Mama Ruby's Hard Candy Plus Many Other Recipes
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Mama Ruby's Candy Recipe On How To Make Hard Candy
A couple of weeks ago, I spent a day with my mom (Mama Ruby), and we enjoyed together her greatest passion, cooking. We made from scratch hard candy. This recipe originated from somewhere long ago in another time, and was handed down to the old church where I attended as a child. The church ladies tweaked it for flavor and to make it as a fundraiser by the ladies auxiliary. The project was a great success, and my mom further tweaked it, made it her own, and we started making candy at home. We mostly give it away as seasonal and "just thinking of you!" gifts. In this article I will share this recipe, several tips I've learned from Mama Ruby, and a few other ways to make old fashioned hard candy.
IThis candy is more than just a Christmas tradition. Making hard candy is easy (or, at least not that hard), fun, family time, and the sweet treats are great to share with friends. The fact that it is hand made from scratch is a great plus.
This year we made candy for everyone in the church. Some of our ladies handed out Christmas treats, and my wife and I handed out our hard candy (see picture). This candy is a great gift for any season or reason.
Hard Candy Makes A GREAT Valentine's Gift:
Hard Candy Recipe - Table of Contents
Mama Ruby - How To Make Old Fashioned Hard Candy From Scratch
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Mama Ruby Hard Candy Recipe Lens
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Mama Ruby Hard Candy Recipe
How To Make Hard Candy Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 2/3 cup water
- 2/3 cup white syrup
- Pinch of salt
- 6 to 10 drops flavoring oil
- Food Coloring Drops
- Confectioners Sugar
Instructions
* Mix sugar, water and corn syrup (add pinch of salt - optional)
* Place mixture in heavy sauce pan over medium heat.
* Position thermometer in mixture
* Cook sugar solution till 310 degrees
* Remove from heat
* Let stand in safe place till mixture stops boiling. Very important, but do not let go too long, as it will harden.
* Add flavoring oil and food coloring, stir immediately
* Pour over a buttered marble board
* As mixture cools, while still hot, turn the candy against itself to desired thickness.
* When touchable, you can cut pieces with kitchen shears.
* If candy becomes too hard, you can break it into pieces with back of a spoon.
* Gently roll candy with confectioners sugar to store in an air tight container.
Notes:
* Weather is very important; hard candy is easier to work on dryer days.
* It is very important to have workspace throughly prepared before starting candy. Have candy board buttered, or sprayed with a non-stick spray. Hard candy mixture is hot and sticky, and this is wise caution.
* It takes a little while for sugar mixture to boil and then come to 310. However, stay with it. This is a safety issue.
* We use a buttered marble board, because it works greatly at disbursing heat from the candy, and is a solid, and stable work surface. If you do not have a marble board, we sometimes use a heavy cookie or baking pan, sprayed generously with nonstick cooking spray; it works equally good as marble for small to moderate amounts of candy.
* The temperature of the candy is very important, and so is the sitting time to let it cease from boiling.
* Some people like to just let the candy cool and break into pieces. Shears make for more even and uniform sizes, but the mixture has to be still pliable which means it will be somewhat hot to touch. (Be careful)
* This recipe can be cut in half for smaller amounts. If you need to make more candy, it is wise for home making candy to simply do it in workable batches, like this recipe.
What Is Hard Candy
Hard candy is often called sugar candy. It is a sweet treat derived from concentrated sugar/water solution. It is cooked down to a desired consistency and temperature, to which flavorings and colorants are added. Candies come in numerous colors and varieties and have a long history in popular culture.
The Easy Hard Candy Poll
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Kitchen Shears Are Handy
Use kitchen shears to cut candy when still pliable. It helps make more uniform pieces!
You will need a good candy thermometer!
How To Make Microwave Hard Candy
Microwave Old Fashioned Hard Candy!
We have made a number of batches of hard candy with the microwave. For smaller quantities, it is ideal, and a little less mess! I highly recommend the procedure below.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup clear corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon flavoring extract of your choice
- food coloring
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
* Preparation: Spray (or butter completely) non-stick spray liberally over cookie sheet or baking pan.
* Mix sugar and light corn syrup in microwavable glass bowl.
* Cover with plastic wrap. We use wax paper.
* Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes and 15 seconds. (note time may vary depending on Microwave wattage - I believe this recipe uses a 700 watt Microwave; The Microwave we use now is an 1100 watt oven, and we only use 2 minutes on HIGH, and it works nicely. Time is very important in the process. Click here for more info >> Conversion Table for microwave Watts/Time !
* Quickly stir the sugar mixture and then cover with a NEW sheet of plastic wrap.
* Microwave on high for 3 minutes and 15 seconds.
* Remove from microwave and stir until boiling mixture ceases.
* After boiling has ceased, stir in coloring and flavoring.
* Pour syrup quickly, onto prepared cookie sheet or into non-stick sprayed molds.
* Cool completely before breaking into pieces.
* Sprinkle with powdered sugar to keep from sticking.
* Store in airtight container.
Microwave Hard Candy Resources and Links:
Quick and Easy Microwave Hard Candy - - FabulousFoods.com
Homemade Hard Candy - in the microwave Recipe from Recipes.SpartPeople.com
How to Make Microwave Hard Candy | eHow.com
How To Make Fruit Juice Hard Candy.
Mama Ruby's Old Fashioned Made From Scratch hard candy is made using flavoring oils, but, if you prefer, you can try using fruit juices instead. The following recipe combination and variant should accomplish this quite deliciously.
My wife and I just used it successfully with blackberry juice, and it come out admirable. I still prefer flavored oils; the taste seems stronger and less watery. But, hey, give it a try!
Wbisbill
Ingredients
- * 3 tsp. concentrated fruit juice (the stronger the concentrate the stronger the flavor)
- 1 cup water
- ¾ cup light corn syrup
- 2 cups sugar
- Food coloring
- Powdered sugar
- Saucepan
- Candy thermometer
- Cookie sheet (sprayed liberally with a non-stick spray or buttered)
Instructions
Mix the water, corn syrup and the 2 cups of sugar in a saucepan.
Turn the burner to medium heat and slowly stir the mixture with a wooden spoon.
Place the candy thermometer in the pan and continue heating with regular stirring till temperature reaches 300 degrees.
Let mixture stand in safe place just till boiling stops.
SLOWLY add juice and food coloring, stirring constantly.
After mixed, pour unto cookie sheet.
Let cool
Break into Pieces
Roll lightly in powdered sugar
Store in an airtight container
Resource for Fruit Juice Hard Candy
How to Make Hard Candy From Juice (eHow.com)
Other Recipes From the Web: How To Make Hard Candy
Hard Candy Recipes
Click on links to find web site directions. I have included ingredients as sample of recipes...
- How To Make Hard Candy: Traditional Hard Candy & Lollipop Recipe (LorAnnOils)
Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
¾ cup water
1 dram LorAnn flavoring oil (1tsp.*) (or as desired)
LorAnn liquid food coloring (as desired)
Powdered sugar (optional)
Sucker bags (optional)
Twist ties (optional)
Use of a candy thermometer is recommended
- How To Make Hard Candy: How to Make Old Fashioned Hard Candy (WikiHow)
Ingredients
* 2 cups sugar
* 2/3 cup light corn syrup
* 3/4 cup hot water
* flavoring of your choice
* food coloring- How To Make Hard Candy: (Mahalo.com)
What You Will Need
* Candy thermometer
* 2 cups sugar
* 2/3 cup light corn syrup
* 3/4 cup hot water
* 1 teaspoon flavoring oil
* Food coloring
“Hint!
If you do not have any flavoring oils, you CAN use extracts, but it will take more flavoring!”
Where to find Hard Candy - Candy Molds
A note on weather!
It is best to make old fashioned hard candy on a dry day. The candy processes better, and will not be 'sticky' to the touch!
Books on Candy Making
Candy Making for Beginners by Evelyn Howe Fryatt
What is mouthwatering, lip-samcking, and really yu more...1 point
Candy Making For Dummies by David Jones
How sweet it is! More than 100 recipes plus terrif more...0 points
Candy Making Basics by Evelyn Howe Fryatt
"...nearly 100 recipes for types of candies t more...0 points
Making Waves (Candy Apple) by Randi Reisfeld, H.B. Gilmour
Emily, Jenna, and LJ have been a trio forever. So more...0 points
Hard Candy on eBay
Some Great Squidoo Lenses Related To This Hard Candy Recipe Lens
Where to find Flavoring oils to make great hard candy!
Where To Find Hard Candy To Give As A Gift
Latest Squid Activity of Wbisbill
Wbisbill is the username of Pastor Walt and Barbara Isbill
I invite, request, plead, stand on my head, etc. - just sign my guestbook be my bff!
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blanckj
Jun 2, 2011 @ 7:56 am | delete
- I tried hard candy before, but I prefer to play with chocolates more.
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darciefrench
Jan 16, 2011 @ 4:55 pm | delete
- Yummy lens, thank-you Mama Ruby! rolled to How to Make Jawbreakers -:)
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LubosLabik
Jan 14, 2011 @ 6:29 am | delete
- Thank you for recipes :) have nice day
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SAMEPRINCESS10 Jan 12, 2011 @ 10:48 am | delete
- Sir you don't have to stand on your head for me. Ilike the recipe for juice hard candies.Cranberry Concord grape juice?
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jojokaya
Jan 12, 2011 @ 8:44 am | delete
- I love candy
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I-sparkle
Jan 11, 2011 @ 10:26 pm | delete
- Great lens. Most recipe lenses don't keep my interest. This one certainly did!
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2muchtrash
Jan 11, 2011 @ 7:40 pm | delete
- Thank you for stopping by my Bio and commenting. This lens really is jam-packed with great information, recipes and wit! Good work! :) You are the deserving recipient of my very first EVER Angel Blessing!
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mivvy
Jan 11, 2011 @ 5:03 am | delete
- I never thought about making this type of candy, Maybe one day I will, It was nice reading your lens, lots of information
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GuyB Jan 11, 2011 @ 2:43 am | delete
- Who knew? I thought little elves made hard candy-I had no clue that regular people could make at home. Fantastic lens. We are going to get some snow soon and this might be a fun idea to try in between sleigh riding
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mypotlpeople
Jan 11, 2011 @ 12:08 am | delete
- Beautiful lens. I've never made this before. Thanks for the recipe.
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How To Make Old Fashioned Hard Candy Lens Index
- Mama Ruby Hard Candy Recipe
- What Is Hard Candy
- The Easy Hard Candy Poll
- If you like this lens, I know you will give it a thumbs up!
- Kitchen Shears Are Handy
- You will need a good candy thermometer!
- How To Make Microwave Hard Candy
- How To Make Fruit Juice Hard Candy.
- Other Recipes From the Web: How To Make Hard Candy
- Video Help: How To Make Hard Candy
- Where to find Hard Candy - Candy Molds
- A note on weather!
- Books on Candy Making
- Hard Candy on eBay
- Some Great Squidoo Lenses Related To This Hard Candy Recipe Lens
- Be a good squid and bookmark this lens!
- Where to find Flavoring oils to make great hard candy!
- Where To Find Hard Candy To Give As A Gift
- Latest Squid Activity of Wbisbill
- I invite, request, plead, stand on my head, etc. - just sign my guestbook be my bff!
by Wbisbill
About Us: We are Pastor Walt and Barbara. Wbisbill is our Squidoo handle. We like working and making friends at Squidoo and enjoy... more »
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