OLD FASHIONED HARD CANDY RECIPES

Steps:

• Butter two 15x10x1-in. pans; set aside. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, water and food coloring. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 300° (hard-crack stage). , Remove from the heat; stir in flavoring. Immediately pour into prepared pans; cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar; break into pieces. Store in airtight containers.

Steps:

• Butter the bottom and the sides of a 15-inch x 10-inch x 1-inch rimmed metal sheet pan. Then line with parchment paper, and butter the parchment paper all the way to the edges to prevent the candy from seeping underneath and sticking.
• Over medium-high heat, in a large deep pan mix water, sugar, corn syrup, and food coloring until the sugar begins to dissolve. Use a candy thermometer attached to the side of the pan to get an accurate temperature. (take care not to let the thermometer touch the bottom of the pan)
• Boil until the sugar mixture reaches 300 degrees (hard crack stage) This should take about 20 minutes. Make sure to watch it closely. If the mixture begins to boil too close to the edge of the pan, remove it from the heat, give it a stir, and when the bubbles calm down, return it to the heat.
• Once the mixture reaches 300 degrees (or a little over) remove from heat and stir in the cinnamon oil, working quickly. Try to keep your face away from the hot mixture as it is strong, Make sure to work in a well-ventilated area. Pour the candy into the prepared sheet pan immediately. Then allow it to cool for 4 hours.
• After 4 hours dust the top of the candy with powdered sugar. Next, flip candy over onto a cutting board or another cookie sheet, and remove parchment paper. Return candy back to the original cookie sheet, and use the tip of a sharp knife to break the candy into bite-size pieces.
• Dust with more powdered sugar and store in an airtight container.