MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
 
      Title: Hard Candy
 Categories: Candies
      Yield: 1 Batch
 
      2 c  Cane sugar
    2/3 c  Light Karo
    3/4 c  Water
      1 ts Oil flavor & color;
           - or to taste
      1 ts Citric acid; or to taste
 
  Have color, flavor, & citric acid ready when finished cooking!
  Put citric acid in fruit-flavored candies for tartness.

  Test your thermometer every day!

  To test:

  Place it in cold water & bring to boil. If water boils at say 210
  instead of 212, reduce cooking time 2 degrees.

  I use a Taylor thermometer. Wilton sells them now.

  Spray PAM in molds & on surface. Not too much & only once per session.
  Use a thin pan, not heavy! Candy must set a few minutes in the pan & the
  temperature will rise, burning the candy in a thick pan.

  Stir ingredients together before heating. Bring mixture to boil.
  Put lid on for 3 minutes to wash down sugar crystals. Add
  thermometer & don't stir. When thermometer reaches 285 to 290°F
  remove pot from stove. Wait for temperature to lower below 260°F
  before adding color, flavor, & citric acid. Will cook flavor out if
  too hot. Cover pan after adding citric acid so it won't fade the
  taste. I add about 2 ts citric acid.

  Don't stir! Use the tiny vials of Lorann oils. Available in cake
  supply shop or drug store.

  I pour the cooked candy into a Guttman candy funnel, which holds
  the entire recipe. Thats the quickest way to get it in molds befor
  it cools & hardens. Of course, spray funnel! I pour some into molds
  & the rest onto my marble slab. The part on the slab: I roll it
  into a long cylinder & cut into "pillows" with scissors. Dust
  finished candies with powdered sugar so they won't "melt" together.
  There is one very nice sucker mold. It is a white ring with a slit
  for the stick. Don't spray stick. All you do is spray mold, add
  stick, fill with candy, cool & remove easily. Comes in 2 to
  3 sizes, round or heart-shaped. I beleive it is Guttman Brand &
  available here at Sugarcraft. About 24 in a pack.

  This is my kids favorite Christmas candy. You will want to make
  several flavors. Experiment on how-much flavor. All vary. Don't add
  too much on the mints. Takes more on the cherry, strawberry, lemon,
  orange, etc. There are at least 50 oil flavors available to choose
  from!

  Recipe by Dolores McCann, Hamilton, OH
 
MMMMM