Sugar is the basic ingredient of most candy types, but there are some types of candy that highlight the distinctive texture and simple deliciousness of sugar. You can cook sugar candy for holidays, birthdays, or as a special treat ready to serve when you want it. Read on to learn how to make the three classic types of confectionery: lollipops, crystal candies and butterscotch.
Ingredients
Lollipop
- 200 grams of sugar
- 120 ml light yellow corn syrup
- 60 ml water
- 1 teaspoon food flavoring, such as vanilla, rose, cinnamon, or orange
- 5 drops of food coloring
- Lollipop molds and lollipop sticks
Crystal Candy
- 475 ml water
- 800 grams of sugar
- 1 teaspoon food flavoring, such as peppermint or lemon
- 5 drops of food coloring
- 1 glass jar
- Wooden skewers
Butterscotch Candy
- 500 grams of sugar
- 180 ml water
- 120 ml light corn syrup
- 240 grams of butter, leave at room temperature and cut into cubes
- 60 ml honey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 rum extract
Step
Method 1 of 3: Making Lollipops
Step 1. Prepare your lollipop mold
Spray the molds with non-stick cooking spray or non-stick cooking spray so you can remove the lollipops without breaking them later. Place the lollipop sticks in the mould.
- This recipe can use any hard candy mold. You can use round, star, heart-shaped, or any other type of print that suits your taste.
- Make sure you use a special candy mold, and not a mold for other types of food, because the special candy mold is designed to prevent candy from sticking to the mold.
Step 2. Put sugar, corn syrup and water in a saucepan
Place the pot on the stove over medium heat.
Step 3. Stir the mixture until the sugar is dissolved
Scrape the sides of the pan with a pastry brush to prevent the dough from sticking to the pan.
Step 4. Cook the dough until it really boils
After that, stop stirring then check the temperature of the dough with a candy thermometer. Allow the dough to continue to boil until a temperature of 146 degrees Celsius, then immediately turn off the heat.
Putting out the fire at the right temperature like this is an important step. Use a candy thermometer, not a meat thermometer, to be sure that your calculations are correct
Step 5. Pour and stir in food flavoring and food coloring
Step 6. Pour the candy mixture into the lollipop mold with a spoon
Step 7. Allow the lollipop to harden before you remove it from the mould
Method 2 of 3: Making Crystal Candy
Step 1. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan
Step 2. Stir the mixture until smooth
Step 3. Add food flavoring and food coloring
Crystal candy has a beautiful hue that is amplified by its natural crystal-like shape. Choose colors with flavors that complement each other. You can try one of these classic combinations or create your own color combination:
- Purple crystal candy with lavender scent.
- Orange crystal candy with a citrus scent.
- Pink crystal candy with rose scent.
- Red crystal candy with cinnamon flavour.
Step 4. Hang the skewers in the candy solution
Place the skewers evenly around the glass jar and rest the skewers against the rim of the jar. Secure the stitches with small pieces of tape, so they don't slide against each other when the crystal candy forms.
- You can use wooden chopsticks instead of skewers.
- Yarn tied to a pencil is also a great base for making crystal candy.
- Cover the glass jar with plastic wrap. This is to prevent dust and insects from getting into the jar while the crystal candies are forming.
Step 5. Wait until the sugar turns into crystals
It takes about one to two weeks for the sugar to crystallize into pretty crystals that stick to the skewers.
Step 6. Dry the crystal candy
When you are satisfied with the size of the crystals formed, remove the skewers from the glass jars and drain them to allow the candies to dry.
Method 3 of 3: Making Butterscotch Candy
Step 1. Grease on a 38 x 26 x 3 cm tin
If you don't have a pan of this size, use another one that is also wide and shallow.
Step 2. Combine sugar, water and corn syrup in a saucepan
Heat a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
Step 3. Bring the solution to a boil
When dough heats up to 132 degrees, stop stirring, making sure it's at this temperature with your candy thermometer. After that, turn off the fire.
Step 4. Add butter, honey, salt and rum extract
Step 5. Stir the dough until it reaches a temperature of 149 degrees Celsius
Step 6. Turn off the fire
Step 7. Pour the candy mixture into a greased baking sheet
Step 8. Let the candy cool for 5 minutes
Step 9. Print the candy with a knife
Use a knife to make diagonal lines across the candy bar or make it as large as you like so it's easier to cut the candy later.
Step 10. Let the candy cool completely
Step 11. Cut the candy according to the marks made earlier
Tips
- Wrap the sugar candy in aluminum foil or plastic wrap for storage.
- When refrigerating the candy, wait for your candy to harden naturally. Because if you put it in the fridge it will taste weird.
