Description
Homemade Rock Candy is a fun and sugary treat that’s both easy to make and visually stunning. Crystals form over a string or stick as the sugar syrup cools, creating colorful sugar crystals. Perfect for kids or as a fun edible decoration for cakes, drinks, or just for snacking. With a bit of patience, you can create beautiful rock candy in a variety of colors and flavors.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon flavoring (optional, such as vanilla, almond, or fruit extracts)
- Food coloring (optional, for colored crystals)
- Wooden skewers or cotton strings
- Clothes pins (to hold skewers in place)
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar completely dissolves and the syrup comes to a boil.
- Once the syrup starts boiling, reduce the heat to low and continue stirring for another 3-5 minutes to ensure all sugar is dissolved. Be careful not to let the syrup burn.
- Remove the saucepan from heat and allow the syrup to cool slightly for 5 minutes.
- If you’d like to add color, drop a few drops of food coloring into the syrup. Stir until the color is evenly distributed.
- If you’re adding flavoring, now is the time to mix in the extract of your choice.
- Pour the syrup into glass jars or glasses (a clean mason jar works well). Make sure the jar is deep enough for the skewer or string to hang freely without touching the sides.
- Dip your wooden skewer or cotton string into the syrup, ensuring it’s fully coated. Place the skewer or string in the jar, securing it in place with a clothes pin on the edge of the jar. The skewer should be suspended in the jar without touching the sides or bottom.
- Place the jar in a cool, undisturbed spot and allow the crystals to grow. This can take 3-7 days depending on the size of the crystals and the temperature of your environment. Be patient and watch as the sugar crystals slowly form along the skewer or string.
- Once the crystals have grown to your desired size, remove the rock candy from the jar and allow it to dry before serving or storing.
Notes
- The temperature of the environment affects how quickly the crystals form. A cooler spot will slow down the process, allowing for larger crystals to form.
- If you’re making multiple colors, divide the syrup into separate containers before adding food coloring and flavoring to each.
- If using cotton string, make sure to coat it with sugar before placing it in the syrup. This will give the crystals something to latch onto right away.
- Rock candy can last for several weeks if stored in a dry, airtight container. Avoid humid conditions, as moisture can dissolve the crystals.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Candy, Dessert
- Method: Boiling, Crystallizing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece of rock candy (varies by size)
- Calories: 50
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg