Saturday, December 31, 2011

How to Make Rock Candy at Home, Step-By-Step

How to Make Rock Candy at Home, Step-By-Step

When people are thinking about candy making, many will instantly assume that chocolate is the most popular style. What they don't know is that lollipops, rock candy and even toffee remain popular items to make. With all these different choices, there is almost no doubt that rock candy is the easiest to make.

Now, if you are wondering how to make rock candy at home, you will want to pay close attention. A single cotton thread on a stick or pencil that is stuck in a jar is the best method. You will have the thread a single inch above the base of the jar.

You can begin this process by taking a paperclip and placing it on the end of a thread. Then on the other end, attach a weight to ensure that it falls straight. This will also help you to determine the height of your thread. Next, you will place his thread inside of water to get it wet then roll it in granulated sugar. When this is done, you will find there are sugar crystals on it.

Next, you will need to create a batch of sugar syrup while you are allowing your thread to dry. This is simple, just go online and look for a recipe you can make. From there, you will pour the sugar in a jar and then place your string in it, ensuring you don't allow it to come closer than one inch of the bottom of the jar. Then cover the jar with a paper towel and allow the process to take place.

During the next few hours, the rock candy should begin growing. As they are growing, be sure you keep an eye on them and remove the string if you see the candy growing into the sides of your jar. When that is done, you can enjoy your new delicious treat!

Once this basic step is done, you will have in turn created your easiest hard candy type. You can then bring this idea into the creation of lollipops. These will require corn syrups, sugar and water as well. You will then need to do just a few simple steps.

Start with 3 ½ cups of sugar and mix it with a cup of water and 1 ½ cups of corn syrup, then place it into a decent sized saucepan. Next, bring your mixture to a medium high heat as you wait for your sugar to dissolve into the solution. When it has done this, begin to stir until the mixture is melted and reaches the final boiling point.

Next, allow the mixture to continue to boil without mixing it, you will need to wait until it hits 300 degrees Fahrenheit. While you are doing this, you can mix in your flavoring and colors as well. Once this is done, you can place them in the candy molds, just be sure you watch closely as the candy will be very hot. Before it cools, place in sticks and you are done.

When you have the final candy form, you can place wax paper and some cellophane over them and this will help to keep your candy fresher.

The biggest thing about making rock candy is to ensure you hit 300 degrees at a minimum. If you don't reach this temperature you will end up with a gooey substance you can't use. Also, if you end up stirring too much, you will experience the same results. To avoid this issue, many people will blend in the color and flavor with the sugar solution from the start. With this in mind, also make sure you never stir for more than 4 seconds when you remove the mixture as well.

While you learn how to make rock candy, keep in mind that you will find a number of tips and tricks you can take with you. Just be open to expanding your knowledge and try new recipes at home whenever you can.

How to Make Rock Candy at Home, Step-By-Step

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