Learning how to make rock candy at home is a ton a fun and a great way to realize that candy making is not something relegated to large factories in inner cities.
You can learn to make rock candy at home with ease, and swiftly be on to fancier items like cotton candy and marshmallows.
In fact, making candy at home has become its own great niche hobby and you'll now find plenty of supplies to help you achieve things you never knew were possible right there in your very own kitchen.
As noted, learning how to make rock candy at home is easy, and if you've ever done anything like fudge, you'll find it to be a piece of cake - no pun intended.
The first step is to take a thick cotton thread or string and tie it onto a pen or pencil and place that across the top of an open jar.
You'll want to dangle the string to where it is just about an inch off the bottom of the jar.
Attach a paper clip or something to the end of the string to help hold it straight down.
Now all you do is make the string wet and roll it in sugar, so it will have a base layer for the upcoming sugar to attach to as it grows.
Now, just set this contraption aside and work on making the sugar solution.
Any recipe will do, but a basic syrup is what you're looking for.
You then pour the solution into the jar and put the sugar coated string back in until it hangs at the bottom as before when you tested the length.
In just a couple of hours you'll begin to see crystals forming.
Let it continue to grow as you like, but just be sure that it does not grow out and touch the side of the jar.
Here's a twist on how to make rock candy at home that will actually end making lollipops instead.
Take 3.
5 cups of sugar and blend it with 1.
5 cups of corn syrup and a cup of water.
Stir this mixture over medium heat so the sugar dissolves and the solution comes to a boil.
Continue doing so as your candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees.
After it hits 300, remove it from the heat and then add your colors and flavors to suit your taste, but just mix it well.
Use caution with the mixture at this point, as it holds heat very well and can burn with ease if you spill it on you.
Pour it into your molds and add your sucker sticks.
Then just let it cool and, once it's set up, just flip the molds over and pop them out onto wax paper.
One of the strongest tips I can give you for how to make rock candy at home is to get the solution to a solid boil at 300 degrees.
When the syrup does not quite boil at the correct temperature, the candy itself will not set up right and harden properly.
At the same time, one the mixture reaches the right temperature, you really do not want to keep stirring too much.
The identical problem can arise.