Rainbow Sugar Crystals Recipes

Steps:

• In a snack size ziplock, combine sugar and food coloring of your choice and close securely.
• Smoosh around with your fingers and shake until desired color is achieved. To make a very light pastel color, either use more sugar to a regular drop or a very very tiny drop to the 2 TB. Store excess right in the baggie.
• NOTE: You can also color salt, cornmeal & coconut the same way.
• SECOND NOTE: Look for the NEON food coloring at the store to get some different coloring ideas, also don't forget that a drop of one color mixed with a drop of another color will give you more options!
• THIRD NOTE: You can get larger granulated white sugars in the cake decorating section of upper end stores, some craft stores and most specialty bakery shops. They don't stick as well, but they render a wonderful crunch to your finished product. Sugar in the Raw works well with yellow, orange, red and brown colors, but they wont be as bright.

Steps:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium saucepan over medium high heat, stir to combine the water, light corn syrup and sugar. Attach a candy thermometer to the pan, bring mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until thermometer reads 290 degrees F. Remove saucepan from heat and let cool until the bubbling has stopped. Carefully add the food coloring and whisk until completely combined.
• Pour the candy in a layer onto the prepared baking sheet and shake the pan gently so that the candy is in an even thin layer. Let cool completely at room temperature until hardened, about 3-4 hours and up to overnight.
• Use a towel to protect your hands and break the candy into different sizes pieces, about 1-2 inches. Dip the tip of a small brush into the lemon extract, then coat in gold dust. Brush onto edges to accent the candy with gold dust.