Hard Candy (Christmas)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• Food coloring (various colors)
• Oil flavoring (choose one for each color):
  • Red: cinnamon
  • Blue: anise
  • Yellow: lemon or banana
  • Green: peppermint
  • Orange: orange
• Powdered sugar (for rolling)

Instructions:

1. Prepare Your Equipment: Butter a large platter or baking sheet and set it aside.

2. Cook the Mixture: In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, and light corn syrup. Cook over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook without stirring until the mixture reaches 300°F (hard crack stage) or until it forms hard threads when dropped into cold water.

3. Add Color and Flavor: Remove it from the heat once the mixture reaches the desired temperature. Quickly add your chosen food coloring and oil flavoring, stirring to combine.

4. Pour and Cool: Carefully pour the hot candy mixture onto the buttered platter. Allow it to cool for about 5 minutes. (Be cautious, as the mixture will be very hot.)

5. Cut the Candy: Before it cools completely, use scissors to cut it into pieces. It will become too hard to cut if you let it cool for too long.

6. Roll in Powdered Sugar: Once cut, roll each piece in powdered sugar to prevent sticking.

7. Store: Allow the candy to cool completely before storing it in an airtight container.

Enjoy your homemade hard candy! Feel free to experiment with different flavors and colors!