Cinnamon Hard Candy
Making cinnamon hard candy at home is a fun and rewarding project. Here's a basic recipe to make cinnamon hard candy:
Equipment
- Pizza Cutter
- marble slab or aluminum lined baking pan sprayed with cooking spray
- pastry brush
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon extract or more to taste
- Red food coloring optional
- Confectioners' sugar for dusting optional
Instructions
- Prepare Your Equipment: lightly grease the marble slab or aluminum foil lined cookie sheet with cooking spray.
- Combine Ingredients: In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Once the mixture comes to a boil, stop stirring.
- Cook to Temperature: Insert a candy thermometer into the mixture but make sure it doesn't touch the bottom of the pan. Cook the mixture until it reaches 290°F (150°C) or the hard crack stage. This should take around 15-30 minutes. Be patient, and do not stir during this process.
- Add Flavor and Color: Once it reaches the desired temperature, remove the pan from the heat immediately. Stir in the cinnamon flavor and, if desired, a few drops of red food coloring to achieve the desired color. Be cautious when adding the extract, as the fumes can be strong and mixture can splatter causing burns.
- Pour and Cut: Carefully pour the hot cinnamon candy mixture into your prepared surface and just before it cools cut with a pizza cutter into squares.
- Cool and Set: Allow the candy to cool and harden completely. This may take about 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Dust with Confectioners' Sugar (if needed): To prevent the candies from sticking together, lightly dust them with confectioners' sugar.
- Store: Store your homemade cinnamon hard candies in an airtight container or wrap them individually in wax paper.
Notes
Enjoy your homemade cinnamon hard candies, and share them with friends and family during the holiday season or as a sweet treat anytime!