Rock Candy

This is simple and a lot of fun to make. Make sure the color matches the flavor, or mix and match, to make people guess the flavor! :-)

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Yields: 2-3 cups

Ingredients

• 1 3⁄4 cups sugar
• 1⁄2 cup water
• 1⁄2 cup light corn syrup
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 4 -5  drops  food coloring (any color)
• 1⁄4-1  teaspoon  flavoring  oil (any flavor)

Directions

1. In a medium-size heavy saucepan combine sugar, water, light corn syrup and salt, and Stir until sugar dissolves.
2. Cover pan and bring to a rolling boil.
3. Remove lid and insert a candy thermomater and cook until temperature reaches 250 degrees F.
4. Add food coloring, stirring with metal spoon until thoroughly mixed.
5. Continue cooking until the temperature reaches hard crack, or 300 degrees F.
6. Remove pan from heat and let it cool about 3 minutes, then add flavoring oil, and mix it very well.
7. Cover the pan and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
8. Pour the candy into greased molds (for lollypops) or a marble slab or into a greased shallow pan.
9. As soon as it is cool enough to handle, cut into squares with scissors or roll into balls or shapes.
10. Or, another option is to let the candy cool completely, then break the candy into bite-sized pieces with a cleaned hammer or the blunt end of a butter knife.