Addison is here from southern CA!
We are about to embark on some candy and cookie making. Aunt Janet’s hard candy is at the top of the list this year. It’s delicious, easy and fun and and we are about to make some of my Aunt Janet’s delicious hard candy. I wonder how many flavors we’ll make this year? I can’t wait!
Aunt Janet Mains was a great cook, a great baker and a great candy maker. Not sure about candlesticks, but boy could she cook! 😉 I especially loved her breads and rolls. At Christmas time, though, WELL, that was an altogether different story! My Aunt Janet made all sorts of goodies……..candy seemed her specialty…… for me, anyway. You are going to love this particular recipe as it is unbelievably easy to make. In fact, I made it while I was cleaning up the kitchen from lunch.
My aunt made this recipe multiple times during the holiday season, using different flavorings and coloring. She then gave everyone in the family a little jar of her homemade candy. But her presentation of her multi-colored candy was spectacular. She would place each grouping of colors side by side on her large round glass tray. It looked to me like a big stained glass window. Oh it was a beautiful sight to behold.
You guessed it! It’s tradition that I make this yearly gem of a goodie. Family loves it and so do I. Brings back sooo many great memories of family gatherings at my grandparents’ and aunt and uncles’ homes, celebrating Christmas…..all together!!
- 3¾ C sugar
- 1¼ C white syrup
- 1 C hot water
- 1 dram oil flavoring (oil flavoring may be purchased at a pharmacy or a craft store like Michaels)
- 1 t coloring
- 1 C powdered sugar for coating pans
- Place sugar, syrup and hot water into a heavy bottom pan (I use a small dutch oven, Club Aluminum). Stir until dissolved. Continue stirring occasionally, boiling until it reaches 300 *, using a candy thermometer.
- While candy mixture is cooking, spread ½ C powdered sugar onto each of 2 cookie sheets or jelly roll pans, preferably pans with sides. Set aside
- When temp of 300 degrees is reached (I let it go just a little over to be certain it gets to the hard crack stage), take off heat and pour in 1 dram of oil flavoring and 1 t of your choice of coloring. Stir. (Please be careful not to breath in fumes!!) Then slowly pour mixture in long strips onto the cookie sheets. Cool, crack and store in a container until ready to eat. (I store in canning jars.) This hard candy will keep a very long time if it stays clear of moisture.
- I used peppermint oil flavoring with green food coloring in these photos.
- I love the cinnamon and cherry. There are normally many flavors to choose from. Have fun!
Watch that thermometer! It does all the hard work for you. 🙂
You’ll be so glad you made this! So will all your friends and family! (Easy as pie……..easier……………really!)
What a wonderful tribute to my mother, Denise!! So glad you posted this! Such good memories it brings to mind!
Cindy,
So glad you liked my post. It was fun to reminisce of our Christmas gatherings with the Mains’ crew.LOVED your mom’s cooking and baking! Our grandparents and parents made Christmas time so special with the homemade gifts and all. Enjoy the candy making! You’re making memories for your family!
love, denise
The recipe says 1 dram of oil flavoring. Do you mean 1 tsp of oil flavoring?
Hi Jan,
Yes, it is one dram. one dram = approximately 1 1/3 t, so I normally put in a very full t. Hope this helps. 🙂
Denise