I wanted to make sure to post about my candy making! This is another tradition for me every Christmas. My Mom used to make it when we were kids and now that I am an adult I have tken it over! It is my favorite oliday sweet!!!
I made old fashioned holiday hard tack every year for friends and family. It seems that people either hate it or love it! LOL!
Here is where I get the oils Lorann Oils...I do not like the fruit flavored ones; I always select minty flavors. I normally make four flavors every year...cinnamon (seems to be a lot of peoples favorite), clove, anise and wintergreen.
Here is my setup of supplies... you only need oil flavoring, sugar, light corn syrup, water and food coloring to differentiate flavors.
Here is the recipe.... soooo simple!! If you can boil water, you can make candy!
And I always made the double batch...this is the amounts to use of everything for double batch...
So, here is what I do. I put 1 cup water, 3 3/4 cups sugar and 1 1/2 cups light corn syrup in a large pot on the stove. Turn heat under pan to medium and mix with a wooden spoon until the sugar starts to dissolve. Then attach a candy thermometer to the pan and let it rest in the syrup. That's it for a while! Once the syrup reaches 260 degrees on the thermometer you add 10 - 20 drops of food coloring (I do red for cinnamon, blue for clove, green for wintergreen and yellow for anise). Allow the bubbling to mix in the color-do not stir. The once it reaches 300 degrees you remove from heat and once the bubbling stops, you add the flavoring. For the double batch above, you add two bottles of flavoring (2 drams). Then stir in that flavoring very well. I usually mix it in for at least 1 minute.
Have two 9 x 13 pyrexs (spray well with oil) ready and well greased. Dump the hot candy into the pyrexs quickly before it starts cooling. Wait about 4 minutes and score the candy with a pizza cutter in a checkerboard fashion. After about ten minutes start breaking the candy into small bite size pieces. Drop the pieces into powdered sugar and coat well.
Here is my first batch completed...anise
And when they are all done I put into labeled bags for friends and family...
Tada...
Close up of the candy...
And...you will never believe this...I won this at the work raffle!!!! WHAT!?!? Crazy right?? I don't even know if I am going to use this or give it away since I am not sure I want it sitting around listening to me...LOL! If you all have any experience with one of these please let me know what you use it for??? LOL!
And...this happened!!! WHOOP!!! Living in recovery One Day at a Time I had 22 years on December 9th!!!! So awesome and such a great life today!!!
Do you have a Google Home or Dot? Please let me know what you use it for. Anyone else winning things this holiday season? Done with your shopping? Do you like hard tack?
I hope you all have an amazing Tuesday!!!!
Sweet! Well, maybe except for anise. I know it's a big flavor around here, but I just can't get into it. I was one happy girl when they started making pizzelles in other flavors. Thanks for sharing the recipe, though. I may have to give it a try one of these days. Usually I only make chocolates and I'm probably going to skip that this year due to time.
ReplyDeleteOhhh chocolates!!! !YUM!! I could never that since I would EAT THEM ALL!!! HA! At least if I eat the hard tack; it takes more time!!! HA HA! It seems like cinnamon is everyone's favorite and the clove is very strong but there are may to love it too! Have a great rest of the week!
DeleteYUM!! I remember my mom making hard candy - thanks for the reminder! :) I keep meaning to try a couple of the old cookie recipes my grandma used to make - I've still got a couple weeks left! And WAY TO GO on 22 years!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Becki! It has been great so far!!! You really should try the candy - it is fun to do!!! Good luck - let me know if you make it!!! So excited for you! Have a great day!
DeleteCongratulations on 22 years! I've never made candy but I have a candy thermometer for some reason lol
ReplyDeleteLOL! I use mine to make candy and check water temperature when I need it. Other than that; least used kitchen item. But it is a definite MUST HAVE to make candy unless you want to keep dropping syrup into a glass of water and see if it makes strings....sooo much easier with the thermometer!
DeleteLove my google home! COngrats!! And such yummmm treats!
ReplyDeleteThat is awesome...you have a Google home? What do you do with it?! I know you can ask it to shut off the tv but you need special plugs for that right?
DeleteCongratulations on 22 years!! The candy looks good and I do enjoy the hard candies. Have made note of the recipe! We have the Echo and Echo Dot. Love them but we keep them private... not chatting with other folks, no messages sent, just for our own enjoyment. We don't have an Echo home... it doesn't control our lights, etc. I'm not familiar with the Google brand but have fun with it! Turn it off when not in use for music or answering questions.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the congrats!!! I has been an awesome ride!! I will give it a shot...just cant think of anything to ask it?!?! LOL! Thanks for the tips and experience though!
DeleteWow,your candy making is very impressive. Our son has the Dot and it's kinda cool. You can ask it all kinds of questions and it plays music.
ReplyDeleteThanks! I guess I just need to plug it in and start playign with it...or asking questions as the case may be. I will wait until after vacation since I don't want it to start talking and freak out the cats when I am gone - or the cat sitter!!! HA HA!
DeleteCongratulations on 22 years! We will love your hard candy, it looks amazing! Hope you are having a great week and thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday.
ReplyDeleteMiz Helen
Thanks for sharing with us at the To Grandma's House we go linky party!
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