Description
This classic Hard Tack Candy recipe is a sweet, glossy, and firm treat perfect for candy lovers. Made with simple ingredients like sugar, corn syrup, and water, it features vibrant food coloring and customizable oil flavorings, resulting in colorful, flavorful chunks of homemade candy. The recipe involves boiling the sugar mixture to the hard crack stage and setting it on a cookie sheet before breaking it into bite-sized pieces and coating with powdered sugar for easy handling and storage.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 3¾ cups sugar
- 1½ cups light corn syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon food coloring
- 1 bottle oil flavorings (a variety)
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Instructions
- Combine ingredients: In a non-stick pan on the stovetop, mix together the sugar, light corn syrup, and water.
- Dissolve the sugar: Turn the heat to medium and stir continuously until the sugar is completely dissolved, being careful not to over-stir after this point.
- Boil the mixture: Allow the mixture to come to a rolling boil without stirring; monitor the temperature using a candy thermometer.
- Add food coloring: When the thermometer reads 260 degrees Fahrenheit, add the food coloring without stirring, letting the boiling action mix it in.
- Reach hard crack stage: Continue boiling until the thermometer reaches 300 degrees Fahrenheit, then remove the pan from heat and allow boiling to stop.
- Add flavorings: Stir in your choice of oil flavorings quickly with a wooden spoon to incorporate them evenly.
- Pour and cool: Pour the hot candy mixture onto a well-greased or powdered sugar-coated large cookie sheet and allow it to cool completely at room temperature without refrigeration.
- Break into pieces: Once set and hardened, use a knife or a suitable object to smash the candy into chunks.
- Coat candy pieces: Place the candy chunks into a ziplock bag with 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar and shake well to coat evenly, preventing stickiness.
Notes
- Use a candy thermometer to ensure accurate temperature measurements which is crucial for the hard crack stage.
- Do not refrigerate the candy as rapid cooling can cause it to become sticky or cloudy.
- Greasing the cookie sheet or coating with powdered sugar prevents the candy from sticking.
- Oil flavorings can be substituted with natural extracts but should be oil-based for best results.
- Handle the hot sugar mixture with care to avoid burns.
- Store candy in an airtight container to maintain freshness and prevent moisture absorption.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 110 kcal
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 0 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 0 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
