Julie - when I was a kid grandma used to make hard candy simply by boiling a large amount of sugar in some water until it reached hard crack stage. Then a string was suspended in a jar of the "water" and soon hard, clear sugar crystals formed.I wonder if I can find that "recipe" to know the amounts to use.
Julie -- I was heading out the door to church early enough (wow!) to have time to search around a bit. Look at what I found ....http://candy.about.com/od/phototutorials/ss/sbs_rock_candy.htmHope this can help you.
This rock candy recipe is from About.Com:candy ... By Elizabeth LaBau, About.com Guide ..http://candy.about.com/od/phototutorials/ss/sbs_rock_candy.htm .
Rock candy is a simple sugar candy that can double as a science experiment. The process can take up to a week, but it’s fun to watch the sugar crystals growing over time. Note that the exact quantity of sugar syrup you will use depends on the size of the jar you have. If you want to make several pieces of rock candy, use multiple jars and skewers, and double or triple the sugar syrup solution as necessary. For easily printable instructions, please see the rock candy recipe. Begin by assembling your ingredients:
Prepare your materials: wash a glass jar thoroughly with hot water to clean it. To make rock candy on a wooden stick, cut a thin skewer until it is slightly taller than your jar. Use clothespins balanced across the top of the jar to clip it into place. This method is illustrated above. Alternately, you can make your rock candy on a string instead. Cut a length of thick cotton thread or kitchen twine a few inches longer than the height of the jar, and tape it to a pencil. Place the pencil across the lip of the jar, and wind it until the thread is hanging about 1 inch from the bottom of the jar. Attach a paper clip to the bottom of the thread to weigh it and ensure it hangs straight down.
My goodness, I talk a lot ....... I'm certain that is a good recipe for rock candy. They can call it Sugar Candy but, for me, it's rock candy - lol.Grandma always made big (quart) jars full of this stuff and used a string for the candy to "grow" on. She tied a metal washer (yikes) to the string to secure it inside the bottom of the jar and tied that string to a spoon or fork across the top of the jar. We patiently watched it "grow" day after day. I have no memory of how many days. I just know it was worth the wait.
As a Very Best Baker, you can print coupons, chat in the Forums, plus rate, review and save recipes!
Remember me on this computer
Become a Very Best Baker to print coupons, share recipes and chat in the Forums.