-sweet chocolate, white "chocolate", even butterscotch chips. They didn't come out perfect, cuz they weren't shiny... but REALLY tasty! Also made peanut brittle. Had NOT idea how long it was gonna take to slowly get it to temp!?! It didn't stay crackly?!? Was slightly soft on outside, with crisp center... again, not perfect... but nobody knew OR complained!

Doubt if hard candies are expensive to make but probably take a serious amount of time on stove top. NOT an expert in candy by any means, but know ya can't do it FAST... unless ya want LAVA all over your stove and serious burns!

After my fiasco with the hummer food, I am vewwy vewwy fwightened of sugar and water and heat/flamage! LOL

Let us know how it turns out!

Linda

I would take the time to make a batch or three between now and Christmas, as a testing thing. I'm sure you could find folks to help you eat it. :)

I know from making brittle and other hard candies that there is sort of a "knack" to getting it right, not hard to develop but essential if you're planning on making a lot for gifts.

1. I pour brittle onto a Silpat - the brittle won't stick to it. Silpats, what a wonderful invention. I'd also suggest using the quick microwave method. It rarely fails.

2. You will get lots of discussion concerning "sugar" for making candy, but during a candy-making class the "expert" (in this case, she owns and operates a candy-making shop) said to use pure cane sugar instead of sugar made from sugar beets. I've successfully used both. My sister-in-law used to make jars filled with shards of various colors of "Stained Glass" candy. She also swore by pure cane sugar.

3. After boiling action ceases is the time for adding flavoring in order to avoid a lot of rising steam.

4. Oiled surfaces, such as a cookie sheet can be used, but the surfaces can also be dusted with powdered sugar.

5. "When a solute such as sugar is added to water, the boiling point increases. The extent of increase in boiling point depends on the concentration of the solution. The larger the number of particles of solute (sugar) in the solution, the less the escape of vapor (vapor pressure decreases) and the higher the temperature needed to produce boiling. Boiling sugar solutions do not reach a constant boiling point. As water evaporates, the remaining solution becomes more concentrated, and the boiling temperature increases until the melting point of sugar is reached and decomposition changes occur in the sugar. If heating continues too long, the sugar caramelizes, and eventually, only carbon remains. Because sugar solutions do not reach a constant boiling point regardless of concentration, you can use a thermometer to tell when candy is done cooking. You know that when a sugar solution reaches a desired temperature, it is at the correct concentration. If the temperature goes too high before a pan of syrup is removed from the heat, it means that too much water has evaporated and the solution will be too concentrated. If the temperature is too low when a pan is removed from the heat, the candy will contain too much water." (information from a class I took on candy-making)

6. You might want to try making lollipops as well as molded hard candy as something fun.

7. Store your filled jars away from heat and humidity. The candy WILL start to stick together if you don't. I'd also suggest using pint jars, rather than quarts.

-Grainlady

Years ago I made hard candy...
As I recall the main difficulty was getting the syrup poured and spread before it began to harden.
Make small batches and work fast!
Linda c

I did it, and it wasn't too hard. I am attaching a link to the recipe I used (sounds similar to the ones you've seen). I'd recommend you make it one batch at a time, rather than doubling or tripling the recipe, because it's very time sensitive. I just poured mine into a baking pan (like a brownie pan), I think, and cut it with my chef's knife. I think it actually didn't stick too badly to the pan, but I think I remember breaking some strands of candy off my knife when I was done. You have to cut it when it's cool enough not to ooze back over the cut lines, but not so cool that it shatters. This seems to be an extremely brief window, you sort of have to stare at it and poke at it until it feels right. The edges cool faster than the middle, so if you made a very large pan of it, the edges might be too hard to cut while the middle was still too hot. It goes stale/tacky fast. I'd be curious whether you could dry it back out in a slow oven (hard candy shouldn't melt at 185 degrees, right?)

Here is a link that might be useful: Recipe

Definitely invest in a digital candy thermometer. I turn the heat off when the candy is about 1-2° from being done because the temperature contiues to rise off heat, due to water continuing to evaporate. You can always put it back on heat if it doesn't reach the temperature you want, and you can gauge how much time you have by how fast the temperature is rising. It rises slowly at first and then faster toward the end. The time will also be somewhat dependent on how humid it is. On a rainy day, it can take twice as long to reach the temperature.

Lars

Thanks, everyone!

I'll have to look for a microwave recipe. Mom said that we'll try a batch before Christmas. Do places like Wal-Mart sell the flavoring oils? I've seen the candy themometers there and I know I can get the other ingredients there too. Thanks everyone again for all of your advice and tips!

Brad AKA Moonwolf

Please think twice about using food coloring in your candies.