Easy Microwave Hard Christmas Rock Candy Recipes

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.

Steps:

• Line a 15x10x1-in. pan with foil; butter the foil and set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine water, sugar, corn syrup and food coloring. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cover and cook for 3 minutes to dissolve sugar crystals. , Uncover; cook on medium-high heat, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage), about 25 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in cinnamon oil (keep face away from mixture as oil is very strong). Immediately pour onto prepared pan. Cool completely, about 45 minutes. , Break the candy into pieces using the edge of a metal mallet. Sprinkle both sides of candy with confectioners' sugar. Store in airtight container.

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.

Steps:

• Roll the edges of two 16 inch square pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. Sprinkle the foil very generously with confectioners' sugar.
• In a large heavy saucepan, combine the white sugar, corn syrup, and water. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring, and boil until a candy thermometer reads 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C). Remove from heat.
• Stir in the cinnamon oil and food coloring. Pour onto the prepared foil, and allow to cool and harden. Crack into pieces, and store in an airtight container.

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).

Steps:

• In a medium-size heavy saucepan combine sugar, water, light corn syrup and salt, and Stir until sugar dissolves.
• Cover pan and bring to a rolling boil.
• Remove lid and insert a candy thermomater and cook until temperature reaches 250 degrees F.
• Add food coloring, stirring with metal spoon until thoroughly mixed.
• Continue cooking until the temperature reaches hard crack, or 300 degrees F.
• Remove pan from heat and let it cool about 3 minutes, then add flavoring oil, and mix it very well.
• Cover the pan and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
• Pour the candy into greased molds (for lollypops) or a marble slab or into a greased shallow pan.
• As soon as it is cool enough to handle, cut into squares with scissors or roll into balls or shapes.
• 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.