Rock candy brings back childhood memories of laughter and carefree abandon. Candy shops have stocked this tasty treat for centuries, and there’s nothing that compares to that crunchy and crisp bite of sweet goodness. So, welcome in the holiday season with delicious cinnamon rock candy. Perfect to include in your next ginger bread house scene, in hot coffee, or for a post-supper treat, this delectable delight will help you usher in some seasonal cheer during the icy-cold winter months in the valley.
Ingredients:
3 cups white sugar
1 cup water
Food coloring ((optional)
1 tsp cinnamon oil or vanilla extract ((optional)
2 jars
2 clips
2 skewers
Large saucepan
Yields two rock candy pops
Add your water to the saucepan, and bring to a rolling boil. Next, begin to add the sugar a 1/2 cup at a time until completely dissolved. Finish by adding 1 tablespoon of cinnamon for an exciting twist on classic rock candy. Take your mixture off the heat, and allow cooling for 15-20 minutes. Next, spread out 1/2 cup sugar on a plate, and dip each skewer into the liquid sugar mixture and then in the plain sugar to thoroughly coat the stick. These sugar crystals will provide a base for your rock candy to grow from. Let them dry for five minutes to ensure that they will hold up when placed into the hot sugar solution. Set out your jars and add a few drops of food coloring to the bottom of each depending on what color you are looking to make.
Very carefully add the sugary solution to each jar, and mix gently. Take your sugary skewers, secure a clip at the top of each, and place into the glasses in a way that ensures that the skewers are not touching the bottom or sides of the jar. These treats take some patience and will start to grow in about three days to a week depending on the environment. When it comes time to remove them, gently break the top with a butter knife and remove the skewer and hang it upside down, allowing the excess liquid to drop off. Pour out all the liquid from the jar and allow the candy to hang in the jar, allowing it time to dry off completely. And, voilà, enjoy your very own holiday-inspired cinnamon rock candy!
Rock candy looks remarkably like a glistening icicle hanging off a tree branch after a cold winter night, and the tasty cinnamon flavor and fun colors will be sure to inspire endless smiles. Wonderfully charming for the happy holiday months, make this treat a part of your family's tradition.
