CHRISTMAS HARD CANDY

When you make a batch of this beautiful jewel-toned candy, your whole house fills with the wonderful scent of mint or cinnamon. My mom always makes this candy, and people request it every year. She puts it in clear jars with a holiday calico fabric on the lid. Now I've started making it, too.-Jane Holman, Moultrie, Georgi

Recipe From tasteofhome.com

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 1h5m

Yield about 2 pounds.

Categories Desserts

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup and water. Cook on medium-high heat until candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage), stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat; stir in oil and food coloring, keeping face away from mixture as the scent of the oil is very strong. , Immediately pour onto an oiled baking sheet. Cool; break into pieces. Store in airtight containers.

OLD-FASHIONED HOMEMADE HARD CANDY

This is an old recipe from my childhood. Many people have memories of cutting this candy with their mother's and grandmothers. I have passed it on and am now posting here for all to share in this classic Christmas tradition!

Recipe From allrecipes.com

Provided by Tami L. Smith

Yield 20

Categories Dessert Recipes,Candy Recipes

Steps:

• In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, combine the sugar, water and corn syrup. Cook, stirring constantly until the sugar is dissolved; then cook without stirring, lowering the heat and cooking more slowly during the last few minutes, to the hard crack stage (300 degrees F), If sugar crystals form on sides of pan, wipe them off with a damp brush.
• Remove from heat, add oil flavoring and enough food coloring to color; stir only to mix. Pour into 2 well buttered 9 inch pans. Set one pan of candy over a sauce pan containing hot water (unless you have a helper to help cut the candy). As soon as the other pan of candy is cool enough to handle, cut it with scissors into 1-inch strips. Then snip the strips into pieces. Work fast. Drop the pieces onto a buttered baking sheet. 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. Repeat with the second pan of candy.

OLD FASHIONED HARD CANDY

Home made hard candy is a great gift idea! Use different colors and flavorings to match the season.

Recipe From allrecipes.com

Provided by YVETTE MOORE

Time 45m

Yield 16

Categories Dessert Recipes,Candy Recipes

Steps:

• Generously coat a cookie sheet with confectioners' sugar, and set aside.
• In a heavy bottomed saucepan, stir together the white sugar, water and corn syrup until sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil over medium-high and cook to a temperature of 300 to 310 degrees F (149 to 154 degrees C), or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms hard, brittle threads. Remove from heat, and stir in the flavored oil and food coloring.
• Immediately pour the sugar mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet in a thin stream (this helps it cool). When the candy is cool enough for the outer edge to hold its shape, cut into bite size pieces with scissors. Let cool completely, then store in an airtight container.

CHRISTMAS HARD CANDY

This is made each year and it is my granddaughter's favorite time. We get together and have several pots going at different intervals so we are going all the time. This past year my husband got involved. We make seven or eight kinds each year. You have to use the oil and not just flavoring. They can be purchased in a candy store or on-line. This candy is delicious. The recipe below is for one batch of one flavor. So, if you want many flavors, you make many batches but you will need at least two people and of course it is more fun with two. Be careful you don't burn your fingers. This candy makes a great gift.

Recipe From food.com

Provided by Mimi in Maine

Time 1h10m

Yield 1 batch

Categories Candy

Steps:

• Put a couple of LIGHTLY oiled and then wiped out, 10" frying pan (metal--not cast iron) in the freezer for 20 minutes or so before starting the candy (one for each batch).
• Put the confectioners sugar in a bowl and put on the table where you will be working with the candy.
• Put the Karo syrup, sugar, and water in a large saucepan; bring it to a boil and cook over medium heat till thermometer reaches 300F to 305F (hard crack stage).
• Immediately take off the stove and add the flavoring and the food coloring.
• Pour into the cold pans and wait till it starts to set; it will cool around the edges first.
• When it does, start picking up and snipping with scissors to desired size.
• Put into the confectioners sugar and leave there, tossing every so often, till you are done.
• When that particular flavor is done, put the candy in a sifter and sift the confectioners sugar off and put into a clean bowl; save this sugar for the next batch.
• AMOUNT OF OIL FLAVORING THAT I USE:.
• cinnamon--scant 1/2 teaspoon (deep red); lemon--full 1/2 teaspoon (yellow); anise--full 1/2 teaspoon (blue); lime--full 1/2 teaspoon (light green); spearmint--exactly 1/2 teaspoon (dark green); orange--full 1/2 teaspoon (medium orange); clove--level 1/4 teaspoon (this flavor is very strong--no color).

HARD CANDY

This is a recipe that my Grandma and I made growing up. I continue today to make this every Christmas. Great to give as a gift or just have sitting around a grab when you want one. Enjoy

Recipe From food.com

Provided by Mayniac May Family

Time 40m

Yield 20 serving(s)

Categories Candy

Steps:

• Mix syrup, sugar and water.
• Bring to hard/crack boil on candy thermometer.
• Stir in Candy oil and food coloring. (watch about the steam coming off of the mixture, it can really get you).
• Butter the heat resistant surface you will be working on. (She had a marble candy board, I use a cookie sheet).
• When cool enough to touch with hands (but not too cool or it will be too late), butter you hands and kitchen scissors and begin cutting pieces with scissors.
• Put pieces in a bowl of confection sugar (coats each piece from sticking to one another) and when you get alot in the bowl, skake it thru a stainer to get excess off.
• This is a very, very fast paced thing! We always cut it to make small pieces, and we bent in any sharp edges to make it easier for the kids. I have poured it into the cookie sheet and as it sets up, you scour it with a pizza cutter. When completely cooled you can break it apart. It all depends on whether I have help or not.