Old-Fashioned Hard Candy Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What makes hard candy harden? ›

The process of turning sugar into a hard, smooth, transparent confection involves heating a sugar/corn syrup/water solution to 300 – 310° F. {150 - 155° C.}, or what is known as the hard crack stage of sugar. The use of a candy thermometer is not essential, but highly recommended and accuracy is critical.

If the candy cools too quickly, set it on a saucepan over hot water to soften it, but if it gets sticky, return at once to the work counter. Toss in a small amount of powdered sugar to keep from sticking together.

Corn syrup is a common ingredient in many hard candy recipes because it is an invert sugar. Invert sugar inhibits the formation of sugar crystals and provides a smooth texture to hard candy, caramel, and other cooked sweets.

Hard candy - Hard candies can last up to a year when stored at room temperature or in a cool, dry location. Jellied candies - If the packaging has been opened, soft candies should be stored away from heat and light at room temperature (about 70 degrees). Stored in this manner, the candy should last 6-9 months.

In hard candy making, it is important to cook all the water out of the sugar/corn syrup/water mixture. If the sugar mixture is not cooked to the proper temperature (the hard-crack stage 300-310° F {149-154° C.} or if you are working in a kitchen with high humidity, chances are your candy is retaining too much moisture.

Adding a pinch of cream of tartar to your sugar syrup will help break down the sugar molecules and stop them from crystalizing early on.

Typically, a hard candy mixture includes sugar, water, and corn syrup. Once you have your basic mixture ready, and just before it reaches the hard-crack stage (about 300°F), it's time to add the citric acid.

Quickly pour the syrup into lightly oiled molds or on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and let harden. To prevent the candy from sticking, dust finished pieces with powdered sugar.

Honey won't prevent crystallization as well as corn syrup does, so it's not the best choice if you're making candy, but it's great for other uses.

Why does co*ke use corn syrup? ›

In 1980, US Coca-Cola manufacturers made the switch from cane sugar to high fructose corn syrup. Until this point, cane sugar was almost always used to manufacture Coca Cola in North America however the by-product of an industrialised food industry, particularly post WWII , meant that corn became a more viable crop.

Hard candies can last up to one year if they're stored properly. Keep it in a cool, dry place away from humidity and heat. The coating of powdered sugar at the end of the recipe helps to keep hard candies from absorbing moisture from the air.

If the candy forms a firm but not hard ball, it is in the firm ball stage. The temperature of this stage is between 242—248°F. Caramels are cooked to the firm ball stage. If the candy forms thick threads when it drips from the spoon, it is in the hard ball stage or 250°—265°F.

As gobstoppers dissolve very slowly, they last a very long time in the mouth, which is a major factor in their popularity.

Hard candies can become sticky or even soft, while chewy candies can harden over time. If your Skittles have morphed into tiny rocks or transformed into gooey blobs, they're past their prime.

If your candied coating isn't hardening, the candying mixture did not reach a high enough temperature. Allow your candying mixture to cook until it bubbles, thickens, and turns a rich golden color, sort of like caramel. Then, quickly turn off the heat so it doesn't burn.

Because excessive softness in candy results from high relative humidity, cook hard candies, such as nut brittle, to 2 degrees higher than the temperature your recipe calls for. The additional 2 degrees in cooking temperature will compensate for moisture in the air, so your candy will still have the correct texture.

If there is more acid in hard candy, it will invert and become sticky. Check the acidity of the filling as well. Acids promote sucrose inversion, especially at high temperatures, and are added after cooking, along with flavorings.