How to make Rock Candy!

Rock Candy is as simple as boiling water and sugar. The hardest part is waiting for it to dry! Have fun making one of the oldest candies in the world!

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Sterilize Jars:
   Arrange 4 (12 oz) glass canning jars in the bottom of a large Dutch oven, and fill the pan with enough water to cover the jars by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil 2 minutes.
   Carefully remove jars with kitchen tongs and place on a wire rack to cool and dry. Do not skip this step!

2. Tie 4 pieces of clean kitchen string, about 7 inches long, around 4 wooden skewers or pencils. Place one string in each jar, resting skewer or pencil across the rim of the jar. Make sure the strings do not touch the bottoms of the jars.
   You can use lollipop sticks for a more uniform look, but you will have to make sure they don't sit on the bottom or the jar.

3. Bring 4 1/2 cups of sugar and 2 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, stir occasionally; boil for 5 minutes, continue to stir occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in 10 drops of food coloring, use whatever color you like, but I prefer red. I also add 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon oil and 2 teaspoons of vanilla. You can use one or both of these flavors. Let the mixture stand for 5 minutes.

4. Carefully pour about 1 cup of syrup mixture into each jar. The string should be in the jar when pouring to keep it from floating to the top! Loosely cover the jar and skewer with aluminum foil. Pierce aluminum foil several times with a knife. Let stand 10 to 14 days. Occasionally break up hard sugar layer that forms on surface. When the candy is the desired size remove the strings from the jars and suspend stings between jars until crystals are dry about 1 hour. Remove strings from skewers!

Tips & Warnings

• Crystals will form on the surface of the liquid. This is not a problem, simply break them up, scoop them out and eat them!
• At Christmas I make red candy using cinnamon flavor and green candy using mint flavor! I wrap the candy in cellophane and tie the bag with a ribbon as a treat to send home with my guests. I keep these treats ready at my front door in a big crystal bowl!
• Anytime you boil sugar and water be very very careful!

[lembiz87]

on 8/8/2009 good candy tips

[ibloomdrop]

on 6/5/2009 Really great instructions on making Rock Candy. I love all the great ideas and recipes I can get from eHow. 5*

[hereshow]

on 11/23/2007 Awesome to see this. It never occured to me to make it at home! This will be a good alternative to buying those rock garden growing kits!

[bmi57]

on 8/12/2007 This is great, I always wondered how Rock Candy was made. Thank you.